Beitar Jerusalem F.C.
Beitar Jerusalem Football Club, commonly known as Beitar Jerusalem or simply Beitar, is an Israeli professional football club based in the city of Jerusalem, that plays in the Israeli Premier League, the top tier in Israeli football. The club has traditionally worn kit colours of yellow and black and plays its home matches in Teddy Stadium. The stadium is the largest stadium in Israel, with a capacity of 31,733.
The club is one of the most popular in Israel and is among the Israeli clubs with the highest number of fans in the country. The club was founded in 1936 by Shmuel Kirschstein and David Horn, who chaired the Betar branch in Jerusalem. Several team members were also part of the outlawed Irgun and Lehi militias closely associated with the right-wing Revisionist Zionism movement. Beitar's fans have become a highly controversial political symbol in Israeli football culture, unofficially aligning with the Revisionist Zionist movement and Likud party. Beitar is the only club in the Israel Premier League to have never signed an Arab player and the fanbase is notorious for its anti-Arab racism and anti-Muslim religious bigotry. Notably, the club has previously signed four non-Arab Muslim players.
Domestically, Beitar has won the Israeli Premier League six times, in 1986–87, 1992–93, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2006–07, and 2007–08; the Israeli Cup eight times, in 1975–76, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1988–89, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2022–23; and Israeli Supercups twice in 1976 and 1986.
History
British Mandate
Beitar Jerusalem was founded in 1936 by Shmuel Kirschstein and David Horn as a youth team. The first games were held against Armenian and Arab teams in Jerusalem, though Hapoel Jerusalem boycotted for political reasons.In 1942, a match was held at Tel Aviv's Maccabiah Stadium between Beitar and the Islamic Sports Club of Haifa. Beitar won 5–1. At the end of 1943 and early 1944, Beitar played several games against the club from Katamon, Al-Dajani, the city's leading Arab team.
;Jerusalem Cup Games of 1944
- 15 April 1944: Beitar Jerusalem 1–1 Plebis
- 22 April 1944: Beitar Jerusalem 2–2 Plebis
- 13 May 1944: Beitar Jerusalem 3–2 Plebis
- 20 May 1944: Beitar Jerusalem 1–3 Allwain
On 19 October 1944, several club players were among 251 persons who were deported to Eritrea, Kenya, and Sudan by the British Mandate authorities. Among the deportees were David Horn and Rabinovich and some members of Beitar Jerusalem's "First team of 1936." A Beitar Jerusalem team was set up in Gilgil, where many deportees played in city-of-origin-based teams. A plan was made to dig a tunnel from the centre of a football pitch in the detention camp in Kenya. Two of the deportees were murdered by Sudanese guards for an alleged "escape attempt". Six succeeded in reaching Europe. All living deportees reached Israel in July 1948.
When a joint team of Beitar Jerusalem and Beitar Tel Aviv visited Lebanon and Syria, they played against Homenetmen, an Armenian team, which ended in 0–0, and the French Army team, in which Beitar lost 2–5. Both games were held in Beirut. Another game, planned in Aleppo, was cancelled because of a diplomatic incident as Arab delegates in the hotel protested seeing an "Eretz Yisrael" flag, now the Israeli flag, in an Arab country. The British ambassador intervened, suggesting that the Union Jack be raised instead of the "Eretz Yisrael" flag, but the head of delegation Hayyim Levin opposed. Due to the impasse, the game was canceled. Simon Alfasi, Shimon Stern, Yisrael Yehezqel, and goalkeeper Yosef Meyuhas were the Beitar Jerusalem players on the trip.
In 1946, Beitar Jerusalem qualified for the 2nd round of the Cup Games against Maccabi Tel Aviv. The scores were a 3–3 and a loss 3–2 in game 2. Simon Alfasi scored all five goals for the club, three in the first and two in the second.
On 8 August 1947, all Beitar clubs were banned by the British mandate authorities. The club name was changed to "Nordiah Jerusalem" before a local league was set up in the Jerusalem district in November 1947. On 15 November 1947, Beitar as "Nordiah Jerusalem" won the first derby, 3–1 over Hapoel Jerusalem, and on 29 November 1947, a second win was achieved, 8–1 over Degel Zion when one player Simon Alfasi scored six goals in a game, the record for any Beitar Jerusalem's player that stands until today. The club led the league on 29 November 1947, on the same evening when UN GA Resolution 181 was proclaimed, and on 30 November 1947, the games were stopped abruptly: on that day, the 1948 Arab–Israeli War broke out. During the war, Beitar Jerusalem player Asher Benjamin was killed by the British when he entered a British camp in Jerusalem.
State of Israel
After independence in 1948, Beitar, again by its original name, played since the 1949–50 season in a "Special League" of "Jerusalem's district", ending in 5th place while achieving a win of 8–0 over Hapoel Ramla on 17 December 1949, the highest league win of Beitar Jerusalem in any league the club has not played. In the 1951–52 season, the club integrated into Liga Bet southern part, then the second tier. In 1953–54 the club won the southern division of Liga Bet, and were promoted to the top league, which had just been renamed Liga Leumit. 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 at the bottom of the group, Beitar were relegated back to the second league, now renamed Liga Alef. In 1957–58 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 and were promoted back to Liga Leumit. That was the best league season ever for Beitar Jerusalem, although it was winning the 2nd division "only". 104 points out of a possible 120, for a season of 60 matches, when two points were given for winning a match. The club had 32 an undefeated streak with a sequence of 19 wins starting with the 42nd match to the 60th match inclusive, the record of Beitar Jerusalem in any league, scoring 161 league goals. 225,000 spectators saw the club's matches in that season. The prize that the club management gave to the players was a trip to the United States of America.
After finishing thirteenth in 1968–69, Beitar finished fifth in 1969–70, their best performance to date.
1970s
In the 1971–72 Liga 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 and Yossi Sarid, who forced the suspension of the relegation threat and called for an investigation of Israel Football Association corruption. In 1974–75 the club reached the State 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 Alef. 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, on 16 June 1976, 55,000 or 60,000 spectators saw the game in an overcrowded Ramat Gan Stadium. Danny Noyman and Uri Malmilian scored for Beitar Jerusalem. On 11 September 1976, the club won the Israeli Super Cup for the first time after beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva 3–2. Uri Malmilian scored two goals, and David Yishai scored another goal for Beitar Jerusalem. The club finished as runners-up in 1977–78.
In 1978–79, the club ended as runners-up: they also reached the cup final, winning 2–1 against Maccabi Tel Aviv, on 6 June 1979. Danny Noyman and Yossi Avrahami scored for Beitar Jerusalem to win the State Cup for the 2nd time.
Despite the run of success towards the end of the 1970s, the club was dependent mainly on Uri Malmilian's ability. Early in the season, he suffered an awful injury, crippling him with the need for three operations until 1981, and missing most of the games until the summer of 1981. 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 to Beitar Tel Aviv in their first season back in the second tier.
1980s
The 1981–82 started with a sports disaster for the club. On 12 September 1981, referee Avraham Klein gave a win to Maccabi Tel Aviv in a series of a wrong decisions: cancelling a goal of Beitar Jerusalem's player Yaron Adiv when he and Beitar's players celebrated the goal, then allowing seconds after Maccabi player Moti Ivanir to score a goal from an offside position. A crowd of 8,000 Beitar Jerusalem's fans went crazy. The Israeli Football Association quickly decided to punish Beitar Jerusalem and discussed the so-called "football game" for six weeks before stating to leave the outcome as 2–1 win to Maccabi Tel Aviv, and filing a reprimand about Avraham Klein. Also, the next game of Beitar Jerusalem is remembered: on 19 September 1981, a player of Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Shalom Avitan hit his teammate Eli Vaitzman on his face, and the Hapoel Be'er Sheva coach entered the pitch and took Shalom Avitan by his hand out of the pitch, preventing a red card by the referee. Beitar Jerusalem won 2–0. Later, with Eli Ohana in his first season, Beitar Jerusalem improved its standing, ending the season in 6th place, above Maccabi Tel Aviv, who, to the delight of Beitar fans, ended that season in 8th place.The season of 1982–83 is remembered as the "Crazy Season". A bad start of two draws and two losses caused the firing of the coach Eliahu Ofer without stopping his salary payments, and he said "They will ask me to come back". After changing of seven Management members and five coaches, Eliahu Ofer was asked to come back and he came back to be a coach in mid-season, the club was in 16th and last place for two weeks but recovered: from the 18th game to 29th game inclusive, 12 no-lose sequence of games, Beitar ended the season in the 8th place. This is a place to explain that traditionally as a Beitar movement branch, the club was managed by Heruth and later Likud parties members. Party members were appointed by party apparatus to the party representative football club managers to give them managing training before venturing out into the political arena. This arrangement lasted until 1999. Some of the managers are ever remembered for good reasons who held Beitar well, such as Reuven Rivlin and his Brother Eliezer Rivlin, but Yossi Zharzhervski left the club after his well remembered brawl with Uri Malmilian when Zharzhevski told Malmilian in the midst of the troubles of 1982–83 season: "I will burn your legs". As a fan said, "Within 3 days Zharzhevski will not be in Beitar", and the fan was proved right. Uri Malmilian was referred by Beitar fans as a saint and was given full support. On the third day Zharzhevski resigned.
In 1983–84 Beitar went into the penultimate game of the season needing a win or draw to win the title. However, they lost 1–3 to Hapoel Tel Aviv, allowing Maccabi Haifa to win the league, despite Beitar winning the last game 3–2 against Shimshon Tel Aviv, Maccabi Haifa won 1–0 over Maccabi Ramat Amidar and became champions.
In 1984–85 Beitar finished again as runner-up, and won the State Cup for the third time, winning 1–0 over Maccabi Haifa on 4 June 1985. Eli Ohana scored, after which coach David Shveizer left.
In 1985–86, in the summer of 1985, Dror Kashtan took over as manager. Almost immediately the club won the Lilian Cup on 10 September 1985 for the first and only time, after winning all four of its games by combined scores of 14–2. Asher Sason scored six goals, at least one goal in each game. Beitar Jerusalem finished the league in the 4th place. They retained the cup in 1985–86, beating Shimshon Tel Aviv 2–1, on 27 May 1986. This was the 4th time that the club won the State Cup. Eli Ohana and Uri Malmilian scored for Beitar Jerusalem.
On 16 September 1986, Beitar Jerusalem won the Israeli Super Cup for the 2nd time, after winning 2–1 over Hapoel Tel Aviv. Eli Ohana and Uri Malmilian Scored for Beitar Jerusalem.
Despite having to play all home matches at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, in 1986–87 Beitar claimed their first championship on 2 May 1987, winning the league by a 15-point margin. Both Uri Malmilian and Eli Ohana scored 15 league goals Each. Sammy Malka scored 13 league goals to make his best season of his career, Gary Van Der Mullen became the ace card and secured eight league points by scoring five league goals in about 17 games, most of them as a substitute. On 3 May 1987 a reporter of Maariv wrote: "I saw the disappointment-full crowds frenzied out of happiness, it is a thing that cannot be described in words." Dror Kashtan's "Coronation Speech" lasted only 36 seconds.
Kashtan left the club to manage Maccabi Haifa. Eliahu Ofer, after the absence of a few seasons, again became the coach. In 1987–88 Beitar Jerusalem ended in 9th place, and at the end of the league the club won the Israeli Mini Football championship for the first time on 24 May 1988 after beating Bnei Yehuda 5–3. That was the first and the last time ever that a nationwide mini football tournament was held in Israel; 24 teams took part. The tournament was held in Malha Stadium in a hall regularly used for Basketball games. Uri Malmilian acted as the owner of the place and was the tournament star. Eliahu Ofer finally won a title with Beitar Jerusalem.
Kashtan returned in 1988. In 1988–89 they won the State Cup again. Uri Malmilian scored seven goals on his way to winning the trophy. The club beat Maccabi Haifa 4–3 on penalties after a 3–3 draw on 14 June 1989. Uri Malmilian scored one goal, and Avi Cohen of Jerusalem scored two goals in the game and one goal in the penalties shootout, both in their last game before leaving Beitar Jerusalem. Moshe Ben Harush, Hannan Azulay and Ya'akov Schwartz were the other scorers of the penalties shootout, Beitar Jerusalem players did not miss. Two of Maccabi Haifa players missed. That was the 5th winning of the club in the State Cup Kashtan left the club again during 1989.
The 1989–90 was a survival struggle, it became a success by winning the last league game, 3–2 over Maccabi Netanya F.C. Each of three scorers scored their first and only goal in the whole season. Guram Adzhoyev, that Israeli media told that he is a Tadjik player who came from Russia, got sympathy among fans for his games despite scoring only one goal. That goal secured a good end to that season. The Bulgarian Atanas Pashev was the season star. Four league goals made him the top scorer of the club, one-fifth of the 20 league goals that Beitar Jerusalem players scored during that season, but he was attributed that his goals literally saved the club from being relegated.