Both President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the crowd during the ceremony, bidding the Jews who had come from around the world a warm "welcome home."
The Maccabiah Games, often referred to as the "Jewish Olympics," kicked off on Wednesday evening with around 5,000 athletes from roughly 35 countries participating in the opening ceremony at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium.
The Maccabiah is one of the largest sporting events in the world and the largest Jewish athletic competition.
The games that opened on Wednesday were the 22nd of their kind. They were postponed last year due to the conflict between Israel and Iran and its regional proxy groups. They are also the first such games to be held since the Hamas-led massacres on October 7, 2023.
The previous Maccabiah was held in 2022 after being postponed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Maccabiah Games, often referred to as the "Jewish Olympics," kicked off on Wednesday evening with around 5,000 athletes from roughly 35 countries participating in the opening ceremony at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium.
The Maccabiah is one of the largest sporting events in the world and the largest Jewish athletic competition.
The games that opened on Wednesday were the 22nd of their kind. They were postponed last year due to the conflict between Israel and Iran and its regional proxy groups. They are also the first such games to be held since the Hamas-led massacres on October 7, 2023.
The previous Maccabiah was held in 2022 after being postponed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
4 months ago
