The Maccabiah Games are Officially Open!
The Maccabiah Games, often called the “Jewish Olympics”, opened Wednesday evening, July 1, 2026. Thousands of athletes from more than 30 countries came together in Jerusalem to celebrate sportsmanship, pride, and resilience.
The Games began in 1932 with 390 Jewish athletes from 18 countries. It has continued through wars, intifadas, and pandemics, reported JTA. Usually held every four years, this year’s event will run through July 13.
While the number of participants is down this year due to the logistics of flying to a country where airspace has been closed and many airlines have stopped flying there. Still, 3,000 athletes from around the globe joined 2,000 Israelis to stand together in unity.
“We’re still talking about thousands of tourists that will come to Israel, will support the state of Israel, will be part of amazing ceremonies, amazing trips, volunteering, and the competitions, of course,” Roy Hessing, Maccabiah’s chief executive told JTA.
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Maccabiah 2026
The Maccabiah Games are especially poignant this year, after having been postponed in 2025 due to the war, reported The Times of Israel, and coinciding with the 1,000-day anniversary of the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023.
“We came here from Mexico with all of our family, because we are all family here,” Katya, part of a delegation of about 300 visitors from the country, told The Times of Israel. “We are so excited to finally be here in Israel together.”
The opening ceremony began with the athletes marching through the stadium waving their countries’ flags followed by a torch lighting ceremony. The flame was carried by a contingent of people including Evyatar Zeituni, a disabled IDF veteran who was injured defending Kibbutz Kissufim on October 7.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog addressed the crowd in both English and Hebrew.
“Through this difficult war, we have proven that despite the pain, we can find the challenge in every crisis,” Herzog said. “This sports celebration is a demonstration of Jewish power that conveys an unequivocal message of joint responsibility and determination to the people of Israel and the entire world.”
The Games
The competitions began on July 2 at various venues throughout the country. The Games are open to the public; the schedule is posted here.
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Most will take place in the center of Israel in Tel Aviv, Ramot Gan, and Herzliya. While track and field events are being held in Jerusalem and others will be located in the North.
For the first time, the Maccabiah Games will include a sports festival from July 6 through July 10 that is open to the public. Located at Expo Tel Aviv, the exhibit seeks to recreate the atmosphere of an Olympic village.
According to JTA, 65 to 70 percent of the participants are visiting Israel for the first time and about five percent typically return as immigrants.
“The first thing people are saying when they land is thank you for not canceling the Games,” Hessing told JTA. “It’s going to be two weeks they will never forget.”
