Editor’s Note: Ezra Cohen covered the 2026 Maccabiah in Israel as part of the Maccabi Media Team. He filed this report, exclusive to The Jewish Review, after the conclusion of the games.
Even up to the last moments, athletes and delegations from around the world were unsure if the 2026 Maccabiah would take place. But it did, and the spectacle of the opening ceremonies, the rigorous and sportsmanlike competition, the plethora of parties and pool-hangouts and the visits to historic Jewish sites more than lived up to the collective anticipation.
“An experience I’ll never forget.,” said Tahl Leibovitz, the 2026 Maccabi USA flag bearer. “It was incredible.”
The Maccabiah or Maccabi Games, often dubbed the “Jewish Olympics,” sees thousands of Jewish athletes converge from dozens of countries around the world to compete in athletic competitions in Israel. This year, the largest delegations of Israel and the United States–including a single athlete from Oregon–were joined by lesser-known Jewish communities, including delegations from Zimbabwe, Cuba and the Philippines. “Junior” athletes aged under 19 made up the majority of the competitors, but they were joined by large numbers of “Open” and “Masters” athletes who competed among themselves. The Games date back to 1932 and have recurred roughly every four years since then. In recent years, the Maccabi Games have expanded out of Israel to allow for more frequent competitions. The “Pan American Games” are hosted by countries such as Uruguay and Argentina and take place during the alternate years that previously were empty.
Despite its long history, this year’s Maccabiah was unique for a host of reasons. Firstly, it was a year late. The 12-Day War with Iran in June of 2025 thwarted the event, which had been planned for last summer. This resulted in several delegations and hundreds of athletes dropping out due to security fears. It also added to the collective readiness for the games to get started. On a deeper level, though, this Maccabiah was the first in Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre. This emotional weight meant the games turned out to be especially meaningful as a symbol of collective and individual Jewish resilience and pride.
These feelings – eagerness, solemnity, pride, joy and community – were abundant at the Opening Ceremonies, held July 1 inside Jerusalem’s enormous Teddy Stadium. One by one, country delegations marched out to the deafening applause of the tens of thousands of onlookers and songs from the respective countries. Fireworks exploded overhead as athletes watched American pop star Montana Tucker and Israeli Eurovision singer Netta Barzilai take over the stage. Then the event turned serious: the huge screens projected a video about the devastation caused by Oct. 7. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog spoke of the importance of togetherness in the face of hardship and how all the athletes had already “won” just by virtue of having gotten there. The end of the ceremony was marked by a Maccabi tradition of trading gear. Competitors from around the world traded jerseys, bucket-hats, pants and even pins, showing their hauls proudly to friends, family and teammates.
And after all that, it was finally time for the focus of the next two weeks–the competitions in basketball, fencing, baseball, soccer, track-and-field, judo and karate, gymnastics and others–to commence. Each day, athletes piled into buses bound for local courts, gyms and fields. The Track and Field competition took place in Jerusalem, where Portland runner Reuben Cohen, this reporter’s brother, sprinted his way to gold in the Under-19 200 meters with a winning time of 22.36 seconds. Cohen took silver in the U19 400 meters, finishing in 50.44 seconds. Both times were personal bests for Cohen.
““It was exciting to get two personal records, but also incredibly meaningful to be competing in Jerusalem alongside runners from all around the world,” Cohen told The Jewish Review. “Racing in Israel was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I made friends with athletes from all around the world and was proud to put Oregon on the map.”
Across the country in Ramat Gan, the United States U19 basketball team beat Israel in the final to grab gold. Closer to Tel Aviv, the American baseball team ground out a win over Israel; they seized the final game in a seven-game series to take gold.
Meanwhile, the athletes took advantage of their free time in between practices and games to connect to each other and to Israel. At Kfar Maccabiah, an Olympic-village-style resort which housed all the junior athletes, the pools and waterslides became the social hubs during the hot afternoons. The U.S. gymnastics team chatted with the weightlifting team and the Argentina soccer team splashed around with the Mexico futsal team; a true mixing of cultures. At Herod’s Hotel on the picturesque Tel Aviv beach, the Open and Masters athletes swam in the Mediterranean and wandered through the vibrant, fragrant Shuk HaCarmel by day and sipped drinks on the boardwalk by night. On off days, some ventured further South to the Gaza Envelope, where they witnessed the devastation of Oct. 7 at the Nova Music Festival site or one of the many Kibbutzim. But throughout the emotions of competition and remembrance, athletes worked to process everything they were experiencing.”
“Seeing all the different people around who have a deeper connection to their culture” explained Rafi Levi, of Junior Karate, “has been impactful and powerful in a way that I haven’t experienced before.”
Michelle Rosen, who represented the United States in U17 Girls’ Soccer, spoke to the friendships she’s made. “I mean we’ve only known each other for two weeks, but I think we’ve played great together and it’s just been an incredible opportunity and I’m so glad to be here. I wear this jersey with honor.”
And when it all ended at the Closing Ceremonies, which featured a DJ, dancing, music, speakers and an “open market” of jersey-trading. Everyone seemed to wish they had another two weeks to compete, make friends and explore in Israel.
Matt Streich, a U19 Men’s Basketball coach, summed up these sentiments.
“Something about the Jewish brotherhood, they just connected with each other,” he said “It was about love.”
Portland native Ezra Lev Cohen is a journalist entering his senior year at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minn., after completing a study-abroad program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. While there, he reported for The Press Service of Israel and wrote “The View from Mount Scopus” series for The Jewish Review. Find him on Instagram at @ezzy_reports and connect with him on LinkedIn or by email at ezzycohen@icloud.com.
PHOTO: Reuben Cohen competes in the 2026 Maccabiah in Jerusalem. (Ezra Cohen for The Jewish Review)