Israel's national team head coach Ran Ben-Shimon led members of his technical staff on a visit to the Perach Israel village in Rosh Ha'ayin this week, according to a report by ONE, spending time with residents and the staff who care for them.
The facility houses around 220 residents living with significant functional disabilities, ranging in age from 21 to 86. The delegation toured the grounds, met residents and support workers, and was briefed on the range of programmes the village runs for people who live there permanently.
Alongside Ben-Shimon, the group included fellow staff members Gal Cohen, Guy Luzon, Boni Ginzburg, Biram Kiyael, Moshe Sinai, Fredi David, Ophir Haim, Erik Banado and Dani Bonder, ONE reported.
"We met special and amazing people, both residents and mentors doing sacred work with remarkable energy," Ben-Shimon said, according to the report.
Ginzburg said the trip was a reminder of football's reach beyond results and fixtures. "Football extends far beyond the pitch. This encounter touched us all, and we leave with gratitude for participating," he said. Sinai added that the visit left the group with plenty to reflect on: "The meeting with residents and staff was special and deeply moving."
Yaffit Bergig, the director of Perach Israel, thanked the coaching staff for making time for the visit, saying it created meaningful moments for residents, per ONE's report.
The gesture comes as Ben-Shimon and his staff continue preparations with the national team programme, a reminder that the backroom group's public work this summer has extended well beyond the training pitch.
