The 11th Maccabiah

The Eleventh Maccabiah, held  in 1981, was dedicated to the memory of Pierre Gildesgame (Z"L), the late President of Maccabi World Union and Chairman of the International Maccabi Committee, who tragically died in a car accident earlier that year. 3,150 athletes from 33 countries participated in 32 events, with two Egyptian observers attending the water polo tournament. 

This Maccabiah had few athletic aspirations in comparison to previous editions. Its primary purpose was to serve as a “Sporting Ingathering of Israel.” The Jewish Agency’s Department of Immigration and Absorption organized evening events and an Immigration Expo 1981 at the Diplomat Hotel in Tel Aviv, aiming to address the worrying trend of emigration from Israel. The Maccabiah was specifically designed to encourage former Israeli athletes to return home. The initiative was fairly successful, with several athletes from abroad starting formal immigration procedures, including an African American basketball player who decided to stay in Israel after the Games.

Over three million shekels were invested in renovating the Ramat Gan Stadium, making it the first Maccabiah to hold its Opening Ceremony in the evening. The highlight of the event was  a spectacular freestyle jump by students from the Israeli Defense Forces Paratroopers School. As the last paratrooper landed, the stadium lights gradually illuminated, and, at a signal, fifty thousand spectators lit flares. During the procession, the-84-year-old Joseph Yekutieli, accompanied by four generations of the Ben Dror family of Petah Tikvah, rode in on a jeep, symbolizing the continuity of the Maccabiah spirit.

The Eleventh Maccabiah reflected significant shifts in Jewish sports over the decades: a decline in participation in traditional sports such as track and field, boxing and weightlifting, and a rise in "Anglo-Saxon" sports such as hockey, golf, squash, badminton, cricket, softball, lawn bowls, and tennis.

Fourteen new Maccabiah records were set in track and field, sixteen in swimming, and eight in marksmanship. Squash, karate, judo, and wrestling competitions took place in newly built rings and courts at Kfar Maccabiah.

Despite the absence of international-level competitors, swimming became the focal point of the Games. The Israeli team made great strides, closing the gap with the American all-stars, setting 18 Maccabiah records and winning 9 Gold Medals, compared to the U.S.’s 14. Track and field events were held at the National Sports Center in Hadar Yosef, where Israeli athletes successfully challenged the previous dominance of foreign competitors, particularly Americans.

While individual sports saw impressive performances, team sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, and water polo fell short of expectations. The Israeli basketball team, made up primarily of American players with a few Israeli participants, was eliminated in the playoffs. For the first time in Maccabiah history, the Israeli soccer team did not make it to the finals, which were contested between the United States and South Africa, with Israeli referee Avraham Klein officiating.

A total of 1,960 awards were presented — 650 Gold Medals, 35 large shields of David (for team sports), and 108 small shields (for individual and team competitions). The Maccabiah budget was approximately $1,750,000, and around 8,000 tourists visited Israel for the Games, contributing an estimated six to seven million dollars to the country's economy.

As in previous Maccabiot, an exhibit of children’s paintings from 19 countries was held, this time at Heichal Hatarbut (Mann Auditorium) in Tel Aviv. The Closing Ceremony, which took place at the Sultan’s Pool in Jerusalem, featured a powerful audio-visual presentation illuminating the walls of the Old City, accompanied by an emotional plea from Prime Minister Menachem Begin, urging athletes to live their lives in Israel.

Notable Athletes, Winners, and Sports Achievements:

• Leading Israeli swimmers: Lior Birkin, Madar Rubinstein (women), Amit Daniel, Ron Kerman, Yoram Kochavi, Yaron Elati (men). 

• The outstanding American swimmer Andy Zaltzman (USA), who won the 100-meter freestyle.

•  Yair Karmi (record breaker in the 10,000-meter race) 

•  Aryeh Gamliel, Manny Rosenberg, Yoav Meckel (sprint) and Zvi Lauder (long-distance running).

• Brian Mendstein (USA) – set impressive records in the 400-meter hurdles and decathlon.

• Gary Wilson (UK) – Gold Medal in the 100-meter race, crowned "The Fastest Jew in the World". 

• Outstanding tennis players included Shlomo Glickstein, who ranked 49th in the world at the time, and Lonni Gilbert, who had competed in the Tenth Maccabiah and was ranked 72nd in the world for women.

 

Joining the Party: Countries Who Participated for the First Time

• New Zealand 

• Bermuda

• Puerto Rico 

Say Hello: New Sports Competitions

• Sailing

• Softball 

• Rugby 

• Boating competitions were reintroduced after a 31-year hiatus