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Rifaat " Jimmy" Turk (; , nicknamed Jimmy the Rocket, "Rifaat Turk," Olympedia/ born 16 September 1954) is an Israeli former footballer, manager, and Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Turk was the first Arab to play for the Israel national team and to represent the country in football at the Olympic Games.
In 2013, Turk played on the Israeli Peace Team, an over-35-years-of-age all-star team of Israeli former professional soccer players who were Muslim, Jewish, and Christian, some who had competed on Israel's national soccer team. The Israeli Peace Team toured the United States, promoting peace through football. "Israeli Peace Team Wins 2-1 against Real Marin Soccer Club in International 'Friendly' Game," The Consulate General of Israel, 6 June 2013.
Turk was the pioneer for dozens of Arab-Israeli football players who followed him, and a pioneer of Arab-Jewish integration in Israeli football. In 2012, all but one of the football teams in the Israeli first division had at least one Arab-Israeli player, and the league's top two goalscorers were Arab-Israelis. "Jowan Qupty aims to be the first Arab-Israeli Olympic swimmer", The Times of Israel, 30 May 2012. By 2020, almost half the players on Team Israel were Arab-Israeli players.
He became the first Arab to represent Israel at the Olympic Games when Turk played as a midfielder in the football tournament of the 1976 Summer Olympics. "60 Sporting Heroes: No. 28 Rifat "Jimmy" Turk," The Jerusalem Post, 7 April 2008 Israel came in 5th in that Olympic Games, behind Brazil, which handed Israel its only defeat, in the quarterfinals. "Football, Men, 18 – 31 July 1976, Olympics," Olympedia.
On 7 July 2015 Turk replaced Nissan Yehezkel as Maccabi Ahi Nazareth's manager until January 2016 (3–0–2), which played in Israel's Liga Artzit.קובי פורטל ומיכאל וייסרמן (7 July 2015). "ג'ימי טורק חתם במכבי אחי נצרת", Sport5.Uri David (9 August 2015). "רפעת טורק: "התקציב נחתך בחצי, יש הרבה צעירים בסגל"", Golar1.
He later served as a television commentator on football in Israeli Premier League games.שמעון אלבז (7 July 2015). "חוזר לקווים: ג'ימי טורק מאמן אחי נצרת", Ynet.
Team Israel and Olympics
Turk made his debut for the Israel national team, at 21 years of age, on 25 July 1976, playing for Team Israel manager David Schweitzer. He played 33 games for the Israeli national team in his career from 1976 to 1986, scoring three goals. On the one hand, Turk was subjected to anti-Arab abuse during nearly every game he played; at the same time however, the request that Arab players join the Israeli national team was met with total acceptance by the vast majority of Jewish Israelis, with only very rare exceptions.Jacco van Sterkenburg and Ramón Spaaij (2018). Mediated Football; Representations and Audience Receptions of Race/Ethnicity, Nation and Gender, 2018, Taylor & Francis. Several Arab-Israeli football players have since represented Israel, including Walid Badir, Zahi Armeli, Mu'nas Dabbur, Mohammad Ghadir, and Abbas Suan.James Masters (19 June 2013). "A sporting push for peace in Israeli-Palestinian relations," CNN.
Manager and TV commentator
Turk went on to manage a number of clubs, including Hapoel Tel Aviv from 1989 to 1992 (during which time it was 18–9–13), and Hapoel Tayibe in 1997 (1–2–7), the first Arab club to play in the top division.
Honours
Political career; Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv
Turk is a member of the Israeli Meretz political party. He was elected to the Tel Aviv City Council in 1998. In 2003, he was elected the Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv. In 2008, when Israeli former basketball star Tal Brody entered politics, Turk advised that in his view: "The political field is much more dirty and self-interested than the field of sports." "Rifat Turk gives advice to Tal Brody", N12, 25 November 2008.
Personal life
Turk's son Hanes is part of Hapoel Tel Aviv's youth system.
See also
External links
Categories: 1954 Births, Living People, Arab Citizens Of Israel, Arab Politicians In Israel, Arab-israeli Footballers, Deputy Mayors Of Tel Aviv-yafo, Footballers From Jaffa, Footballers At The 1976 Summer Olympics, Hapoel Tel Aviv F.c. Players, Hapoel Jerusalem F.c. Players, Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim F.c. Players, Israeli Football Hall Of Fame Inductees, Israeli Football Managers, Israeli Footballer Of The Year Recipients, Israeli Men's Footballers, Israel Men's International Footballers, Israeli Muslims, Israeli People Of Turkish Descent, Israeli Premier League Players, Maccabi Akhi Nazareth F.c. Managers, Men's Association Football Midfielders, Meretz Politicians, Olympic Footballers For Israel, Sports Commentators, 20th-century Israeli Sportsmen
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