The 18th Maccabiah games will take place on July 12-23 , 2009.
The 18th Maccabiah is going to be the largest Maccabiah ever. About 5,000 Jewish athletes are supposed to arrive from abroad and they will join to 2,000 Israeli athletes, which will make the Maccabiah the world’s third largest sporting event after the Olympic games and the Universiada.
The J.L.TV network will broadcast for the first time the Maccabiah games live to the USA in a $500,000 estimated contract.
A total of 15,000 tourists are expected to arrive to Israel during the Maccabiah days. Currently, the largest delegation is supposed to arrive from the USA with 1,106 participants, which among them a few formerly and current Olympic athletes.
The athletes will compete in 29 different sports such as Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, Bowling, Chess and even Bridge. Except of the sporting events, the delegations will also travel across the country in trips organized by the Maccabi World Union.
The expected revenue to the Israeli economy from the games stands on 140 Million ILS. This is great news for the Israeli tourism industry which deals many challenges these days with the world economic crisis among them.
Maccabi is a global Jewish organization spanning five continents, more then 50 countries and boasting some 400,000 members. Many Maccabi clubs serve as community centers, providing a diversity of educational, cultural, social and sports activities under one roof.
Maccabi World Union comprises 6 confederations: Maccabi Israel, European Maccabi confederation, confederation Maccabi North America, confederation Maccabi Latin America (CLAM), Maccabi South Africa and Maccabi Australia (APA).
Throughout the course of the year, confederations conduct regional and inter-regional games, providing opportunities for bonding, sharing and meeting other Jewish communities throughout the world. The highlight, of courses, still remains the quadrennial Maccabiah games, which brings Jews from all four corners of the world together in Israel
We will report from the Maccabiah this summer in a special section, from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony with all the sounds & sights. stay tuned!