Patriots owner Robert Kraft led a group of nineteen NFL Hall of Famers to Israel last week. The eye-opening trip was a big hit for both the NFL fans from Israel but for the players from the NFL's best who take back an experience many won't soon forget.
Their visit to the Holy Land consisted of visiting places of historic and religious importance, meeting with various political leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The trip was arranged and paid for by Kraft, but the Americans were accompanied by Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer whose goal was to show the Hall of Famers, "the true Israel" and not one depicted in the press.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem hosted by league head Steve Leibowitz, where various teams from Israel Football League met with the Hall of Famers and played a scrimmage that the former NFL players could watch first hand. The following clip was broadcast on IBA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7FG8R4W-vw&feature=youtu.be
Hall of Famer Ron Mix spoke about the negative stereotypes of the Jewish people and about meeting a female Jewish fighter pilot and her story of fighting for her country, which Mix stated nearly moved many of the Americans to tears.
Kraft speaking to the crowd said, "Football is the ultimate team game, ...the survival of Israel over the past 68 years because of a sense of team. No other country is a team the way you are and the way this country has developed," Kraft said.
He added, "the fact that you've done that and we have to the privilege of having these 19 gold jackets here, the greatest players in the world coming to honor you... we thank them." Speaking of his wishes, Kraft hopes that "one of you sitting out there will go to the NFL, and come back with a gold jacket.
The NFL players and Kraft earlier had met with and presented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a helmet and jersey from the NFL Hall of Fame. The Prime Minister spoke with the players and asked that they take home with them a message to the US to not allow Iran the ability to own nuclear weapons. Using football terminology, Netanyahu stated that "Iran is on the one-yard line of owning nuclear weapons". He stated that the prospect of a nuclear Iran was a danger to the people of Israel and to the United States.
Kraft and the group was scheduled to leave Israel on Tuesday.
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