With the 18th Maccabiah games just underway, Israel's version of the Olympic games is concurrently stirring up Zionist feelings and political controversy among Jewish athletes who have arrived from around the world to compete.
The Maccabiah Games is an international Jewish athletic event held in Israel every four years since 1932, one of the five largest sporting events in the world by participation. A long break occurred between 1938 and 1950 caused by the rise of Nazi Germany and the outbreak of World War II.
(Israel news photo: Opening Ceremony, First Maccabiah Games)
This year, approximately 5,700 Jewish athletes and coaches from 60 countries have converged on Ramat Gan, where Monday's opening ceremony will take place.
In an unprecedented display of interest in attracting Maccabiah Jews, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry announced Sunday that it would give $3,500 to each and every foreign Maccabiah participant who makes aliyah. A NIS 4,000 grant for sports equipment and a monthly stipend of NIS 1,200 for the first nine months in university or college for students enrolling prior to 2011 are included. Those gifts are on top of the standard absorption package given to regular immigrants.
Absorption Minister Sofa Landver urged foreign Maccabiah competitors to forsake the nations they currently represent and unite under the flag of the State of Israel.
However, some sports competitors from the American and British delegations were disappointed at Monday's opening ceremony when they were forbidden from wearing yellow ribbons as a sign of support for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Activists on behalf of Shalit said event organizers wanted to avoid embarrassing government officials with the display.
The organizing committee said they nixed the plan to wear the ribbons because of lack of notice and a concern for maintaining the event as a sporting and not a political one.
Yet many more Israeli participants were disappointed following a decision by organizers to allow only half of native players to attend the opening ceremony.
Many rumors have circulated as to why the decision was made. Some said there weren't enough uniforms. Others said it would take too long to dress and march all the competitors, resulting in a lack of action for viewers. Further speculation was that only opening ceremony participants got free tickets, and organizers wanted to increase the Games' profit by selling tickets that would have been given to the other thousand Israeli sports competitors.
Israelis competitors prevented from attending expressed their disappointment, saying the opening ceremony itself is an achievement eagerly anticipated by participants, an opportunity for Diaspora Jews and Israelis to mingle and meet, and a chance to collect a cherished opening ceremony souvenir uniform.
Nonetheless, celebratory parties honoring the guests will commence for all, including Israeli food, dancing, and music representing Jewish ethnic diversity.