(haipo) - The star of the movie: the Haifa soccer referee • A festive appreciation evening and the screening of a documentary film about the work of the legendary soccer referee, Avraham Klein, took place in Haifa.
◄ Or Sheaf ahead of the event in honor of Klein at 'Gali Haifa' • Watch
World Premiere
In the presence of about 150 dignitaries, last night (Wednesday 10/7/24) the international soccer referee, Avraham Klein, was honored with an evening of appreciation during which a documentary film about his work was presented in a world premiere screening. The film was produced by the Spanish television channel, "Mobister", which accompanied and documented Klein for a week in Israel.
continues to keep fit
Last night (Wednesday 10/7/24) was held at the urban sports club, "Gali Haifa", where he makes sure to train several times a week.
◄ Avraham Klein speaks at the recognition event in his honor • Watch
The event was graced by the presence of the Mayor of Haifa, Mr. Yona Yahav, Honorary Hungarian Ambassador to Israel Honorary Hungarian Ambassador - Mr. Zoltan Santgyorgy, former Member of Knesset Micha Goldman, President of the Maccabi Haifa Football Club, Yaakov Shahar, CEO of the Maccabi Haifa Club, Itzik Ovadia, Chairman of the Shino Football Association Moshe Zoertz, past and present football players, football referees and other dignitaries.
Always Haifai
Avraham Klein, born in Romania in 1934, survived the Holocaust, arrived at the age of 13 in the Netherlands with 500 other Jewish children who went through hell and a year later, in October 1948, immigrated to Israel. To this day, he is considered the most senior soccer referee in Israel of all time. In all the years of his extensive activity, in Israel and around the world, Klein lived in Haifa.
Always modestly
The Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, said at the event:
"Abraham Klein, you are a beloved man, everyone loves you and what is most beautiful about you is your modesty, that is your beauty, you do everything with modesty, and this is very compatible with the city of Haifa. I thank you for everything you have given us in the world of football and I am happy that we have the stadium in the city that you are its global representative. I wish you to walk in this city for many more years with the modesty that characterizes you so much."
◄ Or Shaf, CEO of Haifa Economic Corporation • Watch
Or Shaf, CEO of the Economic Society for Haifa, who moderated the evening, opened by saying: "In two hours, the soccer match between England and the Netherlands in the semifinals of the European soccer championship will begin in Germany. This is one of the highlights of world soccer. No Israeli team or national team has ever had the privilege of reaching this status in Europe, certainly not at the world level, in the soccer World Cup, the World Cup."
"Haifai, ours"
Seagull went on to say: "But there is one Israeli who did get to reach these moments, not just any Israeli, but Haifa, our own. Not just to reach the World Cup in soccer, but to referee one of the greatest matches of all time between Brazil and Italy in the 1982 World Cup, and if that's not enough, then to serve as a linesman in the final game of that tournament and we haven't mentioned the 68 Mexico Olympics, the 70 World Cup in Brazil where he refereed the great Pele, the 78 World Cup in Argentina and that's really just the tip of the iceberg. This special man is Avraham Klein."
Avraham Klein spoke and said:
"I thank the financial company and the city club 'Gali Haifa', which became my training place, and therefore it is not appropriate to host such an event. Thank you all for taking an evening to watch my private life and especially my professional life."
3 world championships
Klein also said: "I had the privilege of being chosen as the darling of Haifa, as well as representing the State of Israel, the cities of Haifa, the soccer association in 3 world championships and 2 Olympics for special needs, in which I volunteered to judge."
4 decades in the biggest stadiums in the world
Klein:
"My refereeing career spanned four decades and brought me to the greatest stadiums in the world. There is no one prouder than me that one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world was built and is operating in Haifa, and for that I thank Mayor Yona Yahav, thanks to whom it was built. Thanks to the Israeli Federation that stood behind me the whole way, and of course to my family" .
He was the gym teacher at Shalva School in Haifa, a role model, and later on being an international judge (who left a global mark in judging,
(I was somewhat successful in waiting for him for days as a combat fitness instructor in the Nachshon unit...)
I have a feeling that in the next elections for the municipality of Haifa, Or Shaf is going to run.
From "Al Hashemhar", July 5, 1971:
Resourcefulness of a pool manager saved children's lives
The wall of the Tamar cinema in Haifa collapsed and fell into the pool bordering it
The resourcefulness and courage that international soccer referee Avraham Klein showed to PNA yesterday, prevented a major disaster and injury to dozens of children who were swimming in the municipal swimming pool "Gali Hadar" on Hapoel Street in Haifa.
A. Klein, who serves as the manager of the pool and a sports teacher by profession, felt, around 10 o'clock, the cracks that opened in the wall of the Tamar cinema bordering the swimming pool, and removed the dozens of children who were swimming in the pool at the time.
Suddenly the wall collapsed, and large blocks of concrete fell into the pool's waters and onto the concrete surface surrounding it on one side.
The rescuers, Yitzhak Blum and Yoram Zidner, jumped into the water and pulled out 3 children and a woman, who were in the water when the wall collapsed.
If the children hadn't been removed in time, a major disaster could have occurred, since the jumping pool and other facilities are located at the site of the collapse, and the place is usually crowded with dozens of bathers.
At the time of the collapse, there were about 200 children in the pool.
A. Klein himself was hit in the head and suffered minor injuries. The police were called to the scene and began an investigation.