Hakoah Vienna’s Journey to the Holy Land - by Ilan Shchori
In 1924, the Jewish community in the Land of Israel was abuzz with excitement over the visit of the soccer team from the Hakoah Vienna Sports Club. One of the leading European teams at the time, it was composed entirely of Jewish athletes. Tel Aviv mayor Meir Dizengoff established committees, spectators flocked to the games by the thousands, and the British even flew in two players from Iraq to reinforce the British army team especially for the occasion. Unmoved by the excitement, the Austrian athletes returned to Europe undefeated. However, the rise of Nazism in Europe and the immigration of the team’s best players to America brought this unique Jewish athletic endeavor to a bitter end.
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