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"In Israel more secure, but I have to worry about business" Israel today

2020-04-10T07:07:21.881Z


Israeli soccer


Work that doesn't stop even during the holidays following the global crisis ("Americans know what Passover is, Corona doesn't") • Declaring his area of ​​residence as "hot" ("Percentage of infection here in the US") • and niece who fell ill ("Do everything possible to Yoav Katz, owner of Hapoel Haifa, speaks

  • Katz. "Disappointed me that there are players who think only of themselves"

    Photo:

    Maor Alexasci

On the eve of Seder, Yoav Katz spent time with his small family in Washington, USA, with Easter songs playing in the background on YouTube. , Even in his own group, Hapoel Haifa, have not yet reached understandings about cutting players' wages.

Katz sat at the table, knowing that the next morning he had to go to his Washington office building because "Americans know what Passover is, but the Corona doesn't know and should work."

Katz is interviewed quite a bit, but this time he seems to show extraordinary openness and explains that the crisis has not missed him in the health sector as well. "My brother's daughter got infected," he says candidly, "she doesn't know how, and in the meantime she's home in isolation. They bring her food, the family cares for her and we hope she'll be fine. Do everything possible to make her well."

We hear what is happening in the Jewish community in New York, where the percentage of Corona infection is high. What's up in Washington?

"Now they have declared our area a 'hot' area, as happened in New York. The percentage of infection here is among the highest in the US. From what I understand, New York has become the worst place in the world. Now, in Washington, too, there are a lot of infections. A very good friend of mine, a religious Jew, a musician by profession, contracted the disease with his wife. They are very well known musicians in the Washington religious community. The situation is not sympathetic, it is probably a very serious illness. My doctor says she is only in the center of the elevator so as not to touch anything, I try to do the same. Probably concentrating here on preventing infection at this point. "

You're in the office now, if you take your head out the window what will you see?

"There is no one on the street, and my office is right in the city center, opposite the Hyatt Hotel - everything is completely empty. I have no idea when it will end, but the estimates speak for at least two months, which is worrying."

You come to the office every day, at your age you don't have to be careful anymore?

"I have to be more careful. On normal days, I try to go to the gym at least five times a week, but now it's closed, so I train privately three times a week. I work mainly these days and work out privately, that's it. I walk around with a mask, gloves and a lot of times With special sunglasses that cover the face. Unfortunately, many times you can't be careful. For example, when I'm in an office building like the one I work for, services are not private and that's where it's most dangerous. "

Sounds like you don't look after yourself enough, you can't work from home?

"It is very difficult. If it was just the corona without the economic crisis, I would be sitting at home, but there is an unusual crisis here also with my banks, tenants and renters - I can't do it from home. 50 percent of people in the office come to work, and the rest work from home. "Calls through apps and that's it, the only way you can work and overcome financial difficulties."

"I was very hurt financially"

As mentioned, Katz's only business in Israel is Hapoel Haifa. Although the players seemed to agree to a 50 percent cut of their wages by the end of the season, there was another explosion between the sides. The players claim that Katz is back, but the owner has his own version of things: "I think it is resolved, but in each team there are two or three problems. I suppose I know which players it is and hope it will be resolved, but let's take Ran Kedesh. A young man with a family, who comes and says, "There are more people with problems, let's not just look at ourselves." I was very impressed with his conscience, I wish all the young people in the country would be like him.

"On the one hand, I understand the players, because they don't have a lot of time to make money, and between the ages of 20 and 35 they are at the peak of their careers, but they will lose here for a few months and have another 50 years to overcome. Some business owners lose millions, and they won't have 50 A year to overcome this situation. "

Yoav, the interview will be published at ten, at the end of your opinion the players will be paid?

"I think so. In the end it will work out."

How much has been financially affected by the Corona crisis?

"Very much. Whoever says it didn't hurt, doesn't speak the truth, it hit most people hard. I won't go down to details and amounts, but there are loads of renters who don't pay rent in stores and offices, but I pay the banks, that's how it works. I try to get along with it. The banks to go through this situation, but unfortunately there are things that I have to go to the bank on their behalf, and this is also a problem. To deposit money I do not have to go to the bank, but there are other things for which it does have to go. "

Have you thought about moving to Israel, because it's safer here?

"The truth? Some of my friends did it and came back to Israel during this time. These are people my age. I agree that it's safer, and I'd better be in Israel, but I have to worry about my business right now, so there's no choice but to stay here."

Source: israelhayom

All sports articles on 2020-04-10

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