The eleventh Maccabiah Games will be held in Israel July 6-16, 1981. Since the first Maccabiah Games in 1932, thousands of Jewish athletes from around the world have taken part in the Games, recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the International Sports Federation as one of the only six such international events equivalent in stature to the Olympic Games.
Three thousand athletes and contestants from 30 countries are scheduled to take part in the 10-day Games — participating in more than 30 different sporting events. The Games will be held mostly in Ramat Gan and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.
The Maccabiah Games opening ceremony is set for July 6, 1981 at the Ramat Gan Olympic Stadium. Over 50,000 spectators are expected to watch President Yitzhak Navon declare the Games open and to witness the runner light the Maccabiah flame in honor of the Maccabees, who led the “Chanukah” rebellion against the Greeks more than 2100 years ago, in whose memory the Maccobiah Games are dedicated.
Two events scheduled in addition to the actual Games are a goal concert in honor of the Games on July 4, 1981 by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta; and a festival of gymnastics and folklore on July 11, 12, 13 in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, respectively.
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