Israeli club Beitar Jerusalem, David Beckham honor rabbi’s son who died in accident
Menajem and Daniel Benchimol will never get to see their younger brother, Sholem, play soccer again after the 17-year-old was killed when a car struck his bicycle in Sunny Isles Beach on April 26.
The teenage son of Beit Rambam Congregation Rabbi Jose Benchimol would have been a captain of the Scheck Hillel Community School soccer team this fall. He was known for playing while wearing a yarmulke skull cap.
To keep his legacy alive, the family is announcing Wednesday that it partnered with Beitar Jerusalem, an Israeli Premier League club, to open an academy in Miami and become the first soccer youth club in the United States that won’t play on Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath.
“Beitar Jerusalem will be the first professional Israeli team to launch a soccer academy outside its home country and will also make strides in religious liberty by becoming the first soccer academy in the United States to respect the observance of Shabbat,” the club announced.
Orthodox Jews and other religious people who observe a Saturday of rest are often unable to play youth soccer because games are typically held on Saturdays.
“We chose to partner with Beitar because they are the only professional soccer team in the world that doesn’t play on Shabbat. Together, we will create opportunities for kids to play sports and practice Judaism at the same time,” said Daniel Benchimol.
Menajem Benchimol added: “It was one of Sholem’s dreams to play professional soccer while staying strong to his Jewish values, now we will take that dream and make it more accessible to kids with similar goals. This will also create stronger ties between the greater Miami community and Israel as the academy will be open to everyone.”
Beitar Jerusalem had a history of racism within a group of its fan base, but owner Moshe Hogeg, a tech mogul who took over the team in 2019, has said that he has made it a priority to change the culture of the club and make it more inclusive. He has taken an uncompromising approach.
“I have zero tolerance for racism, absolutely zero,” Hogeg told the BBC. “My reaction toward racism is not proportional. You shout one racist comment and I will sue you for a million dollars.”
The Miami academy will be managed by the Benchimol brothers, Ivo Facianof, and professional soccer player Steven Cohen.
Sholem Benchimol’s idol was David Beckham, whose maternal grandfather was Jewish. Upon learning of the teen’s death, Beckham sent a hand-written note to the family and Inter Miami, the team Beckham co-owns, sent the family a framed jersey with Benchimol’s name “Sholem” on the back and his nickname “Corazon Valiente” (Brave Heart).
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 8:00 AM.