President Biden attends the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah
President Joe Biden has attended the opening ceremony of the Maccabiah at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem.
He was accompanied by Israel’s president Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
In his addrfess, President Herzog said: “Welcome to Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital! Welcome to the 21st Maccabiah Games!
This is a day of celebration for the State of Israel and the whole Jewish People, a special moment of togetherness. A moment that embodies the shared values in which we believe: Zionism and excellence, faith and hope, solidarity and coming closer together.
That’s the marvelous power of sports: to make the individual, the group, and the nation better, more ethical, stronger, more cohesive. In body and in spirit. You have come here from dozens of countries but you represent one single, special people: The Jewish People, the People of Israel.
The Maccabiah is a competition with a huge heart. And behind an event with as huge a heart as the Maccabiah stands a movement with a huge heart: the World Maccabi Union, whose leadership and activists I want to thank for strengthening the Jewish People around the world, and for strengthening Israel as the heart of the Jewish People.
Dear athletes, our land is your land. Our home is your home. My wish for you: win loads of medals, and smash loads of records! Good luck!”
