JERUSALEM — The halftime whistle blew, and Shimon Levy gathered his belongings. While most fans at Teddy Kollek Stadium converged on the concession stand for a soda or a coffee, Levy walked past the line and toward the exit. It did not matter that this second-division soccer game between Hapoel Jerusalem and Maccabi Herzliya on a Friday afternoon was delicately poised — tied at 0-0 after a handful of chances for both sides — and it did not matter that Levy had come to watch his son, who plays for the home team. He said he had no choice but to leave.
As the Sabbath Nears in Israel, Soccer Becomes a Test of Faith
