The 8th Maccabiah

The Eighth Maccabiah was the first to take place after the unification of Jerusalem. Israel’s victory in June 1967 sparked waves of admiration in the Jewish Diaspora, drawing many young Jews to Eretz Israel. 1,450 athletes from 27 countries participated in the Games, competing in 22 events. Neither the ongoing bloodshed along Israel’s borders and outlying communities— including the Golan Heights—nor the military operations in the Jordan Rift Valley and the War of Attrition at the Suez Canal, deterred the athletes from coming to compete. 

The Opening Ceremony, which paid tribute to immigration and absorption, was more than just a demonstration of the motto: "The show must go on." As in previous years, no representatives arrived from behind the Iron Curtain, from Arab countries, or Iran. However, this Maccabiah was far from the modest event one might expect from a small nation with one finger on the trigger. 

The athletes experienced an emotional milestone when, for the first time, they were permitted to approach the Western Wall in the Old City of reunified Jerusalem. Following the visit, they participated in an impressive ceremony on Mt. Scopus, attended by the Minister of Absorption, Yigal Allon (Z"L). Later, the Maccabiah organizers decided to hold the Closing Ceremony in Jerusalem regularly. For the first time, the torch was relayed from the actual graves of the Maccabees (Before 1967, security concerns had prevented the relay from taking place so close to the Jordanian border.). Joseph Yekutieli had the honor of lighting the torch and outstanding basketball player Amnon Avidan carried it during the Opening Ceremony.

The Eighth Maccabiah received extensive coverage from global media, including newspapers, radio, and television. The Color Guard featured seven athletes from countries unable to send delegations for political reasons. That month, humanity celebrated a historic achievement as Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon.

The overall budget for the Eighth Maccabiah was two million pounds. The Ministry of Education assisted the Organizing Committee in securing the necessary funds from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Absorption, and the Jewish Agency, among others. The Israeli all-star team received government subsidies, while various sports foundations contributed approximately half of the budget.

For the first time, the organizers conducted an objective evaluation of the athletic level of the contestants and the overall quality of the Games. The findings revealed a concerning trend: Jewish athletic performance worldwide was in decline. The lack of Jewish athletes from Western countries who could qualify for international competitions was particularly evident, while athletes from communist nations were barred by their governments from participating in the Maccabiot. The evaluation also criticized Israel’s failure to invest in improving its national delegation. For example, since Israel’s official all-star soccer team was competing in Cyprus at the same time, the team representing Israel at the Maccabiah was, in fact, the youth squad.

The large number of Israeli athletes - approximately one-quarter of all participants in this Maccabiah —was described in the report as "a quantitative response to an unacceptably low qualitative level."

Notable Athletes, Winners, and Sports Achievements:

• The swimmer Mark Spitz once again proved worthy of his title, winning 3 gold medals in individual events and 3 more in team races (His future was indeed promising—he would go on to capture 7 gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics).

• Spitz's younger sister, Nancy, upheld the family tradition by winning several gold medals and one silver medal.

• Israeli sprinter Esther Shachamorov overshadowed her opponents, winning 3 gold medals in track events.

• American sprinter Harold Rothman, Canadian sprinter Avital Hoffman, world champion backstroke swimmer Karen Myor, shot putter Steve Marcus, and Wimbledon champion tennis player Julie Haldman. 

• Outstanding basketball player Tal Brody set an example for Jewish athletes in the Diaspora by immigrating to Israel immediately after his U.S. Army service, contributing to the Israeli all-star team's impressive victory over the Americans (74:70).

Joining the Party: Countries Who Participated for the First Time

• Germany

• Greece