THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 26 Friday, March 21, 1980 Super Fan: Jaffa Rabbi Follows Maccabi Team Across Country By HASKELL COHEN (Copyright 1980, JTA, Inc.) TEL AVIV — In close to 50 trips to the state of Israel over a period of 20 years I've run into some very unusual stories. However, I doubt if I have encountered anything in story form as unique as this one. I was told by a relative that there was a Bulgarian UNLIMITED SERVICE CALLS INCLUDED! CONDOMINIUM INTERIOR SERVICE PLAN 557-6830 r. Call For Free Brochure and More Information rabbi located in Jaffa who was a soccer buff. Not only was he crazy about soccer, but he followed the Maccabi Jaffa team all over the country as they played their Israel National League schedule. What stumped me is that almost all soccer in Israel is played on Saturday afternoons. I couldn't understand how an Or- thodox rabbi could get to the site of games, particularly road games. I decided that I would in- vestigate this man if I could locate him and upon my ar- rival here I made contact with Rabbi Abraham Be- har. Two days later I was waiting in the lobby of the Ramada Continental Under Supervision of The Council of Orthodox Rabbis STRICTLY KOSHER MEAT MARKET 13831 W. 9 Mile Rd., Oak Park 543-7092 $2.39 $2.29 $2.69 $ 1.09 RIB STEAK STANDING RIB ROAST TOP RIB BAR B Q CHICKEN Detroit Area Retail Kosher Meat Dealers Assoc. lb. lb. lb. lb. Hotel on Hayarkon St. and promptly at 10 I saw a short man, impeccably dressed, with a nicely trimmed white beard and a Bulgarian version of a shtreimel approach the desk. We sat down and began talking about soccer. I quickly discerned that the rabbi knew his game better than I did, and I've been affiliated with soccer for many years in the U.S. It developed that the rabbi in his youth was an excellent soccer player. Rabbi Behar was born in the town of Hedarne in Turkey 66 years ago. As a youth his family moved to Sofia, Bul- garia. The the age of 18 he was the hazzan rashi of the Beth Knesset Merkazi Central Synagogue in Sofia. This made him the chief cantor of the largest congregation in the capital city of Bulgaria. Naturally, my interest was piqued as to how a rabbi would get involved in soccer. It developed that he, during the period 1931-1933 was the goal- keeper of the Levski Team of the city of You can be sure it's pure if it's kosher and for the finest in kosher meats and poultry, SHOP AT YOUR INDEPENDENT MEMBER MARKET OF THE DE- TROIT AREA RETAIL KOSHER MEAT DEALERS ASSOC. LOOK FOR THIS EMBLEM. IT'S YOUR AS- SURANCE OF THE FINEST IN KOSHER PRO- DUCTS. Rustchouk. The Levski club was one of the best teams in Bulgaria and was a member of the Na- tional League. In those days it was strictly an amateur outfit. The highlight of the rabbi's goalkeeping career with the Rustchouk club came dur- ing the year of 1932 when his team went all the way to the finals in Bulgarian Cup play. The final game saw Levski's opponent hold that team even and the regula- tion game ended 0-0. The match then was to be decided by a series of pen- alty kicks. The rabbi's team was granted the right to take their five penalty kicks against the opposition goal- keeper first. As a matter of fact, the rabbi belted in the riding to games involving third goal himself, and his the Maccabi team, both at team took a 4-0 lead via the home and on the road. His penalty route. The opposi- answer was very simple, he tion then lined up and three said, "I feel that the Sab- goals skidded by the goal- bath was created in order keeping rabbi. A successful for Jews to enjoy themselves penalty try would again tie and have a day of pleasure the score, a miss would give as they rested and prayed. I Levski the championship of feel that there's nothing wrong in my driving to the Bulgaria. games, ,wherever they are The rabbi told me that as held. I've been castigated by the opponent lined up and many rabbis and the chief sighted his kick, the rabbi Sephardic Rav of the coun- shouted "shema yisroel" try, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef_ and at that moment the boo- has called me upon numer ter belted his ball and it ous occasions and told me veered off to the side and the I only desist from riding on rabbi deflected it, giving his the Sabbath, he will make club the national cham- me the chief rabbi of Jaffa. pionship. Rabbi Behar told I've turned down his request me that, to this day, the cup because I do not feel that I is referred to as the Shema am violating the Sabbath in Yisrael Cup in Bulgaria. any way." Author Granted East-West Visa After a stay of some 30 years in Bulgaria, Rabbi Behar migrated to Israel and settled among the Bulgarian contingent lo- cated in Jaffa. Here he has his own synagogue and has served in a variety of clerical capacities. He is a knowl- edgeable musician and cantor, as recorded above, he is a mohel (he has circumcized over 19,000 of the Bulgarian inhabitants of his com- munity), and also has served as a ritual slaughterer. At this point I timidly asked the rabbi how he could violate the Sabbath by EAST BERLIN — The East German government has given author Jurek Be- cker a 10-year visa enabling him to cross the East Germany-West Germany border at will. Becker, who won fame with "Jacob the Liar," a story about life under the German occupation of Po- land during World War II, \\ currently lives in West Be- rlin. The 42-year-old author has been visiting his two sons and former wife in East Berlin through the use of a temporary travel document, obtained in 1977. TURKEY BREAST without wings $ 89 1b. BEEF PATTIES $ I 89 1b. The festive holiday of Passover begins Mon. Eve. Mar. 31st Shop early for your holiday needs. 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Ben Smith Don Barder Carl Carson 968-7450 Lincoln Center Oak Park Under the supervision of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis While quantities last and we also reserve right to limit quantities. NEW YORK — The newly formed National Foundation Committee of the Jewish National Fund, under the chairmanship of Henry 0. Shor of Baltimore, is comprised of leading ac- countants, attorneys and businesspeople familiar with the tax incentives of charitable contributions. The committee was formed in order to reach the untapped potential for larger gifts to support the JNF in its vital work in Is- rael. SUPER LOW DISCOUNT CIGAR PRICES Sebastiaris 3 Locations SOUTHFIELD ROCHESTER Tel-12 Mall PLAZA 1414 Walton HILLS FARMINGTON 28972 Orchard Lake nr. 13 Mile WA. f:31N c i UJA Walk-A-Thon Set for May 4 NEW YORK — More than 200 communities throughout the United States and Canada are ex- pected to participate in the fourth annual United Jewish Appeal Walk-A- Thon on May 4. 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