1950 Maccabiah Games

The 3rd Maccabiah (Hebrew: המכביה השלישית‎) took place during Sukkot from September 27 to October 8, 1950. This was the first time the Maccabiah was held after the independence of the State of Israel; 15 years after the previous Maccabiah.

3rd Maccabiah
Logo of the 3rd Maccabiah
Host cityRamat Gan, Israel
Nations participating20
Debuting countries Argentina
 Australia
 Canada
 Finland
 India
 Ireland
 Sweden
Athletes participating800
Opening ceremonySeptember 27
Closing ceremonyOctober 8
Main venueRamat Gan Stadium
Summer
Winter

History
Israeli postal stamp, 1950
Team Great Britain members showing their trophies at the Games.

The 3rd Maccabiah was originally scheduled to take place three years after the 2nd Maccabiah in Spring of 1931. Preparations began; posters were created;[1] and distinguished guests such as the Chief Rabbi of Romanian Jewry, Jacob Itzhak Niemirower came to Eretz Yisrael. However, for a number of reasons, such as the British Authorities' refusal to approve the games (due to illegal immigration concerns) and the Arab revolt, the games were postponed indefinitely. The Maccabiah was further delayed due to World War II and the 1947–1949 Palestine war.

The final date for the third Maccabiah was decided upon at the Third World Congress of Maccabi in December 1948, during the war. At the same meeting it was also agreed that games will not be held on Saturdays and holidays.

Eight countries entered the competition for the first time, among them Argentina, Canada, India and Sweden.

Notable medalists

Gold medals were earned by Americans Henry Wittenberg in wrestling, Frank Spellman (who two years earlier had won a gold medal at the Olympics) in weightlifting, Henry Laskau in racewalking, and 3-time Pan American Games gold medalists Allan Kwartler and Daniel Bukantz (foil) in fencing.[2][3] Canada earned 14 medals in its first Games.[4]

Ben Helfgott, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain.

Participating communities
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References
  1. המכביה השלישית, תרצ"ח, הכרזה על התחרות לציור פלאקט [The third Maccabiah, 5698, Announcing the posters drawing competition]. Davar (in Hebrew). October 18, 1937. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  4. "Maccabi USA: History". Maccabi Usa/Sports For Israel. Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
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