A year ago, in March of 2021, it was our honor and privilege to be the first Israeli national team to hold a formal friendly game with the Emirati national team in Dubai. It was the culmination of years of hope and dreams and of months of preparations by both unions. It was the first of a long-lasting fruitful collaboration.
Our journey began a few years ago with an accidental meeting between Qais As-Dhalai, at the time president of UAE Rugby Union, and Menachem Ben-Menachem who at the time was president of Rugby Israel. On their way back from a World Rugby event in London, both shared a bus bench and after getting acquainted agreed that it would be wonderful if one day UAE and Israel could formally meet on the rugby pitch.
The breaking news of the Abraham Accords sent waves throughout the world. The time came to convert the dream into reality or in the immortal words of Herzl, founder of the state of Israel; “If you will it, it is no dream”. In 1995 Nelson Mandela used the game of rugby to unite white and black South Africa and similarly, we wanted to bring the people of UAE and Israel closer together with similar means.
Once the agreements were signed in August 2020 both unions collaborated closely to arrange for the historic event and in a joint effort in March of 2021, merely six months later, the Israeli national rugby team landed in Dubai.
Our welcome was overwhelming and the connection with the Emirati union members was immediate and friendly – far beyond the requirements of the protocol. Both teams held joint training sessions led by a bi-national coaching staff headed by Apollo Perelini and Kevin Musikath the technical directors and head coaches of UAE and Israel respectively. While management and staff collaborated, it was heart-warming to see the players from both countries bond. Within minutes of arriving on the pitch for the first time, both teams mixed and the ball was passed from hand to hand with laughter and joy.
Our welcome was not limited to the rugby pitch as the Israeli team was welcomed with open arms by the local business community as well as the local Jewish community. Emirati businessmen hosted the team for luncheon events and the local Jewish community happily hosted us for a dinner on Palm Island. We felt so welcomed.
The big day of the game arrived and the stage was set for the first-ever formal international game between Emirati and Israeli teams. Hearing the Israeli national anthem, The Tikva, play on the loudspeakers while holding up the Israeli flag has brought tears of excitement to the eyes of all participants as did the video recorded blessing by President Rivlin of Israel.
