Eyal Berkovich Reveals He Never Had Bar Mitzvah Ceremony

Former Israeli soccer star and media personality Eyal Berkovich, 54, revealed in a podcast that he never underwent a traditional bar mitzvah ceremony, known as 'aliyah laTorah' (being called up to the Torah). Berkovich, who identifies as a complete atheist, stated that religion was not discussed in his home and his father was opposed to religious observance. He explained that his own son, Lior Berkovich, has recently become more religious, growing a beard and regularly performing Kiddush.

Berkovich recounted that when he was 13 and playing for Maccabi Haifa, his team manager, Itzik Potchnik, learned he had not had his bar mitzvah. Potchnik offered to take Berkovich to see his workplace as a birthday gift, but instead drove him to Kfar Chabad. There, Potchnik arranged for Berkovich to have a ceremony where he was called up to the Torah and put on tefillin, a religious ritual. Berkovich admitted that even his parents were unaware of this event at the time. Despite the experience, Berkovich maintained that religion does not appeal to him, though he respects it.