Messi, I know Yom Kippur is still far off, but I would like to get your permission to ask for forgiveness now. I am sorry that for years, whenever my friends would tell me that you are the greatest, I would dismiss them outright and say, "No way!".

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I would like to apologize for the fact that whenever my colleagues at work told me that you are in the same league as Diego Maradona, I would say that there was only one god and that you were definitely not at that level.

I am sorry that for years I insisted that you never show up when the going gets tough; I kept telling people that for four World Cup tournaments you did not score a single goal in the knockout stage and that while you could easily cruise to victory against Serbia and Iran in the group stage you always disappeared when it's crunch time, looking lost on the pitch and usually with a weird gaze on the grass.

I am sorry that I kept saying time and again that you are not a real leader. I reminded people that Diego, may he rest in peace, took a tiny group like Naples all the way to a historic Italian championship and waged the war of the impoverished south against the rich north. And you, I insisted, became a star in cushy Barcelona alongside other superstars like Ronaldinho, Iniesta, and Xavi. I told them that winning against Getafe 6:0 is like shooting fish in a barrel.

But over the past month, Leo, you showed us – all 47 million of your fellow Argentines and billions of admirers in Israel and around the world (I am not particularly happy with this trend, but anyone who feels jealous should eat his heart out, especially the Brazilians) – that you are indeed number 1, that you are a real leader and truly in a league of your own. In short: You are everything I thought you weren't.

In this heavenly month in Qatar, you became what the most emotional fans in the world, those rooting for the Albiceleste, - wrote about you: You became the Messías (the Messiah). You showed up when the going got tough, your Mardona-like passes to Julián Álvarez and Nahuel Molina and others culminated with goals. You scored Maradona-esque goals and even managed to get under the skin of your opponents (my best regards to the Dutch team).

In essence, you reached the top of the pyramid. You were born one year after Diego's last touching hurrah and let's hope we won't have to wait for another 36 for this ecstatic feeling of elation.

And finally, Leo, we don't know one another, but unlike my prized picture with Maradona, I have yet to have one taken with you (my nephews someone have). I would like to once again say that I am sorry and express my deep gratitude for making the first night of Hanukkah 2022 with Ortal and the girls so special. We will never forget it.

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The post Messi, I owe you an apology appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The FIDF National Gala, under the theme 'A Night of Heroes,' took place at the New York Hilton Midtown and featured active-duty IDF soldiers and other special guests.

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A delegation of 20 IDF troops attended the gala, including soldiers who volunteered to serve Israel proudly despite not being required to do so due to their backgrounds and special circumstances.

Among them were Cpl. Sofie, a Danish lone soldier who was raised as a Christian, though her Jewish father served in the IDF. She is one of the few women to serve as an F-35 jet mechanic in the Israeli Air Force (IAF).

Other soldiers included Lt. A., a lone soldier from east Jerusalem whose decision to join the IDF, which he viewed as his patriotic duty, cost him his family, friends, and home.

He got a standing ovation when he spoke about his decision to become one of the only Palestinians to join the IDF. "During the Second Lebanon War, when Hezbollah's rockets hit both Jews and Arabs, I made the decision to join a combat unit," he said. "My father kicked me out of the house and my entire life was turned upside down, but I am proud of my decision and I have no regrets," he continued.

Distinguished guests included Social Equality Minister MK Gila Gamliel; Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Amb. Danny Danon; Consul General of Israel in New York Dani Dayan; Israel Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to the United States Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fox;  FIDF Chairman Rabbi Peter Weintraub; FIDF President Bobby Cohen and FIDF Chairman Emeritus Arthur Stark; FIDF Chairman Emeritus Dr. Nily Falic; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; and internationally acclaimed TV journalist Michelle Makori, who served as master of ceremonies.

"The brave men and women who wear IDF uniform passionately protect not only the Jewish homeland but Jews all over the world," Klifi-Amir told Israel Hayom. "Thanks to the 139 million dollars we have raised over the past year, we have managed to transform the lives of 105,000 Israeli troops," he continued.

According to Klifi-Amir, "the IDF is an extraordinary force of good. Guided by its official ethical code, which holds human life above all else, Israel's soldiers are true global heroes who go above and beyond the call of duty: They save lives, tend to the needy, care for the wounded, and help whomever is in crisis. They are the faces of the diverse Israeli nation, and as Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion once said, the IDF is the melting pot of the Israeli society."

IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi sent a video message that was played at the event, speaking on the various challenges facing the military.

Funds raised at the gala will be used as academic scholarships for combat veterans, financial assistance for soldiers in-need, support for lone soldiers throughout their service and upon release, crucial aid for wounded veterans and the families of fallen soldiers, weeks of rest and recuperation for entire IDF units, as well as educational, cultural, and recreational facilities.

The Adelson family owns the company that is the primary shareholder in Israel Hayom.

The post More than 30M dollars raised in annual Friends of the IDF gala appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.