Nini Asor (Eli Ashkenazi)
"On the long journey from Tiberias to Bloomfield, my last trip with a spring there sat at my head," Nini Asor recalls. "We went together to the game against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in February, almost two months before the disaster in which Maayan and Sahar perished, and when I went on Monday with the whole family at Maccabi Tel Aviv's invitation, it was impossible not to think that here, I was going to Bloomfield a little more than a month after their death, and for the same game."
Same game.
"Yes, it's amazing. The last game I saw with Maayan, who was a burnt Maccabi Tel Aviv fan, and with our youngest son Guy, who came with me again this week to play, was also against Hapoel Be'er Sheva. So Geraldas scored the victory goal that moved us and brought us back to Tiberias on a happy night, and this week Maccabi won again and it warmed our hearts. I told my wife Kinneret that I was so glad we went and that Sagi, the youngest son, was so happy. So she told me: 'Maayan and Sahar are also happy with the victory.'"
Nini Asor, who was Maccabi Tel Aviv's left-back more than 30 years ago, came to the game with all the emotional baggage. "We really came to a big clan at Maccabi's invitation. Almost 20 people. My brothers, my nephews. Maccabi Tel Aviv, the club, behaves throughout this event with us in an admirable manner. I just talked about it today with my sister who was in contact with Ofer Ronen from Maccabi prior to our arrival. And I'm talking about the funeral they came here. They mentioned the children even in the first week. At seven, through the charming and sensitive Yoav Ziv, they came with eight players and they behaved amazingly. They sat here for two hours. They hugged my 11-year-old son Guy. He, like Maayan, is a Maccabi fan. It's a big, fancy club and as far as I'm concerned, deserves all the compliments. That's how a club of this size should behave. Maayan really liked Maccabi very much. He'd finish a day of work and say, 'Dad, let's go to the game.' We stayed at Maccabi Tel Aviv House. Still, the kids knew that I played a bit in the club after I came from Tiberias. Sahar was also a Maccabi fan, really everyone. And I would travel with them from time to time."
Guy Asor, Nini's son, with Maccabi Tel Aviv goalkeeper Daniel Peretz (Photo: courtesy of the family)
The Asor family in Bloomfield, yesterday (Photo: courtesy of the family)
You came this week after a month of mourning.
"The shiva lasted a month. Tens of thousands came to our house in Tiberias. Football players who have played with me in the past. Alon Hazan was here with Eran Shado. Avi Nemni, Ran Ben Shimon, Yaakov Hillel, Amir Shalah, Amir Turgeman, Shimon Biton, Nir Klinger and many more. They're coming so far and it's doing me good."
How do we proceed after such a disaster?
"We are people of faith. Both my wife and I. Although it's hard to say. I accept the judgment despite the tremendous difficulty. In your heart you are wounded in an inexplicable way. We do prayers at my house."
Was it the same before the disaster?
"Maayan kept Shabbat like my wife Kinneret. I didn't save. It was a home where everyone respected everyone and lived in harmony. Everyone in his faith. Faith today makes me stronger. It gives you anchor and stability not to fall into the abyss."
And then there are of course the remaining children, who need you.
"Of course. Both Guy and Tomer. Tomer is a girl, like a crescent. We did some salad with the names."
Did you travel to the place where they perished?
"Nope. Although we have a sincere desire to do it, we haven't traveled yet. After all, we were not with them when they perished, and the intention is to get there. The truth is that we are wrapped up and embraced by the amazing Tabriani public and also by people from all over the country, and that makes us very strong."
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Nini Asor and his wife Kinneret, with their children Maayan and Sahar z"l (Photo: from Facebook)
There must have been dozens of things that moved you this month. What was the thing that grabbed you the most?
"Yossi Carlos Edri, who played for Beitar Netanya, played with me 35 years ago at Hapoel Tiberias. He came here for consolation at shiva, and then he dreamed at night and went to buy a chair for the covenant of Elijah the prophet and brought him here at shiva, and I already managed to sit on that chair as godfather to the son of Maayan's best friend. I was given the privilege of being godfather and it was the first time this chair was used as a covenant. Since then there has been another alliance with this chair. This chair is here and anyone who wants can come and take. It's a huge privilege. It was the first significant gesture, during the swearing-in, that touched us very much. After that, there were many more gestures from dozens of amazing people. Every day since then, people have come here to strengthen us."
What was the hardest moment of this month?
"The hardest moments are when you go up to the cemetery. After the seven and thirty. Those are the hardest moments."
You've had encounters with former players. How difficult was it for you to meet them around the tragedy?
"We've had meetings over the years. I was not in regular contact with the players of Maccabi Tel Aviv. We had a meeting when Maccabi Tel Aviv did the retro shirt of the Palladium discotheque. People feel the need to come here to comfort even though the relationship was not permanent. I saw here, throughout the seven and the month, people who came out of fear. People came here and came out stronger. There's not much to say to someone who lost two children in an instant, but people's hugs mean everything to me. You don't have to be afraid and you don't have to look for the words. People's embrace means everything to me."
Were you a caring father?
"Worried, but not anxious and obsessive. My wife is much more than me."
Have you returned to work?
"I'm coming back next week. We have to come back to life."
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- Maccabi Tel Aviv Football