Sports

   Sports began to develop during the early years of Jewish immigration (see ALIYA) to Palestine, and in the first decade of the 20th century, a Maccabi sports organization was founded. With the establishment of the British mandate, sports became increasingly popular, and football (soccer) became the principal form of popular recreation. Hapoel, the sports organization of the Histadrut, was organized in Haifa in 1924 and was composed of sportsmen and women from the unions of the cooperative settlements. The Betar sports organization was also founded in 1924 under the auspices of the Revisionist Movement, and other organizations were established later. Elizur was established in 1939.

   Israelis became increasingly sports conscious after independence in 1948, with numerous sports organizations and leagues for many major sports. The Sports Authority of the Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sport assists in developing sports facilities and programs, sponsors training of instructors and coaches at the national Wingate Institute of Physical Education and at teacher training situations, and coordinates the activities of various sports federations and organizations. The first "Jewish Olympics," the Maccabiah Games, was held in Tel Aviv in 1932, and Jewish athletes from more than 20 countries took part. Games have taken place subsequently, usually every four years.

   Israel has participated in various regional and international sports competitions, including the Olympics. Israeli national teams, clubs, and athletes regularly play and win at the highest levels of European sports. Israel first participated in the Olympics in 1952 at the Helsinki games and has sent an official delegation to every subsequent competition, other than the boycotted 1980 Moscow games. At the 1972 Munich games (see MUNICH MASSACRE), Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes, but Israel has continued to participate in subsequent competition. Gal Fridman became the first Israeli athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, in windsurfing at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games.