One Team One People: Hapoel Tel Aviv and Partizan Belgrade Unite in Munich for Sport, Memory, and the Fight Against Antisemitism

As part of the One Team One People initiative of the Center for Jewish Impact, a series of activities was held on German soil, including the joint adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, commemorative ceremonies at Dachau and the Munich Massacre Memorial, and engagement with government leaders in a shared call to confront hatred

Munich, January 23, 2026 – A joint delegation of the basketball clubs Hapoel “IBI” Tel Aviv and Partizan Belgrade carried out a series of educational, commemorative, and sporting activities in Munich, initiated and led by the Center for Jewish Impact (CJI) in partnership with World Zionist Organization (WZO). The program formed part of “One Team One People”, a broader international effort to combat antisemitism and promote public responsibility within the world of sport and was conducted in cooperation with the Bavarian State Chancellery.

At the heart of the initiative was the joint adoption by both clubs of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, reflecting a clear values-based commitment by leading sports organizations to draw firm boundaries against hatred, exclusion, and discrimination, and to recognize the power of sport as a force shaping public discourse in Europe and beyond.

The visit took place alongside a EuroLeague game between the two teams, but was designed as a broader initiative extending well beyond the sporting arena. In advance of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the delegation held a commemorative ceremony at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, as well as a formal ceremony at the Memorial to the 1972 Munich Massacre, honoring the memory of the Israeli athletes murdered during the Olympic Games. These moments of remembrance highlighted the historical targeting of Jews in the realm of sport and connected historical memory with present-day moral responsibility.

The initiative was held in the year marking 90 years since the 1936 Berlin Olympics, staged under Nazi rule as a central propaganda tool of the regime. This historical context underscores the responsibility placed today on sports institutions, political leadership, and governments to ensure that sport serves as a platform for equality, dignity, and remembrance, rather than hatred or erasure.

The entire program was carried out within the framework of One Team One People, an international initiative of the Center for Jewish Impact that brings together sports clubs, political leadership, government officials, and Jewish communities. The initiative is rooted in the belief that sport is a uniquely powerful lever for social and cultural change, and a critical arena for leading a sustained, values-driven fight against antisemitism.

This is not a one-time event, but rather an expression of an ongoing partnership between the clubs and the partner organizations, aimed at creating a continuum of similar initiatives and activities in the future. This collaboration is built on a long-term commitment to strengthening Jewish communities, combating antisemitism, and using the power of sport as a platform for ethical and social impact. For the club, this represents a conscious choice to assume public responsibility, to expand its role beyond the playing field, and to actively contribute to shaping a discourse of tolerance, remembrance, and mutual responsibility.

Robert Singer, Chair of the Center for Jewish Impact, said: “When sport, memory, and public leadership come together on German soil, the message is clear and uncompromising. This is an act of responsibility. Ninety years after the Berlin Olympics and more than fifty years after the Munich massacre, the sports world is called upon to choose a side and to lead a values-based stand against antisemitism and hatred.”

Ofer Yannay, Owner of Hapoel “IBI” Tel Aviv: “Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv Basketball Club is proud to take part in an initiative that connects Holocaust remembrance, the fight against antisemitism, and engagement with Jewish communities around the world. Especially in the period following the events of October 7, as antisemitism once again raises its head across Europe and the world, it is our moral duty to stand tall, united, and uncompromising against hatred of the Jewish people wherever it appears.

As an Israeli team representing Israel on international sports stages, we feel a deep responsibility to serve as a voice of values, identity, and hope. For us, this is a mission - to show that the Israeli spirit, courage, and mutual solidarity are stronger than any hatred, and that sport has the power to connect people, strengthen communities, and inspire change far beyond the court. We will continue to act, initiate, and collaborate in such initiatives, with deep Israeli pride and a profound commitment to Jewish communities and to the values upon which our club is built.”

Dule Karavesović, Director of KK Partizan Mozzart Bet: “Even the most difficult chapters of history can teach important lessons to future generations. We have a responsibility to pass on the meaning of solidarity, and to emphasize that peace and friendship matter above all else.

H.E. Ms. Talya Lador-Fresher, Consul General of Israel in Munich: “Sport was designed to bring people together, athletes and fans. Unfortunately, we are witnessing a dramatic rise in antisemitism worldwide, including in the field of sports. This visit to Munich highlights the steps that need to be taken to create a world where sport unites, not divides.”

Dror Morag, Vice Chair of the World Zionist Organization: “At a time when antisemitism is once again raising its head, sport has a unique power. When teams choose to draw a clear line against hatred, they remind us all that the fight against antisemitism and the remembrance of the Holocaust are a shared responsibility.”