The Maccabiah Games: The Evolution of Jewish Sports Diplomacy and the Jewish State

The Maccabiah Games represent a unique case study in new sports diplomacy, demonstrating how non-state actors can effectively advance national and cultural interests. This article examines how the Games' success as an instrument of Israeli and Jewish soft power derives primarily from its autonomous organizational structure, which operates through grassroots and civil society networks rather than governmental channels. By maintaining independence from state control, funding mechanisms, and policy mandates, the Maccabi movement has emerged as the predominant force in Jewish and Israeli sports diplomacy, successfully adapting and extending Nordau's original Muscular Judaism ideology into contemporary international relations and sports diplomacy. This analysis contributes to emerging theoretical frameworks in sports diplomacy by highlighting the distinctive advantages of privately-operated sporting events in achieving diplomatic objectives.