Bar Timor: 'We don't forget, we will continue carrying the memory with us'

Hapoel Tel Aviv held the "Together Forever" ceremony at the Drive-in Arena to mark three years since the October 7 massacre, in memory of those murdered and fallen and in honor of the heroism of those who are no longer with us. Hapoel fans and bereaved families gathered for an evening of remembrance, pain, and commemoration, during which the stories of the fallen were shared and speeches were delivered in their memory.

During the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog delivered an encouraging message to the attendees, and Boaz Banai, a fan of the team, sang several moving songs. Afterwards, Sharon Kutz, Amit Halivni, Shai Hermesh, and Eyal Eshel spoke, sharing their personal stories and the memory of the loved ones they lost. Later, club owners Ofer Yannay and Gili Ranaan, alongside team symbols Bar Timor and Tomer Ginat, took the stage to speak. Commemorative clips in memory of the fallen were also screened during the ceremony.

Club owner Ofer Yannay said: "Black Saturday, a difficult, bitter, and painful event. On Sunday, we had to wake up to the day after and ask what could be done. We helped, and we supported. The team's first game was against Venezia. I came with a shirt featuring the pictures of those we still hoped were alive. Over time, that shirt was 'updated' with those who fell - and I would come to games wearing it."

"Two weeks after London, we arrived in Paris, where we brought a delegation of fans from the kibbutzim, mostly children. We organized a press conference and the children talked about their experiences from that day. The reason we brought children is that on October 7, I was 30-40 km. away from the events. I know a lot of people affected by the events, and even to me, it didn't sound real, which is why I wanted people to hear the stories from children. At a certain point, we saw the team as our way to bring joy and pride to the Hapoel fan community and to everyone in this grief-stricken country. When we won the EuroCup and flew back, I stayed behind. I told them that their first mission would be to take the trophy to all the graves of our fans who didn't get to see it with their own eyes."

Team player Tomer Ginat shared: "In the midst of life moving forward, it is important for us to stop and be here together with you. October 7 touched many homes and families of Hapoel fans. For us as players, knowing that people we meet in the stands and who accompany us everywhere were hurt so severely has stayed with us. We thought about them then, and we think about them today as well. I want to share one moment with you that has stayed with me ever since. Our first game after October 7 was in Venezia. I remember the feeling before we went out onto the court. Everything felt disconnected. We were all sitting in the locker room preparing to go out and play, but something was different. We didn't talk about the opposing team, not even for a single moment. We talked about the reason we were going out to play - and the reason was very clear: We are going out for you. For the people of Hapoel. For our audience that went through, and is still going through, so much. We knew a basketball game couldn't fix what happened. But that evening, putting on that jersey and stepping onto the court was our way of being with you, even from afar. To give everything we have, with all those people in our hearts."

Gili Ranaan, one of the team's owners, said for his part: "On October 7, I woke up and drove my son to his base in the South, to the combat zone. On the way back, in the Kiryat Gat area in a traffic jam, there was smoke and chaos all around. I said one thing to myself: When this whole thing is over, we will try to do things differently. We will not be able to continue our lives the way they were before. The empty seats in front of me here are not empty seats, they are all people who were part of us, of our community and our families. They are part of our heart, and they are missed every day."

Team captain Bar Timor delivered a speech: "We stand here today as one family to pause for a moment, to remember and to commemorate. October 7 is a day that cannot be forgotten. A day that left behind immense pain, families who lost what was most precious to them, and a void that cannot truly be filled. But alongside the pain, this day is also an opportunity to remember the people who were here with us - their lives, their dreams, their families, and everything they were to the people who loved them. We are also here to honor the heroes, those murdered and fallen, and everyone who on that day and in the days that followed displayed extraordinary courage and sacrificed everything to protect others."

"As captain of Hapoel Tel Aviv, I know how much strength the team, the club, and our community have when we stand together. On the court, we play to win, but there are things that are much bigger than any game and any result. This evening is for remembering. For honoring. And to say to the families who lost what was most precious to them - we remember, we do not forget, and we will continue carrying the memory with us."

Club chairman Stav Shaham: "On this evening, we stop basketball and sports, the chase after victories, to salute all those murdered and fallen, IDF soldiers, and everyone who stepped up on that terrible day and came to save our families. It is a difficult day for every one of us. It is hard to describe in words the life of everyone in this country, the pain and grief, the hole torn in all our hearts. Although three years have passed, the pain has not vanished. But you are not alone. The Hapoel family will always be by your side and take care of whatever is needed, always helping. We are all one community. Hapoel is not just sports, it is a community and a large family that lost the very best of its sons and daughters. The pain is very great. We will always be with you, helping, supporting, and marking the memory of everyone we lost."