On July 21, this past Monday, what would have been the closing night of the 22nd Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv passed quietly. The games, originally scheduled for summer 2025, were postponed to 2026 following the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran – a conflict that triggered a nationwide state of emergency under Operation Rising Lion.
Roy Hessing, CEO of the Maccabiah, said the decision to postpone was not up for debate.
“The state of emergency declared by the Israeli government determined for us that we would have to postpone the Maccabiah or cancel it. Of course, we chose to postpone it by a year.”
The Maccabiah – often dubbed the “Jewish Olympics” – was set to be the largest in its 93-year history, with over 8,000 Jewish athletes from 55 countries slated to compete across dozens of sports. The announcement of its delay, while not unexpected, hit hard, especially for teenage athletes whose dreams of representing their country or community were put on hold.
Yosef Spielman is a member of Israel’s U18 national baseball team. His squad had been practicing since October, preparing for the biggest tournament of their lives. Spieman noted that while postponing the games was necessary, changing age categories could compromise the integrity of the competition.
“Changing the age categories can mess with the integrity of the competition. It sucks, but that’s sports.”
And it wasn’t only Israeli athletes affected. From New York to Sydney, Buenos Aires to London, thousands of young Jewish athletes had spent months preparing physically and emotionally for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For many of them, the Maccabiah is more than a sporting event – it’s a cultural, spiritual, and social milestone that connects them to their heritage.
“We found out through an email sent by Maccabi World Union,” said Nuriel Shimoni-Stoil, a US U18 track and field athlete. “We kind of anticipated it, but it was still a disappointment.”
The games will go ahead
Despite the setback, the Maccabiah was postponed – not canceled. According to Hessing, while a new registration process will be required and each national delegation will have discretion over team rosters, the expectation is that most squads will remain relatively intact.
This isn’t the first time the Maccabiah has been delayed. The 21st edition, originally scheduled for summer 2021, was pushed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, organizers adjusted age categories to accommodate athletes who would have aged out. That same policy will apply again.
“The competitions will be held under the same ages,” Hessing confirmed. “Instead of under-16 and under-18, it’s going to be under-17 and under-19. And whoever was a Junior, will remain a Junior.”
While the move is aimed at fairness and inclusion, not all athletes are fully on board.
“It’s a U18 tournament… Things happen,” Yosef said. “Changing the age categories can mess with the integrity of the competition. It sucks, but that’s sports.”
Still, many athletes are choosing to focus on the opportunity rather than the disruption.
“It’s more of a postponement and not a cancellation,” Nuriel emphasized. “It has no impact on motivation.” For him and others, the delay simply means more time to prepare. “I’m excited.”
The hope shared by athletes, organizers, and families is that the 22nd Maccabiah – now set for summer 2026 – will be not only a safer event, but also a more meaningful one, as it follows a year marked by conflict, trauma, and resilience in Israel and the global Jewish community.
“We hope to stand proud next summer, together with all of the Jewish world and the people of Israel, and celebrate the great event the Maccabiah promises to be,” said Amir Gissin, CEO of Maccabi World Union.
Hessing echoed that vision.
“I think that all of us – with an emphasis on the abductees who will hopefully already return home, and the end of the war, and the Jewish communities that stood with us during the war – will know how to hold an exciting, meaningful Maccabiah here, full of hope and joy.”
For now, thousands of young Jewish athletes remain in limbo – still training, still dreaming, and waiting for their moment to represent not just themselves, but their people, on one of the biggest stages in Jewish life.