The fascinating story of Betar Nordia Jerusalem

The games between Bnei Sakhnin and Betar Jerusalem have always been charged, ones that have something beyond football. Tonight (18.00) there will also be an interesting meeting, certainly when it comes to the eighth finals of the State Cup, but of a different kind. , The little sister, which some see as the real sequel to the original club.

A bit far from the constant madness that surrounds the training complex in Beit Vagan, among trees in the Cedars Valley, the potential Cinderella is preparing for the prom, but her story is bigger than the rival who arranged the lottery for her and the fact that she is the last Ligue 1 representative in the factory.

On the one hand, Nordia is Betar Jerusalem (although its official name is the Nordia Jerusalem Sports Association, but everyone calls it Betar) – the same colors, the same symbol, the same history. Only she is not willing to put up with the negative phenomena associated with the club, especially in the games against Sakhnin, and with the reason why it actually arose – racism.

The idea creamed skin and tendons during the time of Arkady Gaydamak, who brought in the pair of Chechen actors Zaur Sadayev and Jibril Kadayev. The signing drew opposition from some of the group’s fans, who, among other things, waved a huge poster to Teddy: “Betar is pure forever.” The rift in Betar’s audience was created. With the arrival of Eli Tabib, and the incidents of violence in the opening practice at Beit Vagan, the complete disconnection occurred. That same week, a Facebook page was opened, calling on Betar fans to shake off these phenomena, unite and form their own group.

“In 2013, we felt that Betar Jerusalem, which we grew up on and that accompanied us throughout our lives, is no longer the same Betar, and it was a big break because it was like losing a part of you,” says Amir Eliyahu, one of the founders of Nordia. “Our values ​​as human beings outweighed the love for football, and we decided we had to do something that was ours. There were a lot of fans who moved to other teams, or stopped loving football, but it was important for us to maintain Betar values.”

On the name they chose for themselves, Eliyahu adds: “Betar – this is the love we grew up on from the days of Eli Ohana and Uri Melmillian, Nordia – this is the present and the change we aspire to, and Jerusalem – the city we are connected to. There were those who called us traitors, but our inner truth is alive and breathing. “

And what does that have to do with the mother club? “We have not abandoned Betar, we are still following what is happening in the group, and as in prayers in the Diaspora we always talk about ‘back to Zion.’ Unfortunately, I see that things in Betar will not change and that she will no longer be what she used to be. This is a group where racism and violence are rooted in, and these are not only members of her family but far beyond. There are of course great Betar fans, and they are my friends, but Our paths parted. We divorced from Betar Jerusalem, but we maintained good relations. “

“Alongside the sporting goals, the club arose out of a desire to fight racism,” says general manager Orit Raz, who previously held senior positions in the Football Association and the referees’ association. The complacent Snake Street fish and the actor Guri Alfi – give a boost and provide the background sounds.

However, do not think that there is no special rivalry with Sakhnin. Nordia fans still remember unpleasant experiences from visits to the stadium in Doha, as Betar Jerusalem fans. “There were violent games and players as bad guys who are badly remembered, and the road there was always exhausting and outrageous. “The fact that now we do not have to go for an early inspection in Australia Park, through dirt paths, is in a real line.”

Like any new club, Nordia started out in the third division, climbing two leagues. At the start of the current season the budget shrank significantly following the Corona crisis, and the team, which was among the top budget owners in the third division, got entangled in the underground battles. Although this is a league that is defined as semi-professional, the conduct of the club – from the seniors to the football school – does not embarrass teams in senior leagues. Her games are broadcast live on social media, and she has an organized spokesperson department and workshops for community activities.

Among the players who passed through the club were several well-known names, such as the brothers Aviram and Eviatar Baruchian. Today, the squad includes young and unfamiliar players, and unlike the original Betar Jerusalem – also Muslims. Only recently did Nizar Abu-Katifan from the Palestinian League join the team.

“It’s a good feeling to be here,” Abu Katifan said. “This is not Betar Jerusalem, because if there was some racism here I would not have joined the group. Nordia has quite a few Arab fans, who are my friends and recommended me to come. I feel there is coexistence here. “In regular Betar Jerusalem, I would not want to play. Although this is the Premier League and the conditions are good, I would not want to be cursed on the field.”

The coach is Victor Ganish, who has returned for a second term at the club. The king of goals for the team is striker Assaf Govza, who is in a good season despite Nordia shuffling at the bottom of the League A South table. But even though in the league things are a bit tiring, the trophy is a different story. Although Nordia did not knock out rivals from the two senior leagues, it did do so to two strong teams from its league. First she passed the rich Hapoel Marmorek, played by Eran Levy, and then MS Tira, who is racing to the national league. “Eighth final is not obvious,” says Ganish, “I was a player in those positions. The atmosphere is special and it’s amazing to see that before the game everyone wants to play. Suddenly all the injured have become healthy and fit.”

Opinions are divided among the members of the club: Is the big goal to unite with Betar Jerusalem and make it a group free of signs of racism and violence, or to remain a separate group that will be established and grow, until Nordia actually becomes the senior and leading Betar Jerusalem? “The past is common, but the future is still difficult to predict,” says Raz.

And back to the opponent tonight. “It makes me laugh, because Betar Jerusalem, where I grew up, would not treat Sakhnin as a mythological rival,” says Eliyahu. “Betar has to face Hapoel or Maccabi Tel Aviv, but because of this hatred of the Arab minority in the country, it has become “If I was a Betar fan today, Sakhnin would be another team in the league like Maccabi Petah Tikva or Hapoel Kfar Saba. The very rivalry they invented is a certificate of poverty for Betar, not for the people of Sakhnin.”

On a possible derby in the next stage against Betar of Moshe Hogg, no one in Nordia is still fantasizing, what’s more, the Premier League team also expects a difficult meeting in the eighth tomorrow, against MS Ashdod. But first of all, Nordia must pass Sakhnin, who won before Less than two weeks in the league, the team of Drapich and Shai Barda in Teddy. “We will come to win, we have not forgotten the Betar values,” Eliyahu announces. “Because a lion if he roars, who will not be afraid.”