Good Evening to you all,

I arrived here today from Jerusalem, the eternal and undivided capital of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. And from Jerusalem, I bring you the greetings of the Government of Israel. Four years ago, we were at the height of a cruel terror campaign which was meant to break our spirits. The participants of the 16th Maccabiah came to Israel at that time made a great moral contribution to the people of Israel. Today as well, as the Israeli society faces difficult challenges, your arrival here symbolizes the mutual guarantee which has characterized, and will continue to characterize the Jewish people. Those who see you here understand the significance of the sentence: “All of Israel is responsible for one another”. [Delivered in English] Your arrival here signifies the bond between all the Jewish communities with Israel at the center. May this Maccabiah spread the spirit of unity, cooperation and teamwork between the entire Jewish nation. I wish you all success in the Games. I hope that by the next Maccabiah, you will all make Aliyah to the Jewish homeland and be a part of the Israeli delegation. Thank you and good luck. If there is something that we need more than anything else today, we would always need you. Today we need you more than ever. And the most important thing to us is for you to make Aliyah to Israel, make Aliyah to Israel. Good luck to you all. BPI-info