page_title: 1932 Maccabiah Games
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: 1932 Maccabiah Games / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Opening ceremony, 1st Maccabiah, 1932.עברית: טקס פתיחה, מכביה ראשונה, 1932.
context_page_description: The 1st Maccabiah was the first edition of the Maccabiah, which was held in Mandatory Palestine from March 28 to April 2, 1932. The games were in commemoration of the 1800th anniversary of the Bar Kokhba revolt, a major rebellion by the Jews of Judaea Province against the Roman Empire. Despite many obstacles and setbacks, the first Maccabiah was regarded as a great success.
context_section_description: The 1st Maccabiah was the result of almost two decades of attempt by Yosef Yekutieli to allow Jews in Eretz Yisrael to participate in international athletic competitions. It wasn't until the Maccabi World Congress in 1929 that his proposal was accepted. The games officially opened on March 28, 1932.
  Due to severe lack of funds, the construction of the Maccabiah Stadium did not start until a few short weeks prior to the opening ceremony. The land of the stadium was allocated by the British Government which loaned it to Maccabi. The stadium was completed on the night before the opening ceremony.
  In the days leading to the opening ceremony, Tel Aviv faced a large shortage of hotel rooms; the residents of Tel Aviv were asked to host guests in their own homes following one of the following recommendation: full accommodations, bed & breakfast, or bed only. Hosts also helped out by taking their guests to their events. 1,000s flowed to the Maccabiah: many via cars, bikes, and on foot. Many of the spectators came wearing white suits and blue hats - as one of the largest Zionist events in history. A large ball was held in Beit Ha'am on Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv.
caption: Opening ceremony
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