18th Israel Maccabiah Opening Ceremony Celebrates Life, Welcomes Jewish Athletes Home

18th Israel Maccabiah Opening Ceremony Celebrates Life, Welcomes Jewish Athletes Home

Jerusalem, Israel ---- July 14, 2009 ...... There is no greater event that unites the world Jewish community than the Maccabiah Games.

Yes, in times of war, Jews in the Diaspora provide both financial and physical aid. They donate money to Israel for emergency causes which pay for meals for the impoverished, cultural centers and even bullet proof vests for many of our soldiers and police.

But perhaps for the Jews of the US, the UK, France, Brazil, Canada and Argentina the greatest gift of all that they can provide is their mere presence in Israel.

As one who made Aliya 22 years ago, I can tell you that it is a lonely, difficult but highly rewarding experience.

One out three children in Israel live in poverty. Terrorism and war can occur at any moment. The difficulty in adjusting to Israel culture and finding employment that can pay for one's rent, electricity and car insurance is beyond stressful. It is these stress factors that send the majority of Olim back to the States or the UK where salaries are 2-5 times what they are in Israel.

That the Jewish Agency has to bribe Jews with 3,500 dollars to come and live in Israel says it all.

The problem is not bringing Jews to Israel. The problem is keeping them here. And even here the Israel government is trying to do its best to provide tax breaks and other initiatives to stop the brain drain.

No matter how green the trees may be in London and New York, regardless of the top entertainment found on Broadway or the East End, and transcending having the luxury of disposal income, Israel is our home. We are family here. And to stand in Ramat Gan stadium and witness the largest gathering of the Jewish people in one place can only bring a smile and a tear to one's face. It is this which keeps us Olim in Israel.

Perhaps the greatest challenge anyone faced in coming to the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel was finding parking for the opening ceremony. I squeezed my car into a red and white tow away zone, hoping for the best, while my children in another car had to go home for lack of parking.

As one walked into Ramat Gan stadium, you felt as if you were entering the home of family. Once past the intense security and finally finding your small plastic seat, you open the white plastic bag to find an Israel flag, small, yellow flashlight, a 18th Maccabiah Opening Ceremony Program booklet and even coupons to save 20 percent when flying El-Al Israel Airlines.

We wait for the 18 Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremony to begin. Relived that their is a slight, cool breeze coming into the vast stadium to offset some of the oppressive heat.

Down below us are 200 cyclists with lights flashing from their bikes waiting to perform tricks and create dazzling formations.

Then a large black car surrounded with several red and blue police motorcycle lights enters the Maccabiah stadium. It is Israel President Shimon Peres, one of the last leaders in this nation that actually helped to create the state.

"The Maccabiah is a holiday for the State of Israel," said Peres. "Contrary to war, athletic victory for one is not an athletic defeat of another because athletics is a war without victims. It is a wonderful draft for peace. It is good that athletes stay forever young."

A huge flag of Israel is then brought into the stadium by the Maccabi Youth Movement. Each uniformed teenager smiling as they march into the stadium carrying their own Israel flag.

Then comes the moment that many have been waiting for - for over four years. The Maccabiah Sports delegations start to enter the stadium. Those seated in the stadium rise and wave thousands of Israeli flags. As the Jewish athletes from the US, Russia, Chile, India, South Africa, Australia and Canada march in we wave to one another.

The majority of the Jewish Maccabi Sports delegations were led by heads of the countries' Maccabi unions, with perhaps the most famous was former Manchester United and England football star Sir Bobby Charlton, who walked in front of the 516 British athletes.

The long and vibrant procession ended with the Israel team making its entrance. The huge crowd stood, cheering "Am Israel Chai" - Israel lives!

Once the 7,300 Jewish athletes have found their place inside the stadium, an honor guard then carries in the large Maccabiah Banner Flag. Yizkor, the prayer for the dead is recited by Joshua Small, 19, a tenpin bowler from Australia who lost his father in the Maccabiah bridge disaster almost a decade ago. The Maccabiah Oath was then given to the athletes by American Israeli former basketball legend Tal Brody.

The mayor of Ramat Gan, Zvi Bar, president of the World Maccabi Union Jeanne Futeran and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the Jewish athletes.

"You represent 65 countries but more than anything you represent one special people - the people of Israel," said Netanyahu. He urged the athletes to make Aliya in both Hebrew and English.

"I thank you for coming, I thank you for participating, but I ask you to do one more thing," Netanyahu said to the athletes. "I ask that you make aliyah, not just for the Maccabiah. Come and be one of us, every day of the year."

The Maccabi Torch was then seen by all on the large screens as it made its way to the stadium where it had been lit early in the day from Maccabiah, the graves of Jewish warriors who defeated foreign rulers and won independence in the 2nd century B.C.

The last Jewish athlete to be given the honor of running with the torch and lighting the 18th Maccabiah flame was US Olympic gold medal swimmer Jason Lezak. As he set the torch to portal which would create a mammoth flame, fireworks shot into the sky.

The Jewish crowd of thousands then stood to sing Hatikva - the Israel national anthem. But before doing so, the organizers of the 18th Maccabiah Games asked everyone to pray for Israel's missing soldiers, including IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

Shimon Peres was then asked to officially open the 18th Maccabiah Games and in a strong and proud voice for a 86-year-old man, Peres told the world that the 18th Maccabiah Games had begun.

The cost for an 18th Maccabiah Games aka Jewish Olympics Opening Ceremony ticket averaged around 200 US dollars. More than twice the price than what Madonna is asking for to perform in Tel Aviv. A cost which goes well beyond what the average Israeli can afford. Yet the Ramat Gan stadium was packed with over 30,000 people. But for those who could not be there to witness this piece of Jewish history the 18th Maccabiah opening ceremony was televised live on Israel TV Channel 1 and streamed live online by JLTV - Jewish Life Television.

The opening ceremony was the largest and most spectacular ever put on by the Maccabiah and World Maccabi Union in the 77-year history of the Jewish Games. Some 3,500 international athletes and 1,500 accompanying relatives from 60 countries are staying in 1,700 hotel rooms for 14 nights.

“It’s exciting to be here getting to know Jews from other countries," said Maxim Poljakov, 23, a member of the Finnish indoor soccer (futsal) team. "It’s a much stronger feeling of our Jewish identity being here than we have in our everyday life in Finland.”

Daran Bern, 22, an indoor soccer player for the English Maccabiah team, in his second trip after joining a Birthright Israel group grew up in a home with a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother just outside London that was largely disconnected from the local Jewish community.

“I love learning,” he said, smiling as he discusses Jewish culture and heritage with his teammates. “The Maccabiah is a fantastic way of getting people to do what they love to do, sport, together with the religious aspect that someone like me knows little about," Bern said. "There is always something in you that wants to know more.”

Bradley Williams, a 20-year-old marathoner from the US Maccabiah Team, was pleased to meet other serious Jewish runners. He says it's hard to gather a minyan at his Santa Fe synagogue, let alone find other Jews who run marathons.

“The Jewish people now seem so much more diverse to me and it makes me feel like I’m part of a people that has so much to offer. Judaism now feels much more interesting and much more alive.”

The World Maccabiah Games are a quadrennial event that takes place in Israel. The 18th World Maccabiah Games, scheduled for July 12 – 23, 2009 are the world’s third largest international athletic competition.

As the world’s third largest sports event after the Olympics, the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel plays host to 3,000 junior Maccabiah athletes, aged 15 -18; 5,000 open athletes, 2,000 masters and Paralympics. In addition to the visitors, Israel will itself be fielding a team of more than 2,000 athletes.

Sports for which competitors will be going for Gold include: artistic gymnastics, badminton, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, bridge, cricket, chess, fencing, golf, gymnastics, handball, half-marathon, field hockey, judo, karate, netball, lawn bowls, rowing, rugby, squash, soccer, softball, swimming, table-tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, track and field, ten-pin bowling, volleyball, water polo, wrestling and windsurfing.

The 18th Maccabiah Games is utilizing powerful Web 2.0 new media social networking to connect in real time with millions in Israel and worldwide. There are Twitter news channels: israelmaccabiah and maccabiah and two official Facebook groups.

In addition to Maccabiah.com, a new state of the art Web 2.0 Maccabiah Web site has been launched.

With very little money, limited resources and a highly dedicated staff, Maccabiah World Union organizers Eyal Tiberger, Amir Peled, Jeanne Futeran, Igal Carmi, Itamar Herman, Avinoam Caspi-Greenfield, Nirit Harel French and Tmira Shafran provided Israel and the world's Jewish community with an 18th Maccabiah Opening Ceremony that we shall remember and cherish for many years to come.

One out three children in Israel live in poverty. Terrorism and war can occur at any moment. The difficulty in adjusting to Israel culture and finding employment that can pay for one's rent, electricity and car insurance is beyond stressful. It is these stress factors that send the majority of Olim back to the States or the UK where salaries are 2-5 times what they are in Israel. That the Jewish Agency has to bribe Jews with 3,500 dollars to come and live in Israel says it all. The problem is not bringing Jews to Israel. The problem is keeping them here. And even here the Israel government is trying to do its best to provide tax breaks and other initiatives to stop the brain drain. But at the end of the day - Israel is our country. No matter how green the trees may be in London and New York, regardless of the top entertainment found on Broadway or the East End, and transcending having the luxury of disposal income, Israel is our home. We are family here.

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