The 18th Maccabiah Games, known as the "Jewish" olympics, began in Ramat Gan, Israel, this week:
Thousands of Jewish athletes and more than 25,000 supporters filled the National Stadium in Ramat Gan on Monday night as the 18th Maccabiah Games officially got under way in a riot of color and music.
Over 5,000 international sportsmen and women put on a striking illustration of unity, from the 900 members of Team USA, to Uruguay's lone participant.
President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu looked on from the VIP section, clearly delighted at the stunning show of solidarity by Jews from the Diaspora.
"Our brothers and sisters from every continent, from North America, from Europe, from Africa, South America, from Asia and from Australia, you come here representing 65 different countries, but above all, you represent one united nation, the nation of Israel," Netanyahu told the athletes to loud applause.
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