"To be truly strong": Israel's biggest stars in a joint initiative

Just before the return to school, the RGE group is launching a massive campaign called "The Good Guys" to combat bullying and boycotts among children and teenagers. As part of the initiative, international sports stars, youth idols, and media personalities have united to convey a firm message: the responsibility for preventing boycotts and bullying does not lie with the children who are harmed, but with the entire environment.

The campaign includes special educational videos and an educational charter that students are invited to sign. Among the prominent participants: NBA star Deni Avdija, Maccabi Tel Aviv captain Dor Peretz, Olympic champion Linoy Ashram, judoka Raz Hershko, coach Oded Kattash, children's star Tal Mussari, Miri Nevo, and Eli Ben David. In the videos, the stars draw parallels between teamwork in sports and friendship and leadership in the classroom.

"In every team I have played on, I learned that true strength is not measured by goals or titles, but by the way we look out for one another," emphasizes Dor Peretz in the campaign video. "If a friend falls, you pick them up, and if someone is left alone, you approach them. A true captain chooses to be on the side of the good guys."

Deni Avdija added:

"Being truly strong is the exact opposite of hurting others; it is to stop, reach out a hand, and support."

The campaign leverages the leading role models in Israel to ensure that no child is left alone in the upcoming school year. The connection between leadership in sports and mutual responsibility in the classroom gives students practical tools not to stand on the sidelines and to stop the phenomenon of boycotts early on.