Maccabiah opening ceremony kicks off in Jerusalem, thousands of athletes in attendance

Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium vibrated with energy Wednesday evening as the 22nd Maccabiah Games, widely known as the "Jewish Olympics," officially opened. The ceremony welcomed around 5,000 athletes representing approximately 35 countries, marking a significant gathering of Jewish athletes from around the globe.

These games hold particular significance as they are the first to take place since the Hamas-led massacres of October 7, 2023, and were postponed from last year due to the conflict between Israel and Iran and its regional proxies. The previous Maccabiah was held in 2022, having been delayed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's Maccabiah Games are being held under the powerful slogan "More Than Ever." Maccabiah organizers stated this tagline was chosen to underscore and promote the crucial bond between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora, emphasizing that "the connection is more significant than ever." The opening event drew thousands of spectators and featured prominent Israeli figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.

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More Than Ever

The ceremony's program included performances by notable artists such as Eurovision Song Contest 2025 second-place winner Yuval Raphael, Anna Zak, Netta Barzilai (Eurovision 2018 winner), and Israeli musical icon Idan Raichel. Former Hamas hostage Daniella Gilboa also performed alongside Raichel. American-Israeli IDF soldier and former Hamas hostage Edan Alexander made an appearance, as did social media influencer Montana Tucker, who debuted her new song "We're Not Strangers."

Montana Tucker, co-hosting the Delegations Parade, spoke about the unity between Israelis and the Diaspora. "We in the Diaspora stand in support of our brothers and sisters here in Israel because we truly are one family in the deepest sense of the word," Tucker said. "A family that knows how to grieve together and a family that knows how to celebrate together. And that is exactly what we will be doing here this evening." The parade itself saw thousands of athletes marching proudly, carrying their national flags, with large delegations present from countries including the United States, Argentina, France, Israel, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Germany.

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We in the Diaspora stand in support of our brothers and sisters here in Israel because we truly are one family in the deepest sense of the word. A family that knows how to grieve together and a family that knows how to celebrate together. And that is exactly what we will be doing here this evening.