Beitar Jerusalem FC
Encyclopedia
Beitar Jerusalem Football club is an Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...

i football club from Jerusalem. The club is based at the Teddy Stadium in the Malha neighborhood, and plays in black and yellow. The club has been associated with Right-wing Israeli politics for over 70 years and attracts support from the La Familia
La Familia (Football firm)
La Familia are a Association football supporting "firm" linked to the Israeli Premier League club, Beitar Jerusalem.-History:The La-Familia Fans Organization was invented by a little group of Beitar Jerusalem fans in 2005 in order to show their love for the team.The Organization is known by its...

 Ultras
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...

 group.

History

The club was founded in 1936 by David Horn, the head of the local Betar movement. Most of the clubs players in the early years were from the Betar organisation, and the club was forced to stop playing in 1938 following arrests of Betar members by the British authorities, before resuming activity in 1943 under Horn and Shmuel Kirschstein. More players were arrested in the 1940s, and exiled to Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...

 and Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

, resulting in the formation of a Beitar Eritrea team. During the internment era, Horn refused to suspend operations again, and renamed it Nordia Jerusalem so as to deny links to the Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...

. Most of the Nordia players nevertheless came from Betar's ranks, including Simon Alfasi.

After independence in 1948, Beitar were played in Liga Bet
Liga Bet
-History:League football started in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga...

, then the second tier. In 1953–54
Liga Bet 1953-54
The 1953–54 Liga Bet season was the last in which Liga Bet was the second tier of Israeli football, as the new Liga Leumit became the top division and Liga Alef became the second tier....

 the club won the southern division of Liga Bet, and were promoted to the top division, which had just been renamed Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football league system below the Premier League.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the lowest-placed team are relegated to Liga Alef while the highest-placed team from Liga Alef are promoted in their place...

. In their first season in the top flight they finished 11th out of 14, and were forced to participate in promotion/relegation play-offs. Although they were the highest-placed club to take part in the play-offs, they finished bottom of the group, Beitar were relegated back to the second division, now renamed Liga Alef.

In 1957–58
Liga Alef 1957-58
The 1957–58 Liga Alef season saw Beitar Jerusalem win the title. However, there was no promotion to Liga Leumit or relegation to Liga Bet.-Final table:-References:* Bnei Yehuda...

 they won Liga Alef, but were not promoted, as there was no promotion or relegation that year. They won Liga Alef again in 1966–68 (a two-year season) and were promoted back to Liga Leumit. After finishing thirteenth in 1968–69, Beitar finished fifth in 1969–70, their best performance to date. Two seasons later they finished as runners-up to Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In 1974, during a match against Hapoel Petah Tikva, Beitar fans invaded the pitch and attacked Petah Tikva players and fans. This caused the first of several "radius" penalties, in which the club was forced to play matches in other cities behind closed doors. Beitar were also due to be relegated, but were saved by the intervention of Knesset members Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....

 and Yossi Sarid
Yossi Sarid
Yossi Sarid is a left-wing Israeli news commentator and former politician. He served as a member of the Knesset for the Alignment, Ratz and Meretz between 1974 and 2006...

, who forced the suspension of the relegation threat and called for an investigation of Israel Football Association
Israel Football Association
The Israel Football Association , also known as IFA, is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes the football leagues, Israeli Premier League, Israeli State Cup, Toto Cup and the Israeli national football team. The association is based in Ramat Gan...

 corruption. In 1974–75 the club reached the State Cup
Israel State Cup
The State Cup , is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israeli Football Association.The State Cup was first held in 1927–28 as the Palestine Cup...

 final for the first time, but lost 3–1 to Hapoel Kfar Saba. In the same season they finished second bottom of the league, and were due to be relegated to Liga Artzit
Liga Artzit
Liga Artzit was the third tier of Israeli football after the Premier League and Liga Leumit, and was run by the Israel Football Association.-Structure:...

 (the new second division). However, an IFA decision to expand the league from 16 to 18 clubs saw them reprieved. The next season they finished runners-up in the league to Hapoel Be'er Sheva and reached the State Cup final again, this time beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 2–1 to claim their first piece of major silverware.

The club finished as runners-up in both 1977–78 and 1978–79, also reaching the cup final in the latter season, winning 2–1 against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Despite the run of success towards the end of the 1970s, Beitar finished bottom of the division in 1979–80, and were relegated to Liga Artzit. However, they made an immediate return to the top division after finishing as runners-up
Liga Artzit 1980-81
The 1980–81 Liga Artzit season saw Beitar Tel Aviv win the title and win promotion to Liga Leumit. Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabi Haifa were also promoted.-Final table:-References:* Maccabi Haifa...

 to Beitar Tel Aviv in their first season back in the second tier.

In 1983–84 Beitar went into the last game of the season needing a win or draw to secure the title. However, they lost 1–0 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, allowing Maccabi Haifa to win the league. In 1985 Dror Kashtan
Dror Kashtan
Dror Kashtan is an Israeli former footballer and current manager. As a player, he represented the Israeli national team three times. As a manager, he took charge of numerous clubs as well as the Israel under-21 team, and, from 2006 to 2010, the senior national team...

 took over as manager and Beitar again finished as runners-up to Maccabi Haifa, but prevented Haifa from completing the double by beating them 1–0 in the cup final. They retained the cup in 1985-86, beating Shimshon Tel Aviv 2–1.

Despite having to play all home matches at Bloomfield Stadium
Bloomfield Stadium
Bloomfield Stadium is a 14,700-seat football stadium in the Tel Aviv District city of Jaffa, Israel. It is the home stadium of Hapoel Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv.-History:...

 in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...

, in 1986–87 Beitar claimed their first title, winning the league by a 15-point margin. Kashtan left the club to manage Maccabi Haifa, but returned in 1988. In 1988–89 they won the State Cup again, beating Maccabi Haifa 4–3 on penalties after a 3–3 draw. Kashtan left the club again during 1989.

In 1990–91 they finished second bottom of Liga Leumit, and were relegated to Liga Artzit. Under Lufa Kadosh the club made an immediate return to the top division. Kashtan returned to the club, winning the title in their first season back in Liga Leumit. Kashtan departed for a fourth time, resulting in the appointment of Eli Cohen. The club won the title again in 1996–97 and in 1997–98, by which time Kashtan had returned to the club again.

In 1998–99 Beitar reached the cup final, but lost 3–1 on penalties to Hapoel Tel Aviv after a 1–1 draw. Kashtan was replaced by former player Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana is a former Israeli football player and later a manager. He is currently the manager of the Israel U21 team. He is considered to be one of the greatest Israeli players ever.-Early life and playing career:...

, under whom the club reached the cup final again the following season, where they lost on penalties to Hapoel Tel Aviv again. At the end of the 1999–2000 season, Ohana was fired and replaced by Eli Guttman
Eli Guttman
Eli Guttman is an Israeli football manager.He won his first Israeli title in 1997, winning the Israel State Cup with Hapoel Be'er Sheva.He coached Hapoel Haifa during the 1998-99 season, in which the club won their first Liga Leumit title....

. Despite success on the pitch, at the end of the 1990s the club was in severe financial difficulties; chairman Moshe Dadash had sold the club's training grounds and pocketed the money.

After several mid-table finishes, in 2005 the club was bought by Russian-born billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak
Arcadi Gaydamak
Arcadi Aleksandrovich Gaydamak, is a Russian-Israeli businessman, who was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour. On April 29, 2011 the Court of Appeal in Paris acquitted him of charges of arms dealing...

. He angered some Beitar fans when he donated $400,000 to Bnei Sakhnin in a diplomatic gesture. However, under Gaydamak, the club soon established itself as having the largest budget in Israeli football. Several new players were signed such as Jérôme Leroy
Jérôme Leroy (footballer)
Jérôme Leroy is a French footballer currently playing for Évian Thonon Gaillard F.C. as an attacking midfielder....

, Fabrice Fernandes
Fabrice Fernandes
Fabrice Fernandes is a French former footballer who played for several clubs, most particularly Southampton.-Playing career:He first joined an English team in 2000, after signing a season-long loan deal at Fulham...

, David Aganzo
David Aganzo
David Aganzo Méndez is a Spanish footballer who plays for Hércules CF as a striker.-Club career:Aganzo was a product of Real Madrid's youth system, and made his debut with the first team on 20 February 2000, in a 1–1 draw at Valencia CF...

 and the club eventually signed manager Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández is a Spanish-French footballer who played as a defender / midfielder. He retired as a player in 1993 to become a manager....

. Beitar finished third in the league and qualified for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...

 in 2005–06. Ossie Ardiles was appointed manager at the start of the 2006–07 season, but was sacked after disappointing results in the UEFA Cup. His replacement, Yossi Mizrahi
Yossi Mizrahi
Yossi Mizrahi is a retired Israeli goalkeeper, and now hes a football coach and current manager of F.C. Ashdod.-Biography:Yosef Mizrahi was born in Jerusalem, Israel on April 4, 1953. He grew up in Katamon and studied at Ma'aleh state religious school. As a teenager, he played on the youth team...

, led the club to the title. In 2007–08 the club won its first double, winning the title by nine points and beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 5–4 on penalties in the cup final after a 0–0 draw. The following season Beitar won the State Cup again, beating Maccabi Haifa 2–1 in the final. In July 2009 Guma Aguiar
Guma Aguiar
Guma L. Aguiar is a Brazilian-born energy industrialist and millionaire businessperson who splits his time living between the United States and Israel. Guma Aguiar is recognized as a leading philanthropist who has supported a variety of Jewish causes including Nefesh B'Nefesh and the March of the...

 invested over US$4 million and it was widely expected that he would take over ownership of the club, and indeed claimed to be so in December 2009. This was denied by the Israel Football Association
Israel Football Association
The Israel Football Association , also known as IFA, is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes the football leagues, Israeli Premier League, Israeli State Cup, Toto Cup and the Israeli national football team. The association is based in Ramat Gan...

, stating that Gaydamak remains the owner due to his ongoing legal issues complicating the sale of the club.

In recent years, actions by some of the club's fans have earned it notoriety and league penalties. Fan offenses have included heckling during a moment of silence for slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....

 and chanting slogans derogatory to Muslims and Arabs. The league has levied fines, suspended and docked points, and imposed closed door matches to penalize the team. However, due to efforts the club was making "to combat its own fans' racist behavior", which include donning uniforms that read "Stop Racism", a football association court reinstated one league point to the club in April 2011.

In July 2011, Beitar Jerusalem announced theat a deal was made between club owner Arcadi Gaydamak and American businessmen Dan Adler
Dan Adler
Daniel Herbert "Dan" Adler is a Los Angeles entertainment industry veteran of the new media and Hollywood film and television industries. He was a Democratic candidate for the United States House of Representatives in the special election to fill California's 36th Congressional District seat. As of...

 and Adam Levin who were to take over the club. The deal fell through.

Crest

Since the foundation of The Beitar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...

 Movement, the Menorah has become a theme that has run throughout the years. The new Beitar Jerusalem
Beitar Jerusalem FC
Beitar Jerusalem Football club is an Israeli football club from Jerusalem. The club is based at the Teddy Stadium in the Malha neighborhood, and plays in black and yellow...

 crest has kept the Menorah:

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
1999–2000 Diadora
Diadora
Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...

Cellcom (Israel)
Cellcom (Israel)
Cellcom is a major Israeli telecommunications company. Founded in 1994, most of the company's business is centered around wireless service...

2000–2001 Subaru
Subaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...

2001–2002 Lotto
Lotto Sport Italia
Lotto Sport Italia is an Italian sports apparel manufacturer. Its products are now distributed in more than 60 countries.-History:Lotto was established in 1973 by the Caberlotto family in Montebelluna, northern Italy, the world centre of footwear manufacturing. In June 1973, Lotto made its debut...

Eldan
2002–2003 Fresh&Go
2003–2004 Diadora
Diadora
Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...

Hot (Israel)
Hot (Israel)
HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. is a company that provides cable television, last-mile Internet access, broadband and telecommunication services in Israel. It also provides various data transmission services and network services at different rates, services to the business sector and other...

2004–2005 Kappa
Kappa
Kappa is the 10th letter of the Greek alphabet, used to represent the voiceless velar stop, or "k", sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 20. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Kaph...

2005–2006 014
2006–2007 Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...

2007–2008 B.Yair
2008–2011 Eldan
2011– Diadora
Diadora
Diadora is an Italian football, tennis, running, cycling, rugby, athletic shoe, clothing, and fashion accessory manufacturer with locations in Italy, the United States, and Hong Kong.-History:...


Stadium

As of July, 2010
The club was initially based at the "Banana Field" close to Beitar youth group's "nest", but by the 1950s had moved to the YMCA Stadium
YMCA Stadium
The cornerstone for the Jerusalem YMCA was laid in 1928 by Lord Plumer, the British High Commissioner for Palestine, on a plot of land in the West Nikephoria section of Jerusalem purchased from the Greek Orthodox Church Patriarchate. When the building opened on April 18, 1933, the event was...

, which was later shared with Hapoel Jerusalem. The YMCA was nicknamed the sandbox due to the poor condition of the pitch.

In 1991 both clubs moved to the Teddy Stadium, named after longtime Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek
Teddy Kollek
Theodor "Teddy" Kollek was mayor of Jerusalem from 1965 to 1993, and founder of the Jerusalem Foundation. Kollek was re-elected five times, in 1969, 1973, 1978, 1983 and 1989...

. Initially the stadium was two-sided and held 12,000 spectators. This was increased to 21,600 when a third side was completed in 1997. The fourth side of the stadium remains undeveloped. It has been dubbed Gehinom
Gehenna
Gehenna , Gehinnom and Yiddish Gehinnam, are terms derived from a place outside ancient Jerusalem known in the Hebrew Bible as the Valley of the Son of Hinnom ; one of the two principal valleys surrounding the Old City.In the Hebrew Bible, the site was initially where apostate Israelites and...

(lit. Hell) by club supporters, for the hostile atmosphere they present to visiting teams and their fans.

First team

Youth team

Most appearances

Rank Name Period Games Goals
1   Uri Malmilian
Uri Malmilian
Uri Malmilian is an Israeli former football player and current manager.-Early life and playing career:Born in the neighbourhood of Mamilla in Jerusalem, Israel, Malmilian had a memorable playing career in the Liga Leumit at Beitar Jerusalem. He is regarded as one the best Israeli players...

 
1973 – 89 423 140
2   Hanan Azulay  1974 – 89 369 41
3 Itzhak Jano  1968 – 83 375 9
4   Yossi Mizrahi
Yossi Mizrahi
Yossi Mizrahi is a retired Israeli goalkeeper, and now hes a football coach and current manager of F.C. Ashdod.-Biography:Yosef Mizrahi was born in Jerusalem, Israel on April 4, 1953. He grew up in Katamon and studied at Ma'aleh state religious school. As a teenager, he played on the youth team...

 
1972 – 88 371 0
5   Itzik Kornfein
Itzik Kornfein
Yitzhak "Itzik" Kornfein is a retired Israeli goalkeeper who played mostly for Beitar Jerusalem. He also played for Hapoel Tiberias, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Hapoel Petah Tikva and Beitar Tel Aviv...

 
1995 – 07 366 0
6   Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana
Eli Ohana is a former Israeli football player and later a manager. He is currently the manager of the Israel U21 team. He is considered to be one of the greatest Israeli players ever.-Early life and playing career:...

 
1980 – 87
1991 – 99
345 142
Yossi Hakham  1965 – 80 345 1
8   Shaul Mizrahi  1953 – 70 304 40
9 Eitan Mizrahi  1989 – 03 299 12
10 Sami Malka  1980 – 92 288 47
11   Udi Rubowitch  1963 – 74 281 81
12 Meir Kadosh  1984 – 95 279 0
  Ya'akov Schwartz  1983 – 94 279 35
14   Danny Noyman
Danny Noyman
-References:...

 
1971 – 80
1982 – 84
264 34
15 Shlomi Avrahami  1960 – 73 260 20
16   David Amsalem
David Amsalem
-Career:He started his career with Bnei Yehuda and then joined Hapoel Tel Aviv whom he played for during the 1994-1995 season. He became the second Israeli to join Crystal Palace following Itzik Zohar who left just as Amsalem was signing....

 
1995 – 98
2000 – 09
252 11
17   Serhiy Tritjak  1992 – 00 239 3
18   Aviram Baruchyan  2002–present 237 36
19 Itzhak Monsa  1958 – 68 235 51
20 Hai Mizrahi  1954 – 65 229 1
Yossi Avrahami 1974 – 84 229 18

Player of the year

Year Winner
2004–05   Avi Nimni
Avi Nimni
Avi Nimni is Maccabi Tel Aviv's highest ever scorer and is regarded as one of Maccabi Tel Aviv's greatest players ever. Until 2006, he served as the captain of the Israeli national football team...

2005–06   Yoav Ziv
Yoav Ziv
Yoav David Ziv is an Israeli footballer who currently plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League and the Israel national football team. He can perform on either flank of the formation, usually attacking from defence, as he is adept with both feet, although he favours the right.-Club...

2006–07   Michael Zandberg
Michael Zandberg
Michael Zandberg is an Israeli football player playing for Hapoel Haifa.He played for Hapoel Petah Tikva until he was 22 years of age. Then he moved to Maccabi Haifa where he played 4 years in 2002-2006 season, and won 3 championships and also in UEFA Champions League. Zandberg is one of the...

2007–08   Gal Alberman
Gal Alberman
Gal Alberman is an Israeli football player. He plays as a central midfielder, currently with Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.-Career:Alberman started playing for Maccabi Petah Tikva in the youth levels. He playing alongside Tomer Ben-Yosef and Omer Golan, among others...

2008–09   Barak Yitzhaki
Barak Yitzhaki
Barak Yitzhaki is an Israeli footballer who plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv.He mostly plays a Second striker, but can also play an Attacking midfielder....

2009–10   Ariel Harush
Ariel Harush
Ariel Harush is an Israeli footballer who currently plays for Beitar Jerusalem.-External links:*...

2010–11   Kobi Moyal
Kobi Moyal
Kobi Moyal is an Israeli footballer who plays for Beitar Jerusalem. He has also played for Hapoel Kfar Saba and Bnei Yehuda.-References:...


Honours

  • Israeli championships
    • Winners: 1986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, 2007–08
  • Second Division
    • Champions: 1953–54, 1957–58, 1966–68
  • State Cup
    Israel State Cup
    The State Cup , is a knockout cup competition in Israeli football, run by the Israeli Football Association.The State Cup was first held in 1927–28 as the Palestine Cup...

    • Winners: 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1989, 2008
      2007–08 Israel State Cup
      The 2007–08 Israel State Cup was the seventy-five season of Israel's nationwide football cup competition and the fifty-four after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. It started on September 28, 2007...

      , 2009
  • Toto Cup
    Toto Cup
    The Toto Cup is an association football tournament that exists separately in the two highest divisions in Israel: the Premier League and Liga Leumit....

    • Winners: 1997–98 , 2009–10
  • Shalom Cup (Roma)
    • Winners: 2000
  • Israeli Supercup
    Israeli Supercup
    The Israeli Supercup was an Israeli association football club competition played on a single match between the winner of the latest Israeli top league championship and that of the last Israel State Cup...

    • Winners: 1976, 1986
  • Lilian Cup
    • Winners: 1985
  • Mini Football Championship
    • Winners: 1988

External links

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