WATCH: Maccabiah 'Jewish Olympics' Opens in Israel - Israel Today

WATCH: Maccabiah 'Jewish Olympics' Opens in Israel

Thursday, July 06, 2017 |  Israel Today Staff

Tonight Israel will officially kick off the 20th Maccabiah Games at a special ceremony at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.

Over 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries will compete in a wide range of sporting competitions over the coming weeks.

Maccabiah is often referred to as the "Jewish Olympics," and not only because it's held every four years. It is the largest Jewish sporting event in history, and today serves to underline Israel as the center of Jewish life for Jews from every corner of the earth.

On top of that, many Jewish medal winners from the actual Olympic Games also compete in the Maccabiah Games.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the games, and it will be the largest Maccabiah since the event was inaugurated in 1932.

To commemorate this special anniversary for the Maccabiah Games, we have a special offer to share with you:

These beautiful special edition watches, in either gilded or silver stainless steel housings, include a high quality quartz movement with matt black genuine leather straps. They are limited edition watches by Israel's watchmaker company ADI.

<- MACCABIAH "80 countries - 1 heart" silver colored watch

MACCABIAH "80 countries - 1 heart" gold colored watch ->

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Germany Hosts Jewish Olympics in 'Hitler's Stadium'

CBNNews.com

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

JERUSALEM, Israel -- The 14th European Maccabiah Games (Jewish Olympics) begin Wednesday with opening ceremonies at a sports complex in Berlin formerly known as "Hitler's stadium."

In 1936, Adolph Hitler sought to prevent Jewish athletes from competing in the Olympic Games in Berlin.

The Third Reich's infamous leader could never have imagined 70 years later, Germany would host some 2,500 Jewish athletes from 36 countries.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas toldReuters Jewish life in Germany is "vibrant" again.

"It's not something we could possibly have ever hoped for after World War II and the Holocaust," Maas said, calling it "a gift for our country that we didn't deserve."

World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder told Reuters "to celebrate the Jewish Maccabiah Games in Hitler's Olympic Stadium represents a triumph of good over evil."

"To those who say this is not the right place to hold these Games, I say to the contrary, this is exactly where they should be held," Lauder said.

The Maccabiah Games were established in 1929 in Prague to provide a venue for Jewish athletes to compete freely in an atmosphere devoid of discrimination.

The World War II-era wasn't the only time tragedy struck Jewish athletes. During the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Palestinian terrorists affiliated with the PLO kidnapped and murdered 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.

Two years ago, 9,000 participants from 78 countries came to Israel to compete in the 19th Maccabiah Games.