Soccer can safely be agreed upon as the most popular sport in the world, where the language of the game is understood internationally and the nature of the game creates connection between men and women from different cultures and backgrounds.
During the summer of 2018, we brought the crowning glory of worldwide soccer – the FIFA World Cup, or Mundial – to one of the most central and beautiful areas in our city: Jaffa Gate. We turned the ancient entrance to the Old City into a colorful and festive soccer field. With participation of hundreds of Jerusalem residents from both West & East Jerusalem, we had live shows in the spirit of the participating countries, we held broadcasts of defining games in both Arabic and Hebrew, and most importantly we were able to make a historical dream come true: turning the ancient Jaffa Gate into a soccer field, confirming to code and all. One hundred young men and women from both sides of the city took part in a soccer competition to get goals in. It was wild and exciting and included the participation of Rafi Cohen, a legendary retired goalkeeper, and his daughter Amit Cohen, a goalie in the Israeli women’s league. Maher Abu El-Ahweh, a 15 year old resident of A-Tur, won himself the gold cup and a prize he would never forget: a plane ticket to Italy to watch the Juventus game live, and a meeting with the greatest stars in soccer.
Towards the end of 2022, the World Cup is set to take place in Qatar, and we truly hope we can make this magical Jerusalem festivity happen all over again and create shared partnerships and joint collaboration both between our locals and additional international friends.
launching Video
photography: Ofir Deri
Opening Event
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inW8vKMIP3Q
photography: Ofir Deri
Summary Video
photography: Ofir Deri
