President Reuven Rivlin awarded the fifth annual Shield of Honor - Israeli Hope to the Maccabi Netanya Football Club on Monday for excelling in values and educational activity and for its campaign against violence and racism during the 2018-19 season.
An award was also given to Betar Kfar Saba Shlomi's youth department for its activities with at-risk youth. "Education for Excellence", jointly funded by Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, won the award for outstanding initiative and "Coach of Honor" was awarded to Avraham Bachar. Shield of Honor - Israeli Hope is intended to encourage and support the football clubs to establish significant organizational, educational and values infrastructures to help narrow gaps, create collaborations between different sectors and reduce violence and racism on the field.