Israeli footballer Manor Solomon has paid tribute to the historical connection between Tottenham Hotspur and the Jewish community after signing a five-year contract with the London club.
Solomon, who is the only Jewish player in the Premier League, joined Spurs earlier this month after a brief stint at Fulham and also plays for his national team.
Speaking for the first time since his transfer, the midfielder, 23, said Spurs’ Jewish connection has made them a popular team in his home country.
“There is a big relationship with the Jewish community”, Solomon said of Spurs in an interview with sports site The Athletic.
“Once I had the opportunity to come to Spurs,” he said, “it was like 100% [yes] for me”.
“It is one of the best and biggest clubs in England”.
There are “a lot” of Israeli Spurs fans, Solomon continued. “I think Spurs is a big club [there] without the relations to Judaism, but because there is this connection, I think there are more fans in Israel".
He added: “[There is] a really a big community of Spurs lovers in Israel, so I am sure we will see them in the stadium”.
The Jewish community in Tottenham can be traced to the early 20th Century, when Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia came to Britain. Many settled in the East End before moving north to Tottenham.
Israel's midfielder Manor Solomon (R) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the 2022 Qatar World Cup European Qualifiers football match between Israel and Austria at the Sammy Ofer Stadium in Haifa, on September 4, 2021. (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
In time, Spurs became part of the fabric of the lives of working-class Jews living in the area. Over generations, many Jews found a sense of belonging at the grounds of their local football club.
Solomon said that he hoped this connection would continue, and predicted more Israeli flags would be spotted at White Hart Lane in the coming months.
He noticed “a lot” of Israeli flags in the terraces at Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium last season and said he was “sure” the number would be even greater at White Hart Lane.
Solomon made his debut in 2016 for the Israeli club Maccabi Petah Tikva, and played in Ukraine until leaving the country in the wake of the Russian invasion.
he player has Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi Jewish heritage, and was born to Hungarian and Iraqi Jewish parents in Kfar Saba, Israel, where he grew up.
His name, Manor, is Hebrew for the sailing term “boom”, and was inspired by his parents’ maritime training.
