Maccabiah Games

Lore & Background

The Maccabiah Games originated from a proposal by Yosef Yekutieli in 1929 at the Maccabi World Congress. The first Games opened on March 28, 1932, at the Maccabiah Stadium in Tel Aviv, with roughly 400 athletes from 18 countries. The Polish delegation took first place. The second Maccabiah in 1935 drew over 1,300 athletes from 28 nations despite British opposition. The third edition, originally scheduled for 1938, was postponed until 1950 due to British concerns, World War II, and the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, becoming the first held after the establishment of the State of Israel.

Reader's Guide

The Maccabiah Games serve as a major forum for Jewish athletes worldwide to meet, compete, and explore Jewish history and Israel. Over the last two decades, participation grew to 9,000 athletes from 78 countries in the 19th Maccabiah, making it the third-largest sporting event in the world at that time. The 21st Maccabiah in 2022 was reportedly the world's largest sporting event that year, with U.S. President Joe Biden attending as the first American president to do so. The Games include four divisions—Open, Juniors, Masters, and Disabled—and feature opening and closing ceremonies with a Parade of Nations, artistic displays, and medal presentations. The event has faced challenges, including the Maccabiah bridge disaster during the 15th edition, which killed four Australian athletes and injured 63.

Did You Know?

• The name Maccabiah was chosen after Judah Maccabee, and the torch lighting ceremony starts at Modi'in, his birthplace.
• The first Winter Maccabiah was held in Zakopane, Poland, in 1933, and the second in Banská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia, in 1936.
• The 22nd Maccabiah was postponed from July 2025 to 2026 because of the Iran–Israel war.
• The Maccabiah Games were declared a Regional Sports Event by the International Olympic Committee in 1961.