Maccabiah opening celebrations begin in Israel
Netanyahu and Peres attend opening ceremony for 'Jewish Olympics,' that take place every four years.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Maccabiah Israel newsThe official opening ceremony of the The 18th Maccabiah Games, the "Jewish Olympics," has begun Monday night.
Click here for Haaretz Maccabiah Special Feature
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres were the guests of honor at the opening festivities at the Ramat Gan national stadium. Some 7,300 athletes from more than 50 countries are participating in the games, which will run until July 27.
The ceremony began with 200 cyclists entering the arena and performing exercises and tricks. They were followed by the participants in the Maccabiah, who marched into the stadium behind their respective national flags.
Among the artists who performed at the opening ceremony are Shiri Maimon and Avraham Tal - two of Israel's most popular singers.
The opening ceremony was televised live on Channel 1 Television and streamed live online. For the first time, an American television channel also broadcast selected events. Jewish Life Television, which purchased the broadcast rights to the games, will air selected events in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
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