The opening ceremony of the “Jewish Olympics” was buzzing with Jewish pride and resilience as athletes and fans from more than 30 countries gathered in Jerusalem Wednesday night.

After last year’s Maccabiah Games were postponed due to Israel’s June 2025 war with Iran, the kick-off of the two-week competition carried an extra level of symbolism and significance as Israel prepared to mark 1,000 days since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023 this weekend.

“We came here from Mexico with all of our family, because we are all family here,” said Katya, part of a delegation of about 300 visitors from the Latin American country who sat together in the capital’s Teddy Stadium wearing dark green T-shirts. “We are so excited to finally be here in Israel together.”

Kicking off the games, which will be held at sites around Israel through July 13, some 5,000 athletes marched through the sold-out stadium waving their countries’ flags ahead of a ceremonial torch lighting ceremony and performances by some of Israel’s leading entertainers.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog addressed the crowd in a mixture of Hebrew and English, speaking to both the Israelis in the audience and visitors from abroad.

“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.”

Netanyahu, meanwhile, called on the crowd to be strong amidst the rise in global antisemitism. “This year, I have only one message for you: People respect only those who respect themselves,” he said. “In the face of antisemitism,........

© The Times of Israel