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Lenny Krayzelberg Chose Maccabiah Over World Championship Taking Place In Japan At Same Time. Sallai Meridor: "Jewish Agency proud To Support This Event"
 From left to right: USA Swimming Gold Medallist at Sydney Olympics, Lenny Krayzelburg; Chairman of the Maccabiah Organizing Committee, Uzi Zwebner; and Head of the USA delegation, Jordan Weinschein (photo: Andres Lacko) "As a Jew, it's a tremendous honor to participate in the Maccabiah Games held in Israel, our homeland," Lenny Krayzelburg, the three gold medal champion swimmer of the Sydney Olympics told the Jewish Agenda, as he arrived in Israel to compete in the 16th Maccabiah. The 25 year-old Krayzelburg, considered to be the world's best swimmer, chose to come to Israel to participate in the Maccabiah rather in the world swimming championship being held simultaneously in Japan. 2,861 Jewish sportsmen and women from 43 countries will participate in the 16th Maccabiah, which will take place in Israel from July 15th to July 23rd. The security situation in Israel did not deter 2,038 athletes, who will arrive from abroad, to take part in the games. Australia, who in the last Maccabiah lost four athletes in a tragic accident, is participating again this year, with a strong contingent of 65 sportsmen. Israel will field the largest contingent (714 athletes) and the United States and Canada the second and third largest (387 and 193 respectively). Among the larger delegations are those of Argentina, South Africa, Great Britain, France, Brazil and Russia; while India, Greece, Moldava, Croatia, and Denmark are among those who have sent small numbers of participants. The Republic of China will participate in the Maccabiah for the first time ever, this year. The games will officially begin on July 16th, when all delegations will march in the gala Opening Ceremony, in Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium. But some of the delegations have already arrived. The U.S. delegation arrived on Sunday, July 8th. The French delegation, which flew in on Thursday, July 12th, immediately traveled to the site of the Dolphinarium disco bombing in Tel-Aviv, where they paid tribute to the 21 teenagers murdered by a terrorist suicide bomber. "The Maccabiah, in addition to being the world's major Jewish sports event, presents an unparalleled opportunity for Jewish youth from throughout the world to meet each other, to see Israel for themselves, and to interact with Israelis, under the banner of 'One People-One Dream'. For this reason the Jewish Agency is proud to be major sponsor of this quadrennial event," said Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor. The sportsmen will compete in 26 different sports. Parallel to the main international sports competitions, international Juniors Maccabiah Sports Events (in twelve different sports) and Masters Maccabiah Sports Events (in five different sports) will be held. Prior to the Maccabiah, Israel's Children's TV Channel, conducted a special youngsters Maccabiah, the winners of this sports competition will likewise march in the Opening ceremony. On the eve of the games' official opening (July 15th), a memorial ceremony will be conducted for for the four Australian victims of the bridge tragedy. On that day the Maccabiah Torch will be lit and runners will take it to the Knesset. During the course of the Maccabiah, special events will be conducted including an international conference on Sports Medicine and Sports in the Jewish People (held at Netanya's Wingate Institute), Junior Maccabah cultural evenings and Mifgashim ('encounters'), Outstanding Athletes and Maccabiah Greats Awards Ceremony, and Yakir Maccabi Awards. The Jewish Agency/World Zionist Organization are major participants in many of these events. Special memorial ceremonies will be conducted for the eleven Israeli sportsmen murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and for the victims of the Buenos Aires Jewish Community Center bombing of 1994. The 16th Maccabiah will conclude with a ceremony at Jerusalem's Sultan's Pool on July 23rd. The Maccabiah website www.maccabiah.org |
