July 16, 2001
25 Tammuz, 5761
JerusalemJewish Agency for Israel Major Supporter of 16th Maccabiah, Which Begins Today. Close to 3000 will Participate (2000 From Abroad). Jewish Agency Brings 350 Athletes From Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Among Them Olympic Champions.
The Jewish Agency for Israel and the World Zionist Organization are major supporters of the 16th Maccabiah, which begins today, and the Maccabi World Union is a constituent member of the World Zionist Organization, and is represented on the Zionist Executive. The 16th Maccabiah, which is taking place from July 15th to July 23rd will bring together close to 2,900 Jewish sportsmen and women from 44 different countries (over 2,000 from abroad), who will compete in 26 different sports. The most famous sportsman to participate is the Ukrainian-born, three gold medal Olympic swimming champion Lenny Krayzelburg, who will swim for the USA. The Jewish Agency a major contributor to the 16th Maccabiah, has brought some 350 sportsmen and women from the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe to Israel, to compete in the games including Olympic Champions. Among the outstanding sportsmen of the Russian delegation are: Sydney Olympic fencing champions Sergei Sharikov, and Marija Mazina, Atlanta Bronze Medalist Julia Garaeva and honorary President of the Russian Delegation, two-time Olympic and nine-time World Cup fencing Champion Mark Ratika. From Ukraine Atlantic gold sabre medalist Vadim Gutzeit, Ukrainian Judo champions Yuri Mayerowitz, European silver medalist Ludmila Matievskaya and university Judo champ Igor Zaslavski. "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 a major supporter of this quadrennial event," said Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor. Meridor will be a guest of honor at the Maccabiah Opening Cermony, to be held tomorrow night, July 16th, at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium.
Parallel to the main international sports competitions, international Juniors Maccabiah Sports Events (in twelve different sports) and Masters Maccabiah sports competitions are being held in Zichron Yaakov. During the course of the Maccabiah, special sports-related and cultural events events are being conducted. These include a Welcome Evening, tonight at Kfar Maccabiah, a Yakir Maccabi awards dinner Tuesday, July 17th at 20:30 also at Kfar Maccabiah, (at which Sallai Meridor will speak), a memorial ceremony for the victims of the 1994 Buenos Aires Community Center bombing (at Kfar Maccabiah on Wednesday, July 18th at 09:45), Junior Maccabiah cultural evening at Shuni (Thursday, July 19th at 20:30) and Junior Maccabiah Mifgashim (‘Encounters’) at the Sportan country club in Zichron Yaakov (on July 22nd at 21:00). The Jewish Agency will participate in these events. A Memorial service is being conducted today, in Ramat-Gan for the four Austalian athletes who were victims of the tragic accident in the last Maccabiah. Tomorrow (July 16th) a special memorial ceremony will be conducted at the monument for the 11 Israeli sportsmen murdered in the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre near Tel-Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital (10:00). The Closing Ceremony of the Maccabiah will take place on Monday, July 23rd at 20:00 at Jerusalem’s Sultan’s Pool.
For further information:
Contact the Office of the Spokesman:Yehuda Weinraub
Mobile: 972-55-284805
Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706