22nd Maccabiah Games open in Jerusalem as President Herzog hails "display of Jewish strength"
Thousands of Jewish athletes from around the world gathered in Jerusalem for the opening ceremony of the 22nd Maccabiah Games, which was framed by politicians as a defiant response to antisemitism
The 22nd Maccabiah Games opened at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem Wednesday night with a star-studded ceremony, drawing thousands of athletes for the start of the two-week competition. The games were held under the theme "More Than Ever," carrying added symbolism after last year's edition was postponed due to Israel's June 2025 war with Iran, and this year's competition comes just a day before Israel marks 1,000 days since the October 7 massacre.
Roughly 5,000 athletes from more than 30 countries marched through the sold-out stadium waving their national flags. However, in actuality, roughly 8,000 and 10,000 competitors from 55 countries are competing through July 13. Israel fielded the largest delegation with about 2,200 athletes, followed by roughly 900 from the United States and sizable teams from Mexico, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, and France.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed the athletes, calling the games a defiant response to rising antisemitism. "In the face of rising antisemitism, we light the torch of the Maccabiah," he told the crowd. Herzog described the games as "a display of Jewish strength that sends a clear message to the entire Jewish people, and to the whole world. A message of partnership. A message of determination."
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Netanyahu also addressed the crowd, urging attendees to respond to rising global antisemitism with confidence. "People respect only those who respect themselves," he said. "In the face of antisemitism, stand tall!"
The ceremony was hosted by Assi Azar and American pro-Israel influencer Montana Tucker, and directed by Eldar Gohar Grossman, featuring performances by Yuval Raphael, a duet from Netta Barzilai and Anna Zak, and a musical arrangement by Idan Raichel alongside former hostages Daniella Gilboa and Edan Alexander. Israeli singer Itay Levy closed the show with an English-language number backed by a full stage of dancers.
The torch was carried by disabled IDF veteran Evyatar Zeituni, who was wounded defending Kibbutz Kissufim on October 7, before being passed to Paralympic taekwondo champion Asaf Yasur and Olympic judo star Inbar Lanir, who lit the Maccabiah flame together.
Athletes are competing across Junior, Open, Masters, and Paralympic divisions, including wounded IDF veterans, with competition spread across northern, central, and southern Israel. Most events will take place in Tel Aviv, Herzliya, and Ramat Gan, with gymnastics and track and field in Jerusalem and additional events in the north.
For the first time, the games will include a public sports festival, Maccabiah City, running at Expo Tel Aviv from July 6 to July 10 and featuring competitions, fan zones, and historical exhibitions. All Maccabiah events are free and open to the public, though tickets are required for the expo.
Organizers described the 2026 edition as the largest gathering in Israel since October 7, 2023.