From July 27th until August 5th, the 14th European Maccabi Games (EMG2015) will take place in Berlin. The EMG2015 are Europe’s biggest Jewish sports event wih more than 2,000 athletes, coaches and counselors from over 30 European countries and the world. The competitions will be held in 19 sports.

For the first time ever, the European Maccabi Games will take place in Germany – 70 years after the end of the Shoah and the Second World War and 50 years after the establishment of the German – Israeli relations. In addition, the host, Makkabi Deutschland e.V. celebrates it’s 50th anniversary since it’s re-founding after the war. The EMG2015 will be held at the Olympic Park in Berlin – the same location where German Jews were forbidden to participate in the Olympic Games of 1936.

The historic and sociopolitical importance of the EMG2015 is enormous for Germany, Berlin and the Jewish community. The EMG2015 in Berlin are a testimony of the strengthened Jewish self-confidence in Germany with which Jews are seen as an integral part of society again.

The EMG2015 aims to host sportsmanlike and fair games for the Jewish participants, spread a sense of equality and fairness and showcase the newfound Jewish confidence to the German and European public. In addition, it is a goal to hold the EMG2015 open for the public, so that meeting points can be created for Jews and non-Jews and prejudices can be eliminated.