Inspirational ‘Jewish Olympics’ brings Germany full circle

Seven decades after Adolf Hitler sought to stop Jews from competing in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, more than 2,500 Jewish competitors and thousands more fans took part in the opening of the 14th European Maccabi Games on Tuesday night, with competition getting under way on Wednesday at the same Olympic Stadium that Hitler built.

Germany, home to the world’s fast-growing Jewish population, is full of pride that the country responsible for the Holocaust in which 6 million Jews were killed will host the 10-day “Jewish Olympics,” with participants from 36 nations in 19 disciplines from athletics to basketball, soccer and squash.

The European Maccabi Games are the European championships for Jewish athletes held every four years in different cities, two years after the quadrennial Maccabiah Games in Israel.

It was a controversial decision to give the games to Germany, with younger members of the movement prevailing against older members who opposed it, according to the president of Maccabi Germany.

Margot Friedlander, a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor, said in her opening ceremony remarks: “I want to encourage you for the question if it is right to come to Berlin for the Maccabiah. There is only one answer: yes!”

“And there is no better place to send this message into the world than here, 70 years after the war,” Friedlander said, who returned to her native Berlin several years ago after spending much of her life in the United States.

German President Joachim Gauck, who officially opened the games, said, “what a symbol, to have Jewish athletes from across the world gathered here of all places, in the shadow of the Olympic stadium, to compete in a sports event. I am happy and I find it significant that you chose this place and I am very moved that this country and this city will now see the Jewish games.”

Gauck added “I am happy that of Berlin’s new friends, many, many are from Israel or have Jewish roots. This is a wonderful gift and a great mark of confidence for our Germany today.”

Israel sent a team of 120 athletes to the games, which end August 5. (Reuters)