Meeting with 30 children from northern centers, including 10 from Majdal Shams, the Herzogs engaged in an open dialogue that touched on both challenges and hopes for the future.
By JERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog visited the Israel Tennis & Education Center (ITEC) in Kiryat Shmona on Monday, bringing attention to its rehabilitation and reaffirming its role as a cornerstone of community and athletic life in the north.
The center, which sustained damage since the outbreak of the war, remains a vital hub for children in the region, even as only four of its nine courts are currently active.
Meeting with 30 children from northern centers, including 10 from Majdal Shams, the Herzogs engaged in an open dialogue that touched on both challenges and hopes for the future.
“The meeting with the children of the north moved us deeply and showed how education and sport are not merely leisure activities, but anchors of values, resilience, and partnership,” Herzog said. “Today in Kiryat Shmona, we saw how the Tennis and Education Center is rising out of pain and difficulty to become a symbol of resilience, growth, and hope.”
The President and First Lady were joined by Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avihay Shtern, ITEC CEO Eyal Taoz, center manager Tal Amsalem, ITEC ambassador Andy Ram, and Batel Garbi, CEO of Sports Value. Together, they witnessed how the professional staff continue to provide not only athletic instruction, but also educational guidance, financial support, and equipment assistance for children across the north.
Peace, growth, and renewal
In a symbolic ceremony, Herzog planted an olive tree on the grounds of the center, a gesture meant to represent peace, growth, and renewal.
“Sport here reflects exactly that – competitiveness alongside fairness, excellence alongside friendship, personal resilience alongside community responsibility,” Herzog added.
The President was also presented with a glass shield and a tennis racket wrapped in fragments of war, a striking symbol of the dual reality children in the region face, where sport and conflict exist side by side.
Taoz said the visit reaffirmed the center’s mission after its reopening last May.
“The planting of the President’s tree symbolizes new Zionism and the flourishing that will come to the north. Sport instills important values, strengthens resilience, and nurtures excellence, and we are proud to continue providing a framework in which every child can flourish and realize their potential.”
For Ram, who rose from the ITEC system to become one of Israel’s most successful tennis players, the significance of the President’s visit was clear.
“Their presence provides tremendous inspiration to the children, who understand how much the country sees them as the next generation,” Ram said. “As someone who grew up through tennis, I know the power this framework has to educate, strengthen, and provide tools for life.”
Despite challenges, Amsalem said the staff remain determined.
“The five courts that are still inactive and the damage caused are not simple, but we continue to work with dedication to restore the center to full activity,” he said. “The President and First Lady showed the children how important they are, as they are welcomed into a supportive environment that empowers them not only in sports but also in life.”
