1977 Maccabiah Games

The Maccabiah Games are an international Jewish athletic competition, often called the "Jewish Olympics," held every four years in Israel under the auspices of the Maccabi World Union.[8][1] Their roots lie in the Zionist emphasis on national revival and physical education, inspired in part by Max Nordau's 1898 call for a "Jewry of muscle."[8] The Games began in 1932, resumed after a wartime interruption in 1950, and adopted a four-year cycle following the 1953 and 1957 editions, partly in pursuit of Olympic recognition.[1]

By 1977, the competition had grown substantially from its origins. For historical comparison, the 1935 Maccabiah attracted 1,700 competitors from 27 countries.[9] The American Jewish Archives catalog includes a folder titled "Maccabiah Games" covering the years 1961–1979 within the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame records.[10]

The opening ceremony was held at Ramat Gan Stadium before approximately 50,000 spectators.[4] Yitzhak Rabin was among the dignitaries present, and the ceremony included a skydiving display.[4] One attendee later recalled the gathering's sense of unity, writing, "I felt that we were all one happy family."[11]

The sports program spanned 28 disciplines, with Australian athletes dominating track events and Americans leading in swimming and basketball.[4] Participants included athletes from Norway and Japan, as well as a single athlete representing Bolivia.[12] Australian karate competitor Danny Hakim attended with his country's contingent as a one-man karate team and returned home with a bronze medal.[13]

Several days after the opening, a memorial to the eleven Israeli athletes murdered by terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics was unveiled at the Wingate Institute for Physical Education and Sport.[3][11] The ceremony was attended by members of the victims' families, Maccabiah participants, and Friends of the Wingate Institute.[11] The observance underscored the Games' place in both Jewish athletic life and collective memory.

A later Walla Sports retrospective noted that a noticeable proportion of overseas participants were Israelis who had emigrated and their children. It presented this composition as part of a broader social trend in Israel during the mid-1970s and contrasted it with earlier Maccabiah events associated with aliyah.[4]

The men's basketball tournament culminated in a one-point final. The United States team, coached by Basketball Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes, included his son Danny Schayes, who had recently graduated from high school.[6] Israel's squad featured Miki Berkovich and Motti Aroesti, newly crowned European champions with Maccabi Tel Aviv.[12]

On July 21, 1977, the two teams met in the gold-medal game. With three seconds remaining, Willie Sims made two free throws to give the United States a 92–91 victory.[7] Ynet writer Rafael Naeh later characterized the foul called on Israeli player Fini Hozaz as highly questionable and recalled that Israeli coach Ralph Klein confronted the referee afterward, saying, "You robbed us of a victory."[7]

The American players celebrated by cutting down the basketball nets, a custom unfamiliar to many spectators and opposed by some arena staff. Dolph Schayes reportedly asked, "I don't understand what all the fuss is about?" Arena employee Aharon Kanfino then asked the ushers to allow the celebration, explaining that the net-cutting ceremony was customary around the world.[7]

A Ynet retrospective reported that the Israel Basketball Association's professional committee criticized the Israeli players' performance at the Maccabiah as dismissive and complained of what it considered irresponsible play. Committee chairman Ami Shelef said participation had been voluntary and that players unwilling to commit could have stepped aside. Some players, in turn, complained that they had not been adequately compensated for representing the national team.[7]

For Willie Sims, the tournament began a lasting connection with Israeli basketball. He helped the United States win another Maccabiah gold medal in 1981, subsequently settled in Israel, and played for several Israeli clubs, including Maccabi Tel Aviv.[7] The 1977 Games also unfolded during a year of major Israeli sporting and diplomatic milestones: Maccabi Tel Aviv won its first European Cup, and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat made his historic visit to Israel.[2][4] The tenth Maccabiah was followed by the eleventh edition in 1981.[2]

Later accounts have portrayed the 1977 Games as both a logistical challenge and a successful international Jewish gathering. Local reporter Paul Kohn, who covered the tenth Maccabiah, described confined working conditions and what he considered negligent organization, including inaccurate information that sent journalists to the wrong venues. A later Jerusalem Post review of Ron Kaplan's history of the Games relayed these criticisms while observing that the event still fulfilled its central purpose of bringing Jewish athletes and visitors together and giving them an opportunity to experience Israel.[14]