Watch the 41st JCC Maccabi Games® Opening Ceremony Livestream July 9

Ceremony includes President Herzog, NBA star Deni Avdija, and tribute to the Munich 11

When: July 9^th 7:30PM Israel Time; 12:30 PM ET; 11:30 AM CT; 10:30 AM MT; 9:30 AM PT

How to Watch:

The 41st JCC Maccabi Games® Opening Ceremony at the International Convention Center Haifa will be livestreamed at isr-jcc.maccabi.games, July 9^th 7:30PM Israel Times; 12:30 PM ET; 9:30 AM PT. The JCC Maccabi Games are co-hosted by JCC Association of North America and Maccabi World Union.

Highlights of the Opening Ceremony:

• Recorded address from President Herzog
• Shalva Band and Mayumana
• NBA star Deni Avdija lighting the torch to open the Games officially,
• A moving tribute to the Munich 11 including Shlomit Nir-Toor, an Israeli former Olympic swimmer and Maccabiah champion, who represented Israel in 1968 and 1972 Olympic games and survived the Munich Massacre at the Olympic Village.
• And Nicol Faiglin, the runner-up to the 2022 World Youth Fencing Championships and second place winner of the European Girl’s Fencing Champion. 

Teens Participating:

74 delegations of teens representing 10 countries on four continents (North America, Europe, Africa and Asia) are participating. Among the athletes are teens from Ukraine and other European countries and, for the first time, Morocco, an Abraham Accords country, whose athletes are participating thanks to JCC Association’s partnership with BBYO. These global delegations’ participation is made possible by philanthropic funding supporting Ukraine and the Maccabi Movement’s European countries at the forefront of the refugee crisis. The largest ever delegation of “J-Team” athletes ensures that any Jewish teens who wish to participate in JCC Maccabi. 

More Information:

In a proud and longstanding partnership and in the continuing celebration of Israel’s 75^th anniversary, JCC Association of North America and Maccabi World Union are bringing athletes from around the globe together in Israel at the world’s largest Jewish youth sporting event, beginning on July 6. More than a thousand Jewish teens from 10 countries will kick off the weeklong JCC Maccabi Games^®, an Olympic-style sports event that includes opening and closing ceremonies; community service; and social and cultural events.

At the Games’ conclusion, the teens will set off on two weeks of immersive, innovative, and educational travel throughout the country—a dynamic journey designed to strengthen their commitment to Jewish peoplehood and build meaningful connections with Israel’s land, people, history, and cultures. This year marks the return of the Games to Israel for the first time since 2011, and, reflecting the JCC Movement’s deep commitment to the Jewish homeland, participants represent one of the largest and most diverse teen groups visiting the country this summer.