At a time when Israeli teams are forced to play their home games abroad and foreign visitors remain rare, Maccabi Ashdod experienced an extraordinary event on Wednesday, hosting South Carolina's Allen University for a joint practice session and exhibition game.
Allen University is a historically Black college and university (HBCU). The visit, funded by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Project Max, aimed to combat antisemitism and racism while promoting tolerance through athletics.
Combating racism through sports
Eric Rubin, an American Jew who made Aliyah following October 7 and currently resides in Tel Aviv, is the visionary behind the initiative: "This is something incredible. Our mission is to fight Antisemitism and racism and foster tolerance through sports. Bringing an HBCU to Israel during these times, with an all-African American roster, to play against a professional team that includes both American and Israeli players - Black and white together - is deeply moving to me. It shows that sports connect people. This is a great opportunity for our players, who have never left the United States or played against professionals, and they will never forget this day."
Maccabi Ashdod captain Robert Turner, who was born and raised in South Carolina just an hour's drive from the university campus, knows the institution well: "It’s a huge deal to host people from my hometown here in Israel. It was a great pleasure talking to these young players, explaining to them what a wonderful place Israel is and how well we are treated here."
Ronen Harel, Chairman of Maccabi Ashdod, added: "It is a great honor for us to host an American university here, especially during these times when very few foreigners visit Israel. It is a huge honor for our club and the city of Ashdod, and I thank everyone who made this happen. I believe this connection will lead to more great things in the future."
Building bridges between communities
Eitan Weiss, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, stated: "This delegation serves as an example of the importance of sports as a bridge connecting cultures, communities, and nations. The Allen University basketball team, an HBCU institution in the U.S., was invited to Israel through an initiative by the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta, in partnership with Eric Rubin of Project Max and Prof. John Eaves, aimed at strengthening ties between Israel and the African American community in the United States. Sports serve as a universal language that transcends borders and enables direct encounters between people from diverse backgrounds. Through basketball, we open an opportunity not only to experience Israel firsthand, but also to share common values of teamwork, excellence, perseverance, and mutual respect."
"It is our honor to host the delegation members in Israel, presenting a significant opportunity to build bridges between communities, reinforce mutual understanding, and create bonds based on respect, partnership, and shared values," Weiss continued. "We place great importance on creating encounters of this kind, which allow participants to experience the diversity of Israeli society, get to know its people and story firsthand, and return home with personal connections and a deeper understanding of the State of Israel."