Miami rabbi’s son, a promising high school soccer player, killed in bicycle accident

Any South Florida high school soccer player who faced the Scheck Hillel Community School Lions the past few years was probably familiar with Sholem Benchimol. The talented left back was usually the only player on the field wearing a kippah (Jewish skull cap).

His father, Jose, is the rabbi at Beit Rambam Congregation in Sunny Isles Beach and Sholem made it a point to display his heritage even while playing sports.

As a young boy, after being bullied at school in Guatemala, he asked his parents if he could stop wearing his kippah. His mother, Devora, showed him a photo of soccer star David Beckham wearing a kippah at his Jewish maternal grandfather’s funeral. Sholem immediately put his back on and said: “If David Beckham is proud to wear a kippah, I am, too.” He never took it off again.

Sholem’s older brother, Menajem, told that story through tears last week as the family mourned his death after the 17-year-old was struck by a car while riding a bike at the intersection of Collins Ave. and 172nd St. the night of April 26.

Sholem was rushed to Aventura Hospital, where he fought for his life over the next two days while family, friends and teammates, unable to visit because of the COVID-19 restrictions, gathered outside the hospital to pray and root for his recovery. His older sister, Jaia, flew in from Argentina and was able to see him before he died April 29.

Sholem was the youngest of four children. His family is from Argentina and spent a few years in Colombia and Guatemala before settling in Miami.

His death has had a profound effect on his classmates and their families at the Hillel school, a private Jewish school in North Miami Beach. Hundreds of people have begun wearing kippahs adorned with his jersey No. “3” in his memory. At least 50 have begun keeping the Sabbath as a tribute, said his brother.

“It has been very, very tough on the family, but we are staying united and looking for ways to help the community in the way Sholem would like his legacy to live on,” said Menajem. “He was very special, always provided good energy and support to others. Sholem was the kind of kid that everyone felt he was their best friend, always putting others’ needs before his. He was always proud to represent Jewish people and we want to keep that alive.”

The family started a charity called Sholem Corazon Valiente (https://sholemcorazonvaliente.com), which translates to Sholem Brave Heart, his soccer nickname. Their goal is to create a soccer academy for religious Jewish teens who cannot play on Saturdays because they observe the Sabbath. Most youth soccer clubs play games on Saturdays, so this team would schedule games for weekdays and Sundays.

“It would be incredible to be able to start a club where the players could develop without having to worry if they can play or not because of Shabbat,” said Mariano Palau, who coached Benchimol at Hillel and at his soccer academy. “There are great players in the Jewish community who would benefit from playing on Sundays. Alot of these kids hope to one day have that option.”

Sholem was never able to join traditional soccer clubs for that reason. The family was grateful that he got to play at the Hillel Community School, which in 2016 became the first Jewish school to win a soccer state championship in Florida. He was a diehard fan of Argentine team Boca Juniors and Spanish club Barcelona. His favorite players were Beckham and Lionel Messi.

“I called Sholem `Corazon Valiente’ because he always motivated his teammates and if he would see someone sad, he would cheer them up,” said coach Palau. “He always gave his all on the field. It wasn’t enough for him to give 100 percent. He always tried to give more. This would have been his final season, and because he was always such a great leader by example and had such charisma, he had already been named captain.

“He will always be my captain and that of his teammates. He had such a big presence and that mystique that he left behind will always be with us. Our dream is to win the title this next season so we can lift the trophy with Sholem in our hearts.”

The Benchimols’ proposed soccer academy would also promote Sholem’s values such as companionship, leadership, and pride. “Every teen should be proud of themselves and their culture,” it says on the website.

Menajem was riding a bike behind his younger brother when he was hit by the car. He has replayed the horrific moment over and over in his mind over the past seven weeks.

“I ran over to him, there was blood everywhere, I held him in my arms, and kept saying, ‘Sholem, wake up! Sholem, wake up!’ As an older brother, all you want to do is protect your younger brother, and there was nothing I could do,” Menajem said. “I am devastated. I was in denial. I cry every night watching videos of him, hearing his voice, seeing his silly Snapchat posts. But we decided as a family to accept God’s decision and do whatever we can to keep Sholem’s legacy alive.”