Sport

The first Jewish gymnastic club in Palestine, "Rishon L'Zion" in Jaffa, today known as "Maccabi Tel Aviv," was established at the end of 1906.

At the time of the 13th Zionist Congress in Carlsbad (1921) it was decided to set up a new central organization, the Maccabi World Union. In the constitution of this new organization, its aims were clearly defined:

To foster physical education, the belief in the Jewish heritage and the Jewish Nation and to work actively for the rebuilding of our own country and for the preservation of our People.

During the period between the two World Wars (1918 - 1939), Maccabi reached its zenith development particularly in E urope. Achievements reached by its athletes and teams were impressive and many of its sportsmen and sportswomen, as well as Maccabi Club teams, belonged to the elite in their countries and represented their nations in international events and at the Olympic Games. European Maccabi Games with events on an international level, were held regularly (Berlin, Vienna, Prague and Amsterdam.).

At the same time, the Maccabi idea and ideals became firmly rooted in many Latin-American countries, in the Far East, Australia and in Africa. This was to a large extent due to Jewish emigration from Eastern and Central Europe, now under the influence of Communism and Nazism.

Two outstanding events, marked this period: The first Maccabiah Games were held in mandated Palestine in 1932, the second in 1935. These Games were a demonstration of the strong ties and identification of world Jewry with the land and the people of Eretz Yisrael.

The Maccabi World Union held its first post-war Maccabiah Games (the Third Maccabiah) in the State of Israel in 1950, demonstrating to the whole world its power of survival and its strength.
 
 

The Maccabi Movement, 1984

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