The 20th Maccabiah

This Maccabiah was the largest and most successful edition of the Games, with 10,000 athletes from 80 countries participating. For the first time, we welcomed participants from Barbados, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, China, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Sports tournaments were held at 65 different venues across Israel, attracting thousands of spectators both from Israel and abroad. Jerusalem served as the Capital of the Maccabiah, hosting most competitions and major events such as the Opening Ceremony and Gala evening. One of the most unique venues was the Pais Arena in Jerusalem—a basketball arena transformed into an ice hockey venue. The hockey finals attracted the largest audience of the Maccabiah, with over 7,000 spectators attending.

The Opening Ceremony was held at Teddy Stadium, welcoming a total of 27,000 spectators, including the President of Israel, the Prime Minister, the Mayor of Jerusalem, the Minister of Culture and Sport, ambassadors, business leaders, Maccabi leadership from Israel and abroad, donors, and special guests. Jerusalem also hosted the Gala Evening, celebrating both the Maccabiah and the 50th anniversary of the unification of the city. Additional festivities included the Maccabiah Jerusalem Half Marathon, a Kabbalat Shabbat, and Bnei Mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall, as well as tours exploring the city's rich heritage and landscapes.

One of the main highlights of the Games was the Junior Maccabiah, hosted for the first time in Haifa. The city warmly welcomed 2,000 junior athletes, creating an unforgettable experience. The HUB, located at the Sportan (a well-known country club in Haifa), served as the main gathering point for the young athletes when they were not competing. The HUB featured educational and cultural activities led by Maccabi Tzair Madrichim and other professionals. The Leonardo Hotel Beach was transformed into "Maccabiah Beach," while joint parties were organized with various youth programs in Haifa. Additionally, local businesses offered exclusive discounts to all participants.

A special moment of the Opening Ceremony was when Anthony Ervin, a gold medalist at the Rio Olympics, lit the Maccabiah torch. He was accompanied by Israeli Olympic medalists Arik Zeevi, Yarden Gerbi, Ori Sasson, Neta Rivkin, and Israeli NBA star Omri Casspi.

The media coverage of the Maccabiah was unprecedented. The Israeli public turned out to watch the competitions, and social media engagement was overwhelming. The Opening Ceremony, broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 during prime time, achieved an impressive 25% viewership rating.

In the year leading up to the Games,  a variety of Maccabiah-related events took place across Israel in cities such as Jerusalem, Haifa, Netanya, Dimona, Ra'anana, and Tel Aviv, in collaboration with local municipalities and organizations.

International events promoting the Maccabiah began in December 2016 with the launch of the Maccabi Torch Relay. The relay started at the historic Maccabim Tombs in Modi'in, continued to the President of Israel's residence, and then traveled to  Maccabi organizations and communities worldwide.

The torch relay reached iconic landmarks such as New York City’s Fifth Avenue, Niagara Falls in Canada, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Wembley Stadium in London, Table Mountain in South Africa, and cities including Budapest, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Helsinki, Lima, Montevideo, Santiago, Amsterdam, Perth, and Melbourne.

Additionally, Jewish cyclists retraced the historic Maccabiah rally, which originally recruited Jewish athletes for the first Maccabiah. Their journey began in England and concluded at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, where the Opening Ceremony took place.

Joining the Party: Countries who participated for the first time:

• Barbados

• Cambodia

• Cayman Islands

• China

• Dominican Republic

• Jamaica

• Kazakhstan

• Puerto Rico

• Singapore

• South Korea

•  Suriname

•  Taiwan

•  Thailand 

• Vietnam