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- Written by Silvia Golan
IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!!! Due to the Emergency Situation, Maccabiah 2025 Postponed to Summer 2026
Itay Levy, Yuval Raphael, Eden Golan, Idan Raichel, and Shahar Saul will perform at the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 Maccabiah. The ceremony will be hosted by Anna Aronov and Assi Azar. Raz Hershko and Asaf Yasur will light the Maccabiah torch.
Ramat Gan – The countdown to Maccabiah 2025 got underway this evening (Sunday, June 8, 2025) with an event at Kfar Maccabiah, attended by about 100 guests, strategic partners, and the Maccabiah ambassador team. At the event, the first details were shared about the official opening ceremony, which will take place on Thursday, July 10, at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem. The opening ceremony will be hosted by Anna Aronov and Assi Azar and will feature performances by some of Israel’s most prominent artists: Itay Levy, Yuval Raphael, Eden Golan, Idan Raichel, and Shahar Saul.
The torch will be carried to the stage by medal-winning athletes and Maccabiah 2025 ambassadors Asaf Yasur and Raz Hershko.
It was also announced that the Maccabiah is returning to Tel Aviv-Jaffa, nearly one hundred years after it was first held there. Alongside Jerusalem, Herzliya, and Haifa, Tel Aviv-Jaffa will host sports such as beach volleyball, wave surfing, rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, 3x3 basketball, and rugby. In addition, a sports experience complex called Expo Maccabiah City — Israel’s Sports City — will be built for the first time. The complex will include interactive sports facilities, sporting performances, competitions, family activities, innovation and technology exhibitions, and more. The “Maccabiah City Expo” will be held over five days, from July 14–18.
Said Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, “Tel Aviv-Jaffa is proud to host the Maccabiah — an international sporting event that connects Jewish communities from all corners of the globe and strengthens the sense of belonging to Israel. Our city, which champions freedom, openness, and progress, is a natural stage for the celebration of sporting spirit and global Jewish unity. Especially during this period, sports remind us of the power of partnership, pride, and connection — values that have accompanied the Jewish people through the ages and are so powerfully expressed here, in Tel Aviv-Jaffa and in the State of Israel.”
The launch event was attended by, among others: Chairman of Maccabi World Union, Amir Peled; CEO of Maccabi World Union, Amir Gissin; CEO of Maccabiah, Roi Hessing; and the Maccabiah team of ambassadors: Peter Paltchik, Olympic bronze medalist in Paris 2024; Raz Hershko, Olympic silver medalist in Paris 2024; Asaf Yasur, Paralympic champion in Taekwondo Paris 2024; and Moran Samuel, Paralympic champion in rowing at Paris 2024, Paralympic champion at Tokyo 2020, and Paralympic medalist at Rio 2016.
“Maccabiah 2025 is a symbol of our hope, restoration, and resilience as a people after the most difficult period we have experienced in this generation,” said Assaf Goren, Chairman of the Maccabiah. “With a record number of host cities and municipalities, the Maccabiah is a direct contribution to Israel’s economy and tourism during such a challenging time. We are pleased to see the response from much of the world, even in this challenging and complex period, and we look forward to hosting thousands of athletes who will come to compete, discover, and get to know Israel — now, more than ever.”
“I would like to thank our many partners, especially the Israeli government led by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, for the great support we receive from national institutions and commercial companies that help us make the Maccabiah so big and powerful. Maccabiah 2025 will emphasize the importance of the relationship between the State of Israel and Diaspora Jewry and give us all hope for the future, while commemorating the events of the October 7th and the Swords of Iron War,” Goren concluded.
The production of the Maccabiah is made possible thanks to cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, along with key partners from the public and business sectors — including Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, Strauss, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Colgate, Azrieli Foundation, Winner, Eldan, El Al, Reebok, Bank Leumi, Expo Tel-Aviv, Neviot, The Jewish Agency for Israel, The Israeli Olympics and Paralympics Association, The World Zionist Organization, Sheba Beyond, the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization, and others.
Local authorities hosting the various competitions include Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Herzliya, Haifa, Jerusalem, Ra'anana, Hadera, Valley of Springs Regional Council, Lod, Caesarea, Sderot, communities of the Gaza envelope, Gezer and Ramat Gan.
Maccabiah 2025 will be held from July 8–22 and will be the most significant in history, with over 8,000 athletes from 55 countries competing in 45 sports. Under the slogan “More Than Ever,” this year’s Maccabiah emphasizes the need for unity, strengthening ties with Diaspora Jewry, and connecting to Israel — today more than ever.
You are invited to follow the M25 Maccabiah and its events on the
www.tiktok.com/@maccabiah?lang=en">TikTok.
To purchase tickets for the opening ceremony, click here.
Photo Ronen Topelberg
Photo Description:
Left to right Maccabiah Chairman Assaf Goren, Olympic silver medalist Raz Hershko, Paralympic gold medalist Asaf Yasur, Maccabi World Union Chairman Amir Peled.
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- Written by Steven Aiello / DebateforPeace
The Embassy of Sweden marked a Quartermillenial of Jewish life in Sweden with a cultural evening of art, history, cuisine, and music. The evening, commemorating 250 years of Jewish-Swedish history, was held at the Ambassador’s Residence in Herzliya.
During the reception, guests were able to learn from posters of prominent Swedish Jewish women based on the book “Swedish Jewish Heroines” by Ms. Joanna Rubin Dranger, Ms. Karin Brygger, and Ms. Anneli Radestad, as well as an exhibition on the stories of contemporary young Swedish Jews, based on the @stoltjude social media project, supported by the Jewish Youth Federation of Sweden and the Living History Forum. The guests also enjoyed the rich tastes of Swedish Jewish cuisine.
H.E. Ambassador Alexandra Rydmark welcomed guests to the opening reception, and highlighted the prominence of Jews in Swedish history, and the commitment of the government of Sweden to honoring the shared history, while ensuring a strong future for the Jewish community of Sweden. The ambassador noted the difficult circumstances facing Israel over the last 18 months, and called for a swift end to the war, return of all the hostages, and advancement of peace. Following the ambassador’s remarks, the audience heard from Aron Verstandig, who arrived from Sweden representing the Official Council of Swedish Jewish communities. Mr. Verstandig framed the evening in the context of Jewish history in Sweden, emphasizing the vibrant nature of the current Jewish community and its support from the government of Sweden, including in marking this historic occasion.
The guests also heard from two of the authors of the book “Swedish Jewish Heroines”, who explained their motivation in creating a book that would focus on not just feminist figures, but specifically Jewish Swedish ones, from nobel prize winners to pioneers and innovators, those who were born in Sweden and those who found refuge in Sweden, particularly after World War II. Finally, the formal part of the evening concluded with a contemporary dance performance by a duet of Israeli dancers, set to a musical backdrop of Swedish music.
The reception was just part of a series of events held by the embassy to honor 250 years of Jewish life in Sweden. Among the other events organized under these auspices were a seminar on addressing anti-Semitism, a documentary screening of the Swedish film “The Bridge Players”, and a “Fika Talks” book talk with award-winning author and illustrator Joanna Rubin Dranger and Christer Mattsson, researcher and director of the Segerstedt Institute at the University of Gothenburg, moderated by Human Rights Lawyer Jonatan Macznik, on the topics of Jewish history, identity, and memory.
Steven Aiello
Director, Debate for Peace
Visit our website: http://debateforpeace.org/
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- Written by Silvia Golan
Emma Shapplin Returns to Israel: A Voice Beyond Borders
In June, the renowned French soprano Emma Shapplin will return to Israel with grand concerts in Tel Aviv and Haifa, joined by the Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra and a choir. The shows will feature music from her new album French Touch.
Emma first performed internationally in Israel, at Caesarea in 1999, where her famous song Spente Le Stelle debuted. The concert was a massive success, and she was named “Woman of the Year” in Israel. Her debut album became the best-selling non-Israeli album in the country at the time.
Since then, Emma has visited Israel five more times, always to sold-out crowds. Her 2003 performance in Caesarea was released as her first live DVD. She describes a deep spiritual connection with Israeli audiences.
Emma’s breakthrough came with her 1997 album Carmine Meo, which sold over two million copies and topped charts in 25 countries. She has since worked with music legends and contributed to the Red Planet film soundtrack.
Her shows are known for blending powerful vocals with theatrical elements. The new concerts will include classic hits and tracks from French Touch, which mixes French and English lyrics with electro-pop, lounge, and jazz influences, plus well-known French and Italian covers.
Concert Dates:
June 3, 20.00, Tel Aviv, Israeli Opera House
June 6, Haifa, Oren Hall, Congress Center
Tickets available via Bravo and Eventim:
Photos by Nimue Music
PR by Sofia Nimelstein PR & Consulting
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- Written by Silvia Golan
From ancient shards to geospatial maps, the Ronnie Ellenblum Jerusalem History Knowledge Center —a comprehensive hub for exploring Jerusalem's past and present has opened to the public—
unifies data from major knowledge centers to showcase the Holy City in innovative new ways.
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L: Jerusalem History Knowledge Center GIS presentation of layered information. R: Virtual Reality tour of Damascus Gate.
JERUSALEM, May 22, 2025 – Jerusalem, a city where history, faith and politics converge in a tapestry of extraordinary complexity – has long captured the imagination of the world. Now, a newly launched initiative is reimagining how to explore Jerusalem's vibrant heritage, history, and geography.
Using innovative technology, a new project brings to fruition the dream of a visionary left behind an enduring legacy that bridges the past and the future. The Ronnie Ellenblum Jerusalem History Knowledge Center provides free access to diverse types of knowledge across multiple categories, with the goal of creating advanced digital environments for learning and enrichment. These platforms make information accessible to audiences worldwide: scholars, researchers, students, tour-guides, tourists, creators, and anyone with a love for Jerusalem.
The Knowledge Center offers a wealth of information, including:
- Archaeological information from thousands of excavations, surveys, and documentation operations since the British Mandate period, featuring excavation reports, charts, plans, illustrations, and photographs of sites and finds.
- Historical materials: antique and historical maps, travel writings, archival materials, old and new photographs, posters, and musical works tied to Jerusalem’s history.
- Modern media: including hundreds of photographs, videos and VR tours of various sites.
- Educational content: hundreds of hours of lessons and lectures by leading Jerusalem researchers
The heart of the platform is its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) search function. Each site, artifact, and historical source is tagged with a geographical reference, and all databases are seamlessly integrated into a GIS-based system. Users can define a specific area on an online map of Jerusalem, and instantly access all relevant information from the integrated databases – ranging from archaeological shards to songs about Jerusalem -- presented in a pop-up window with links to detailed resources.
The Center is supported by the GIS teams of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Center for Computational Geography at the Hebrew University, along with the Hebrew University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science. It is hosted and overseen by the National Library of Israel, leveraging its experience in database architecture and integration, geolocation search development, digital archiving, and other advanced capabilities.
The Ronnie Ellenblum Jerusalem History Knowledge Center was established through a collaboration between the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the National Library of Israel and the Israel Antiquities Authority, with support from the Israel Ministry of Science and Technology.
Links
The Ronnie Ellenblum Jerusalem History Knowledge Center
https://www.nli.org.il/en/at-your-service/who-we-are/projects/jerusalem-history-project
About the National Library of Israel
Founded in Jerusalem in 1892, the National Library of Israel (NLI) serves as the dynamic institution of communal memory for the Jewish people worldwide and Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths. NLI holds the world's largest collections of textual Judaica, Jewish and Israeli music, maps of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, as well as world-class collections of Jewish and Islamic manuscripts, rare books, photographs, community and personal archives, and more. Along with being Israel's preeminent research library, NLI is also dedicated to encouraging audiences in Israel and around the globe to engage with its treasures through a range of innovative educational, cultural, and digital initiatives, as well as through its new landmark building, all of which reflect NLI's central values of democratizing knowledge by opening its collections and resources to as broad and diverse an audience as possible.
For more information: https://www.nli.org.il/en
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- Written by Silvia Golan & Steven Aiello
The 2025 IMTM International MediterraneanTourism Market Exhibition opened today, on Wednesday May 7, with senior figures from the economy and ambassadors from dozens of countries around the world joining hundreds of representatives of local and international travel agencies, municipalities, airlines, and companies offering innovative services for travel companies.
The annual IMTM International Tourism Exhibition connects incoming and outgoing tourism to Israel with countries around the world. The exhibition, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, is celebrating its 31st year. This year it featured around 100 booths, with the participation of 15 countries, and dozens of senior officials and ambassadors. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by senior officials including: Minister of Tourism Chaim Katz, Minister of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Chairman of the Incoming Tourism Chamber, and IMTM Exhibition organizers Lior Galfand, publisher of I.T.N, and IMTM Exhibition organizer Eyal Shmueli, along with Yossi Fattal, CEO of the Incoming Tourism Chamber, and Eli Cohen, President of the Hotels Association.
Among the delegations participating this year were Greece, Cyprus, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Taiwan, Romania, Kenya, and Slovakia. Additionally, ambassadors from dozens of countries around the world attended, including: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Norway, Panama, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Vietnam.
At the opening ceremony, Tourism Minister Chaim Katz noted that "The holding of the IMTM fair for the 31st time is a living testament to the resilience of Israeli tourism, even in challenging times. This is an immense source of pride. 60 countries were supposed to participate in this conference, but the Houthi attack reduced the number to 30. It’s clear that the tourism industry is the first to be affected and the last to recover. We tried and succeeded in helping the incoming tourism organizers last year. We will make efforts in the coming months to organize events in Israel for Israeli tourists and guests.”
Lior Galfand, Chairman of the Incoming Tourism Chamber and organizer of the 2025 IMTM International Tourism Exhibition said that: "Every worker organizing incoming tourism brought in $1.1 million in foreign currency, and every 30 tourists create a job. The collapse of 150 companies in the Incoming Tourism Chamber to Israel and the layoff of 1,000 workers who remained in these companies, out of the 2,500 employed before the war broke out on October 7, will have consequences that no one wants to experience during their tenure. Tourism to Israel is a strategic asset of the highest order. Only when tourists return here will Israelis be welcomed abroad! We rely on you, Minister, and although I sadly have to say this for the second time from this podium – we still believe that at the next fair, we will be able to stand here proudly and report our success in returning incoming tourism to Israel!"
Eyal Shmueli, organizer of the 2025 IMTM International Tourism Exhibition: "Despite the challenges and the complex security situation, we are proud to open the 31st IMTM International Tourism Exhibition. We are holding the exhibition with determination and commitment to provide the tourism industry with the most impressive and effective platform. The entire sector is facing a challenging period, but it is precisely from this that an opportunity for a significant reboot has arisen, aimed at supporting Israeli tourism, as we see it as a major milestone that can help both small and large businesses. Alongside domestic tourism, representatives from a variety of countries around the world attended the exhibition – countries that repeatedly demonstrate their commitment to connecting with Israel and see Israeli tourists as an important, loyal, and influential audience. They invest resources and maintain an impressive presence, recognizing the economic and cultural contribution of the Israeli audience to the global tourism industry. We are happy and excited to host them here, especially in these times."
IMTM is the annual and oldest event of the tourism industry in Israel, organized by Ortra Ltd. and Israel Travel News, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and supported by the Israel Hotels Association, the Incoming Tourism Organizers Association, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Tourism Association, El Al Airlines, the Travel Channel, and the Israel Travel Agents Association.
IMTM is aimed at all those involved in various tourism sectors – domestic tourism, incoming tourism, as well as countries and tourism entities from abroad. The exhibition regularly features a wide range of Israeli exhibitors: tourism associations from across the country, airlines, hotels, car rental companies, shipping companies, service providers, and various tourism attractions. The exhibition includes professional meetings, accompanying conferences, and a program for invited agents, during which hundreds of decision-makers from around the world come to the fair to market Israel as a tourism destination.
Exhibition website: www.imtm.co.il
Photo credit: Silvia G. Golan
Image (from right to left): Eyal Shmueli, organizer of the IMTM tourism exhibition, Yitzhak Wasserlauf, Minister of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience, Chaim Katz, Minister of Tourism, Dina Ben-Tal Gennes, CEO of El Al, and Lior Galfand, organizer of the 2025 IMTM International Tourism Exhibition and Chairman of the Incoming Tourism Chamber.
