Maccabi Haifa legend Yaniv Katan: "Friday is the time of the deepest longing"
Ahead of the Sabbath, the legendary captain shared a poignant reflection on his mother, Miriam, who passed away in December 2023. "I try to feel her presence through her food, but it is never quite the same," he confessed.
Yaniv Katan, one of the greatest players in the history of Maccabi Haifa and a figure synonymous with the club, shared a deeply personal and moving reflection on social media, remembering his mother, Miriam (of blessed memory), who passed away in December 2023.
Katan chose to express his grief through memories of home, specifically the food his mother used to prepare. Having grown up at Maccabi Haifa, Katan became one of the club's most prominent symbols, playing in green from 1998 to 2014—with the exception of a brief stint at the English club West Ham—and winning numerous titles as team captain.
The weight of loss
Following his retirement, Katan remained a fixture in Israeli football as a commentator and sports host. His mother, Miriam, was a central figure in his life. She passed away on December 18, 2023, after collapsing on a Friday evening—a moment Katan has previously described as being etched into his memory forever.
Since her passing, Katan has been open about the magnitude of his pain. In his latest post, he revisited memories of his mother through the Friday meals that defined their family life.
"It is impossible to describe in words the longing for a mother. It is a mix of feelings, all of them very sad, but on Friday, it is the toughest. Friday is the time of the deepest longing. These are my mother's recipes. I try to feel her again through the food."
Katan admitted that he attempts to recreate her dishes in the hope of recapturing a small moment of the past: "It is likely that it will never come out the same. The scents remind me, even the colors, but the taste is still far off."
A message to others
Katan concluded his message with a poignant plea to those who still have the privilege of being with their parents, urging them not to take their time together for granted:
"Do me a favor: respect your parents. Take care of them, hug them, love them, and never leave their side for a moment. There is nothing more important than this, because there are moments that do not return. I miss you, Mom."
