The 14th Maccabiah

The 14th Maccabiah set new attendance records, with 5,100 athletes from 48 countries and competing in 32 sports. For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, deligations arrived from Poland, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and eight republics of the CIS. Croatia, Georgia, and Portugal also made their Maccabiah debut. 

The South African team returned to compete under its national flag, following the fall of apartheid and the removal of international sanctions. After a 24-year hiatus, 77 athletes and their escorts came from Turkey, representing the Constantinople branch of Maccabi World Union -the first-ever Maccabi Club, which had resumed  activities after many years of dormancy. Three athletes from Hong Kong participated under their territory’s flag for the last time; in the 15th Maccabiah, the Hong Kong contingent would compete under the Chinese flag.

Media coverage also set records, with 321 journalists from around the world reporting on the event. At Kfar Maccabiah, Bezek installed a modern communications center. Israel TV provided daily coverage every evening, alongside live broadcasts from the swimming pool, gymnastics arena, and track and field stadium.

The Opening Ceremony, rich in emotion and focused on Aliyah and absorption, featured a grand march, dance and song performances, an air show with four IDF Kfir planes, gliders, and a spectacular sound-and-light display.  The most memorable moment came when a Jumbo Jet landed at the start of the ceremony, and a group of new immigrants disembarked at the center of the stadium.

Distinguished guests included representatives of the International Olympic Committee, veteran athletes, and senior Maccabi World Union officials. Among them were 80-year-old Massimo de la Pergola, Chairman of Maccabi Italy and  a leader in international sports journalism, and Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee. A special guest of honor was actor Robert De Niro, invited by Israeli producer Arnon Milchan,  who watched the ceremony from the VIP box alongside Israel’s President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Knesset.

A 15-meter-high giant torch, designed by Yossi Assana and built by Yehuda Cranes Company, was placed at the stadium’s edge. Amisragas supplied three tons of gas to keep a massive flame burning for six hours. The flame of the 14th Maccabiah - 1.5 meters high - was the largest in Maccabiah history and visible from all corners of the stadium. The Opening Ceremony’s total cost was $850,000—approximately a tenth of the Maccabiah’s overall budget.

Sports events took place across the country, from Metulla in the north to Ein Gedi in the south, with the main competitions centered in the Gush Dan region. Volleyball was played at Rashish Arena in Petah Tikva, soccer in Bat Yam, tennis in Ramat Hasharon, junior soccer and basketball at Yad Eliyahu Stadium, badminton in Kiryat Sharett (Holon), and bowling at the Super Bowl in Arieh HaHof Mall. The international chess championship took place at the Margoa Hotel in Netanya, while Tel Aviv University hosted handball, rugby, and swimming events. In preparation for the 14th Maccabiah, seven million shekels were invested in building a modern gymnastics center at Hadar Yosef, and a new rifle marksmanship section was inaugurated at the Yigal Alon Olympic shooting range in Herzliya. 

The Maccabiah’s  $8.73 million budget ended with a surplus of $50,000. Funding was divided as follows: 50% from the delegations, 25% from the Government, Jewish Agency, and municipalities, with the remaining costs covered by sponsorships, advertising, and other sources. Despite the significant investment, not all athletic expectations were met. Several competitions, including men’s pole vault, hammer throw, and walking events, as well as the women’s 10,000-meter run, triathlon, and walking events, were canceled. Israel’s swimming and athletics teams won fewer medals than in previous Maccabiah Games but secured first place in fencing, volleyball, and— for the first time—badminton, defeating the strong British team with a final score of 5:2.

Israel won a total of 74 gold medals, 61 silver, and 50 bronze, surpassing the United States (46 gold, 49 silver, 38 bronze), Canada (14-7-15), and the CIS (9-4-9). 

For the first time, the Maccabiah also included a Paralympic Games at the Ramat Gan Sports Center. Additional cultural and artistic events included the World Children’s Art Exhibition, themed “Leaping into the Next Century,” and a well-received sports photography exhibit titled “Unrepeatable Moments.” Israel Educational Television broadcast a Maccabiah Quiz for schoolchildren, hosted by Dr. Uriel Zimri and Israel Paz.

To commemorate the Games, a special medal was minted by the Government Office of Medals and Coins, Bezek issued a limited-edition Telecard featuring the Maccabiah emblem (Guri doll), and the Israel Postal Office released a new postage stamp designed by Dani Zilberman, illustrating relay runners symbolizing the transition from the 13th to the 14th Maccabiah.

The World Zionist Organization, in collaboration with Maccabi World Union, organized activities to promote Aliyah, including cultural events, home visits with Israeli families, sightseeing trips, and educational seminars on Judaism and Zionism.

Maccabiah participants were among the first to visit Tel Aviv’s new bus station, one and a half months before its official opening. There, they enjoyed an evening of Middle Eastern entertainment, featuring belly dancers, traditional Israeli music, and local cuisine.

The ten-day event concluded with a festive Closing Ceremony at the Sultan’s Pool in Jerusalem, attended by Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Yitzhak Rabin and Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek. The artistic program featured performances by the Oratorio Choir of Jerusalem, the IDF Orchestra, and the Nitzanay Mehola dance group. The event culminated in a breathtaking laser light show, fireworks, and mass hora dancing before the Maccabiah torch was extinguished. As the Games came to an end, hundreds of athletes departed for Ben Gurion Airport, already looking forward to the next Maccabiah.

Notable Athletes, Winners, and Sports Achievements:

• Darren Shongold – 10.74 seconds in the 100 meters.

• Jennifer Frank (USA) – 12.26 seconds in the 100 meters, breaking Esther Roth’s 20-year-old record by half a second.

• Vadim Baviko & Alex Feingret – Javelin throw distances of 76.44 meters and 75.6 meters, respectively.

• Orit Kolodoni (Israel) – New record in the 400-meter run (54.27 seconds).

• Itai Margalit – Set a world record in Stuttgart with a vault of 2.25 meters.

• Josef Kobir (Ethiopia-Canada) – Three gold medals in the 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000-meter runs.

• Lisa Martin (USA) – Dominated the swimming events, winning seven gold medals, including four individual titles.

• Moran Zomerfeld (Israel) – Set new Israeli records in swimming, breaking Gineal’s 1980 record in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 3:58.43 minutes.

• CIS Table Tennis Team – Featured Russian champions Irena Timina and Vilna Felina, ranked 38th and 52nd in the world.

• Oleg Ladin (Canada) – Won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling and later secured victory in the 100kg World Cup competition in Tennessee, USA.

• Valery Blankey (Russia) – Olympic gymnast who participated in pre-trials and the Opening Ceremony.

• Junior Maccabiah Highlights – Standout gymnasts included Michal Shahat (European Junior Jumping Champion) and Yahav Dori, along with swimmers Avi Madnick (Toronto), Dov Melnick, and Ethan Orbach (Israel).

 

Joining the Party: Countries who participated for the first time

• For the first time, since the establishment of the State of Israel, delegations arrived from Poland, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and eight republics of the CIS 

• Croatia

• Georgia

• Portugal 

• The South African team returned and appeared under the South African flag.

• After a gap of twenty four years, 77 athletes and their escorts came from Turkey, representing the Constantinople branch of Maccabi World Union (the first-ever Maccabi Club) that had renewed its activities after many dormant years.

• Three athletes from Hong Kong appeared for the last time under the flag of their state

 

Say Hello: New Sports Competition

• Netball (women)

• Triathlon (1.5 kilomters swimming, 10 kilometers running and 40 kilometers biking)

• Half marathon run

 

Saying Goodbye: Categories From Previous Maccabiot That Were Left Out

• Pole vaulting

• Hammer throw

• Walking

• 10,000 meter run,