Arsenal fans’ Champions League celebrations fuelled by pre-match Pesach meal
Jewish Gooners organise lunch for 55 travelling fans in advance of momentous win
Jewish Arsenal fans had extra reason to celebrate their win against Real Madrid last week after enjoying a special kosher for Pesach meal during the match in Spain.
With the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final coinciding with Passover and no local kosher restaurants open, supporters group Jewish Gooners contacted Rabbi Zalman Goldstein of Chabad Madrid, who opened his doors specially to the travelling supporters.
Sami Steinbock, founder of Jewish Gooners, said: “Playing such a big away game during Pesach was always going to be a challenge so it was important that the Jewish Gooners did everything we could to ensure our members could be well fed. As soon as we told people what we had planned, word spread and almost every Jewish Arsenal fan in Madrid came together for a very special Passover meal before a very special match!”
Rabbi Goldstein added: “When I heard there was a big game in Madrid with lots of travelling Jewish fans from London, I was delighted to help. And I’m even more delighted to now be an honorary Jewish Gooner!”
Arsenal’s Jewish fans were joined by officials from the club, as part of their support for the event.
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