Host city Ramat Gan, Israel Athletes participating 800 Closing ceremony October 8 | Nations participating 20 Opening ceremony September 27 | |
Debuting countries Argentina
Australia
Canada
Finland
India
Ireland
Sweden | ||
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.
History
The 3rd Maccabiah was originally scheduled to take place three years after the 2nd Maccabiah in Spring of 1931. Preparations began; posters were created; 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 Israeli War of Independence.
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. 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, and 3-time Pan American Games gold medalist Allan Kwartler in fencing. Canada earned 14 medals in its first Games.
Ben Helfgott, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain.