Jewish club renames bee mascot in Matilda’s honour
Maccabi FC Caulfield's blue bee mascot will now be called Matilda.
In the wake of the unthinkable loss of 15 innocent lives in the Bondi Beach Chanukah terror attack on December 14, the Britvan family urged as many people as possible to honour 10-year-old Matilda Bee’s memory by using the hashtag #MatildaBee.
In a beautiful move to honour that request – in a permanent and meaningful way – Melbourne-based Jewish sports club Maccabi FC Caulfield has decided that it’s blue ‘Macca-bee’ mascot that it created two years ago, as a symbol of the club’s energy, teamwork, and sense of community, will now be officially known as Matilda.
“Whether she is on our social media or watching over us at the Beehive in Caulfield Park, Matilda will fly as a living tribute to a life taken far too soon,” the club said in a statement.
“For all its vibrance, our bee was missing one vital thing: a name.
“In due course, and with the utmost sensitivity, we will be reaching out to Matilda’s family to share our decision with them.
“It is our deepest hope that knowing Matilda’s name lives on in the hearts of our young athletes, brings even a small measure of comfort to those who loved her.
“We mourn with every family affected by the events in Sydney.
“Our prayers are with those still recovering in hospitals, and our deepest gratitude goes to the NSW Police and first responders.”
Maccabi FC Caulfield has urged anyone who has the capacity, to support the GoFundMe site that has been set up by a former teacher of Matilda’s, Irena Goodhew, to support the Britvan family.
To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-in-loving-memory-of-matilda
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world in a Scottish Premier League match, Jewish Sydney native and former Hakoah FC junior Zac Sapsford, playing for Dundee United FC last Saturday night, chose to wear a black arm band, in memory of every life lost in the Bondi Beach Chanukah terror attack.
In a statement, Dundee United said Sapsford – who was the club’s Player of the Month for November – “unfortunately, knew a number of people involved in the tragedy in Bondi Beach . . . His family stay quite close to there.”
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