Maccabiah Games Explained

The Maccabiah Games (Hebrew: משחקי המכביה, or משחקי המכביה העולמית; sometimes referred to as the "Jewish Olympics") is an international multi-sport event with summer and winter sports competitions featuring Jews and Israeli regardless of religion. Held every four years in Israel, the Maccabiah Games is considered the foremost sports competition for global Jewry.

With over 10,000 competing athletes, the Maccabiah Games is the third-largest sporting event in the world by number of competitors, behind the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The Maccabiah Games were declared a "Regional Sports Event" by, and under the auspices and supervision of, the International Olympic Committee in 1961.[8] [9] [10]

Organized by the Maccabi World Union the first games were held in 1932.[11] [12] The Maccabiah Games are open to regardless of their religion.

Games

Originally, the Maccabiah was held every three years. Since the 1953 Maccabiah Games, the event has generally been held every four years, in the year following the Olympic Games.

The Maccabiah Games are open to Jewish athletes from around the world, as well as to all Israeli athletes regardless of ethnicity or religion; Arab Israelis have also competed in it.[13] [14]

Competitions at the Maccabiah are organized into four divisions:[15] 1) Open (Seniors); 2) Juniors; 3) Masters; and 4) Disabled. The Games are organized by the Maccabi World Union.

Etymology

The name Maccabiah was chosen after Judah Maccabee, a Jewish leader who defended his country from King Antiochus.[16] Modi'in, Judah's birthplace, is also the starting location of the torch that lights the flames at the opening ceremony, a tradition that started at the 4th Maccabiah.

History

See main article: History of the Maccabiah Games.

The Maccabiah Games were the result of a proposal put forward by Yosef Yekutieli in 1929 at the Maccabi World Congress. Yekutieli, who heard about the Stockholm Olympics, wanted to form a representation for Eretz Yisrael. Following the appointment of the new British Palestine High Commissioner, Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope, the Maccabiah got the go-ahead.

The 1st Maccabiah opened on March 28, 1932.[17] The Maccabiah Stadium in Tel Aviv, which was built with donations, was filled to capacity. Roughly 400 athletes from 18 countries took part in everything from swimming, football, and handball, to various athletics. In the first Games, the Polish delegation took first place.

The Maccabiah Games were intended to take place at an interval of three years. Following the success of the first Games, the 2nd Maccabiah was held from April 2 to 10, 1935, despite official opposition by the British Mandatory government. Over 1,300 athletes from 28 nations participated. The 3rd Maccabiah, which was originally scheduled for spring of 1938, was postponed until 1950 due to British concerns of large-scale illegal immigration, World War II, and the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[18] It became the first Maccabiah to be held after the establishment of the State of Israel.

Starting from the 4th Maccabiah, the games were changed to take place every four years in the year following the Olympics and since 1953, the Games have taken place every four years, with the exception of the 21st Maccabiah, which was postponed for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 15th edition was marred by what became known as the Maccabiah bridge disaster, when a temporary bridge built for the march of athletes at the opening ceremony collapsed, plunging about 100 members of the Australian delegation into the waters of the Yarkon River. Four athletes were killed, and 63 injured.[19] [20] More than 5,000 participants from over 50 countries competed in those Games.

Over the last two decades, the number of participants grew to 9,000 athletes in the 19th Maccabiah, from 78 countries, making it the 3rd-largest sporting event in the world and the second largest sporting event in 2013, behind the 2013 Summer Universiade.[21] It is a forum for Jewish athletes to meet and convene, and provides the athletes with opportunities to explore Israel and Jewish history.

Approximately 10,000 athletes, from 80 countries, were expected to compete in 42 sports categories in the 21st Maccabaiah. It was reportedly the world's largest sporting event in 2022.[22] President of the United States Joe Biden attended the opening ceremonies, cheering on the U.S. delegation of 1,400 athletes—larger than the U.S. delegation to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.[23] This made him the first American president to attend the Maccabiah Games.[24]

Editions of World Maccabiah

The following is an overview of the Games:

Summer Maccabiah

EditionYear Date main venue Countries
participating
Athletes
participating
Number of
Sports
Ref
1932 28 Mar–6 Apr align=left rowspan=227 390 16 [25]
1935 2–10 Apr 28 1,250 18 [26]
1950 28 Sept–11 Oct align=left rowspan=1320 800 17 [27]
1953 22–29 Sept 22 892 19 [28]
1957 15–24 Sept 20 980 19 [29]
1961 29 Aug–5 Sept 27 1,000 20 [30]
1965 23–31 Aug 27 1,200 22 [31]
1969 28 July–7 Aug 27 1,450 22 [32]
1973 9–19 July 26 1,500 23 [33]
1977 12–21 July 34 2,700 26 [34]
1981 6–16 July 34 3,450 30 [35]
1985 15–25 July 37 3,700 28 [36]
1989 3–13 July 45 4,400 32 [37]
1993 5–15 July 48 5,100 [38]
1997 14–24 July 33 5,500 34 [39]
2001 16–23 July 49 2,200 [40]
2005 11–23 July align=left rowspan=2Ramat Gan Stadium55 7,300
2009 13–23 July 55 7,510 33 [41]
2013 18–30 July align=left rowspan=3Teddy Stadium 77 7,500 34 [42]
2017 4–17 July 85 10,000 45 [43]
2022 12–26 July 80 10,000 47 [44]

Winter Maccabiah

See main article: 1933 Maccabiah Games and 1936 Maccabiah Games. Prior to World War II there was an attempt to organize a winter Maccabiah. Due to the relatively warm temperatures in Palestine, the winter Maccabiot were organized in European nations. The 1st Winter Maccabiah was held in Zakopane, Poland, February 2 to 5, 1933.[45] [46] The games were met with great opposition; the Gazeta Warszawska newspaper encouraged Polish youth to intervene during the games to prevent the "Jewification of Polish winter sports venues".

A second attempt at the winter games was relatively more successful. The 2nd Winter Maccabiah took place February 18 to 22, 1936, in Banská Bystrica (then Czechoslovakia). In the games, 2,000 athletes from 12 nations participated.[47] [48] This was the last time a winter Maccabiah was ever held, and the only two Maccabiot to not take place in the Land of Israel; although Maccabi still runs smaller regional winter games to date.

Number Year Host Athletes Nations
1 1933250 8
2 19362.000 12

Regional Maccabiah

European Maccabiah

List:[49]

Number Year Dates Hosts Athletes
1. 1929 Prague,
2. 1930 Antwerpen,
3. 1959 Kopenhagen,
4. 1963 Lyon,
5. 1979 Leicester,
6. 1983 Antwerpen,
7. 1987 Kopenhagen,
8. 1991 Marseille,
9. 1995 Amsterdam,
10. 1999 Stirling,
11. 2003 Antwerpen,
12. 2007 Rome, 1800[50]
13. 2011 Vienna, 2000
14. 27 July – 5 August Berlin, c. 2050[51]
15. 2019 29 July – 7 August Budapest, 3000[52]
16. 2023

Pan American Maccabi Games

Latin American Maccabi's (CLAM), called Jorge Newbery Pan American Maccabi Games or Pan American Maccabiah from 1966:[53] [54]

Number Year Host
1. 1966 São Paulo,
2.
3.
4. 1979 Mexico City,
5. 1983
6. 1987 Caracas,
7. 1991
8. 1995 Buenos Aires,
9. 1999
10. 2003 Santiago de Chile,
11. 2007 Buenos Aires,
12. 2011 São Paulo,
13. 2015
14. 2019 Mexico City, [55]
15. 2023 Buenos Aires,

Oceania Maccabiah (Junior Carnival)

The Maccabi Junior Carnivals are a sporting event held for the Jewish youth of Australia or New Zealand. It has been held annually since 1982, usually in January.[56]

Venues were:[57]

  1. Sydney 1982
  2. Perth 1983
  3. Melbourne 1984
  4. Sydney 1986
  5. Brisbane 1987
  6. Adelaide 1988
  7. Sydney 1989
  8. Perth 1990
  9. Melbourne 1991
  10. Sydney 1992
  11. Perth 1993
  12. Melbourne 1994
  13. Sydney 1995
  14. Melbourne 1996
  15. Perth 1997
  16. Sydney 1998
  17. Melbourne 1999
  18. Perth 2000
  19. Sydney 2001
  20. Melbourne 2002
  21. Perth 2003
  22. Auckland 2004
  23. Sydney 2005
  24. Perth 2006
  25. Melbourne 2007
  26. Auckland 2008
  27. Sydney 2009
  28. Perth 2010
  29. Melbourne 2011
  30. Brisbane 2012
  31. Sydney 2013
  32. Perth 2014
  33. Melbourne 2015
  34. Sydney 2016
  35. Sydney 2017
  36. Melbourne 2018
  37. Sydney 2019

Ceremonies

The Maccabiah ceremonies are two ceremonial events that take place during the first and last days of the Maccabiah games. The ceremonies are an important part of the Jewish culture in Israel and the Zionist movement. The ceremonies of the Maccabiah trace their roots to the Olympic Games of the early 20th century. As such, they share many similarities.

The Maccabiah opening ceremony, which is organized by the Maccabi World Union, has recently been presented in English, Hebrew, and Spanish.

Opening

The opening ceremonies represent the official commencement of the Maccabiah. Some sports however, such as golf and rugby, might start prior to the opening ceremonies in order to finish on time.

The opening ceremony for the first Games was held at the new Maccabiah Stadium. The Stadium, which is located next to the Yarkon River in Tel Aviv, was finished just the night before. The Stadium also hosted the 2nd Maccabiah in 1935. For the 3rd Maccabiah, the opening ceremony took place in a new stadium in Ramat Gan. The stadium has been hosting the opening ceremonies of the Maccabiah ever since, with the exception of the 16th, 19th, and 20th Maccabiah Games which were held in Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem.

The ceremonies often start with the introduction of the active participants of the Maccabi youth movement. After the parade of nations, the opening ceremony continues on with a presentation of artistic displays of music, singing, dance, and theater representative of the Jewish culture. In recent games, Jewish singers from around the world participated in the opening ceremony. For example, in 2013, Grammy Award-winner Miri Ben-Ari and X Factor USA finalist Carly Rose Sonenclar performed at the opening ceremony.[58]

Parade of Nations

Just like at the Olympics, the Maccabiah starts out with a "Parade of Nations", during which most participating athletes march into the stadium, country by country. The countries enter the stadium in accordance with the Hebrew alphabet. The parade of nations, in contrast to some other games, include junior and disabled athletes who also partake in the competitions. In accordance with the Maccabiah's tradition, the Israeli delegation always enters last.

Closing

The closing ceremony of the Maccabiah Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Typically, a member of Maccabi or some other well-known figure makes the closing speech and the Games officially close. The ceremony includes large artistic displays of music, singing, and dance. Various Jewish singers perform during the closing ceremony. In recent years, the closing ceremonies included popular musicians and live music and dancing.

Medal presentation

A medal ceremony is held after each Maccabiah event is concluded. The winner, second, and third-place competitors or teams stand on top of a three-tiered rostrum to be awarded their respective medals. Medals are awarded by an official Maccabi member.

Ceremony hosts

YearHosts (s)
1981 (Closing)
2005Becky Griffin and
2009 and
2013Miri Nevo and Dana Grotsky
2017
2022

Sports

See main article: Maccabiah sports. The Maccabiah Games recognize all 28 current Olympic sports, plus a number of other sports such as chess, cricket, and netball. In contrast with the Olympic Games and other major international sporting events, the Maccabiah rules regarding accepting new sports are very lenient. New sports are accepted to the Maccabiah Games provided that competitions will only take place if at least four delegations bring competitors for that sport (three in the case of female sports, as well as the junior divisions).[59] As a result, the Maccabiah has held various unique competitions such as duplicate bridge.

Karate, not yet on the Olympic schedule, made its debut in 1977 at the 10th Maccabiah Games. The requisite number of initial countries signed on and agreed to send delegations. Since 1977, karate has participated uninterrupted. Although at the beginning karate was only contested in the fighting or kumite category, forms or kata was included in 1981. In 1985, women's karate was added. Junior and youth categories made their debut in 2009. The World Karate Federation, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), oversees and supervises the rules of karate competition at the Maccabiah.

The Maccabiah Games are organized into four divisions: Open, Junior, Masters, and Paralympics.

In recent Maccabiot there has been a renewed interest in introducing new sports to the Maccabiah. In the 15th Maccabiah Games, ice hockey was first introduced. Ice hockey was not included in immediately subsequent games, but returned in the 19th Maccabiah. Squash became an official sport in the 10th Maccabiah Games in 1977. The 19th Maccabiah was also granted provisional approval for dressage and jumping competitions from the FEI.[60]

Champions and medalists

See main article: Lists of Maccabiah Games medalists.

Notable participants

Athletes who have competed in the Maccabiah Games include many Olympic gold medalists, world champions, and world record holders. Among them have been Mark Spitz, Lenny Krayzelburg, Jason Lezak, Marilyn Ramenofsky, and Anthony Ervin (swimming); Mitch Gaylord, Abie Grossfeld, Ágnes Keleti, Valery Belenky, Kerri Strug and Linoy Ashram (gymnastics); Ernie Grunfeld, Danny Schayes, (coaches); Larry Brown, Nat Holman, and Dolph Schayes (basketball); Carina Benninga (field hockey); Lillian Copeland, Gerry Ashworth, and Gary Gubner (track and field); Angela Buxton, Brad Gilbert, Julie Heldman, Allen Fox, Nicolás Massú, and Dick Savitt (tennis); Angelica Rozeanu (table tennis); Sergey Sharikov, Vadim Gutzeit, Soren Thompson, and Mariya Mazina (fencing); Isaac Berger and Frank Spellman (weightlifting); Lindsey Durlacher, Jason Goldman, Fred Oberlander, and Henry Wittenberg (wrestling); Max Fried and Dean Kremer (baseball); Donald Spero and Michael Oren (rowing); Bruce Fleisher, Oren Geri, Ron “Racehorse” Smith (golf); Adam Bacher, Dennis Gamsy, Neil Rosendorff, Marshall Rosen, Bob Herman (cricket);[61] Boris Gelfand and Judit Polgár (chess); Irwin Cotler (ping pong); Marcelo Lipatin, Jeff Agoos, and Jonathan Bornstein (association football); Steve March Tormé (fast-pitch softball); Shawn Lipman (rugby); Dov Sternberg (karate); and Ori Sasson (judo).[62] [63]

Participating nations

See main article: List of participating nations at the Maccabiah. The Maccabiah Games have grown into one of the world's largest sporting events, with 85 participating countries in the current edition of the Maccabiah. Below is a list of countries that participated in the most recent games in 2017. Scroll down for participating nations from the 2014 edition and other games[64]

Early games featured many delegations from the Arab nations. Iran, a Muslim, but not Arab country, which debuted at the 7th Maccabiah, stopped participating following the Iranian Revolution. Some of these countries have participated under multiple flags. Countries that previously participated but did not in the most recent Maccabiah are:[65]

Former entity:

See also

References

Works cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ottawasun.com/2017/06/11/levine-inducted-into-jewish-sports-hall-as-maccabiah-athletes-feted-at-jc "Levine inducted into Jewish sports hall as Maccabiah athletes feted at JC,"
  2. Web site: 80 N.J. athletes head to Maccabiah Games in Israel, world's third-largest sporting event. NJ.com. July 16, 2013 . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150327141110/http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2013/07/record_number_of_new_jersey_at.html. March 27, 2015.
  3. News: Aharoni. Oren. Biggest Maccabiah ever begins Thursday. February 20, 2014. Ynet News. July 16, 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140225114718/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404552,00.html. February 25, 2014.
  4. News: Silverman. Anav. Maccabiah Games: Uniting Jewish Athletes Across the World. February 20, 2014. The Huffington Post. July 22, 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20131025215035/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anav-silverman/maccabiah-games-uniting-j_b_3632902.html. October 25, 2013.
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/11/sports/basketball/amare-stoudemire-to-revisit-israel-as-a-maccabi-coach.html?_r=0 "Amar'e Stoudemire to Revisit Israel as a Maccabi Coach,"
  6. http://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/records-fall-before-maccabiah-games-even-begin/ "Records Fall Before Maccabiah Games Even Begin; U.S. squad is largest ever in what officials say is 'a life-changing experience',"
  7. Web site: Maccabiah Games Welcome 9,000 Athletes – Christian News 24–7 – CBN.com. cbn.com. May 4, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213754/http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2013/July/Maccabiah-Games-Welcome-9000-Athletes/. March 3, 2016.
  8. Book: Gender Politics and the Olympic Industry. Helen Jefferson Lenskyj. Palgrave Macmillan. 2012. 9781137291158.
  9. Bard and Schwartz, p. 84.
  10. Web site: History of the Maccabiah Games. Maccabi Australia. February 16, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140224232432/http://www.maccabi.com.au/Maccabiah/Page/1591/Maccabiah-Games-History/History-of-the-Maccabiah-Games.cfm. February 24, 2014.
  11. Web site: About Us – Maccabiah. Maccabiah. February 16, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140329005047/http://www.maccabiah.com/about-us. March 29, 2014.
  12. Nauright, p. 364.
  13. News: Goldman. Ilan. Arab athletes at the Maccabiah: Going for gold, seeking recognition. February 16, 2014. Haaretz. July 8, 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140301233904/http://www.haaretz.com/news/sports/maccabiah-2013/.premium-1.534619. March 1, 2014.
  14. News: Porat. Avinoam. Arab Israeli wins Maccabiah gold. February 16, 2014. Ynet. June 11, 2005. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140225101647/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3111132,00.html. February 25, 2014.
  15. Web site: Leah Levey Set to Compete at Maccabiah Games in Israel Next Month. Case Western Reserve University. February 16, 2014. June 21, 2013. live. http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140216134339/http://athletics.case.edu/sports/wsoc/2013-14/releases/20130621989jlj. February 16, 2014.
  16. News: Spirit of Judah Maccabee strides into the present day. CNN. February 16, 2014. December 24, 1997. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924190205/http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1997/hanukkah/maccabiah.games/. September 24, 2015.
  17. Mendelsohn p. 31.
  18. Nauright, p. 365.
  19. Nauright, p. 366.
  20. Bard and Schwartz, p. 85.
  21. Web site: Sinai . Allon . The opening ceremony of 19th Maccabiah Games 2013 . The Jerusalem Post . July 18, 2013 . January 3, 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104214034/http://www.jpost.com/Sports/WATCH-LIVE-The-opening-ceremony-of-19th-Maccabiah-Games-2013-320291 . January 4, 2014.
  22. Web site: Israel prepares for Maccabiah, 2022's largest world sporting event . 2022-07-10 . The Jerusalem Post . July 9, 2022 . en-US.
  23. Web site: Israel prepares for Maccabiah, 2022's largest world sporting event . The Jerusalem Post. July 9, 2022 .
  24. News: July 15, 2022 . Biden is first US president to attend Maccabiah 'Jewish Olympics' . J . Wilensky . David A. M. .
  25. Web site: First Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  26. Web site: Second Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  27. Web site: Third Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  28. Web site: Fourth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21. 1953-09-20.
  29. Web site: Fifth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  30. Web site: Sixth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  31. Web site: Seventh Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  32. Web site: Eighth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  33. Web site: Ninth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  34. Web site: Tenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  35. Web site: Eleventh Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  36. Web site: Twelfth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  37. Web site: Thirteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21. 2009-09-06.
  38. Web site: Fourteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  39. Web site: Fifteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21. 2009-09-07.
  40. Web site: Sixteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  41. Web site: Eighteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  42. Web site: Nineteenth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  43. Web site: Twentieth Maccabiah. Maccabiah 21.
  44. Web site: Maccabiah 21. Maccabiah.
  45. Mendelsohn p. 26.
  46. Hanak. p. 1.
  47. Hanak. p. 2.
  48. News: Austria Wins Skiing Event in Winter Maccabiah. February 22, 2014. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. February 21, 1936. Unknown. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140305064223/http://www.jta.org/1936/02/21/archive/austria-wins-skiing-event-in-winter-maccabiah. March 5, 2014.
  49. , Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  50. www.makkabi.com, retrieved 21 March 2014.
  51. Web site: EMG2015 Berlin.
  52. Web site: European Maccabi Games.
  53. http://maccabi.org/pan-american-maccabi-games Pan American Maccabi Games
  54. http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2012/04/10/sports/doc4f846dd7799bf568034682.txt Mainline Media News
  55. Web site: Home - Maccabi Pan Ams - revolutioniseSPORT.
  56. http://www.maccabi.com.au/index.cfm Maccabi Games index
  57. http://www.maccabi.com.au/Page/1981/Junior-Carnival-History/Junior-Carnival-History.cfm Junior Carnival History
  58. Web site: Watch the Maccabiah Opening Ceremonies. July 18, 2013. The Jewish Exponent. February 20, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140224164906/http://www.jewishexponent.com/blog/watch-the-maccabiah-opening-ceremonies. February 24, 2014.
  59. http://www.maccabiah17.com/Images/Links/Basic%20Rules%20.pdf 17th Maccabiah Basic Regulations
  60. News: FEI Grants Approval for Horse Sports at Maccabiah Games. February 20, 2014. March 2, 2013. Dressage News. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140224111234/http://www.dressage-news.com/?p=20003. February 24, 2014.
  61. Web site: Israeli cricket . . 1975 . November 3, 2019 . Prittie, Terence.
  62. Web site: Water polo among sports to be contested at Maccabiah Games. Randall P.. Lieberman. sun-sentinel.com. May 31, 2017 . May 4, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170806180341/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/palm/fl-jjpn-waterpolo-0607-20170531-story.html. August 6, 2017.
  63. Web site: Maccabiah. Maccabi World Union. May 4, 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171003031418/http://www.maccabi.org/maccabiah. October 3, 2017.
  64. Web site: Games / Competitions. The Maccabiah. February 20, 2014. July 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140320064705/http://www.maccabiah.com/en/games-competitions. March 20, 2014.
  65. [2013_Maccabiah_Games|2013 Maccabiah Games – Wikipedia]