Ottawa has a long history of competing in the Maccabiah Games in Israel. Often referred to as the “Jewish Olympics,” it is a time when diaspora Jews and Israelis gather to compete in a variety of athletic challenges, ranging from gymnastics to track and field to hockey.

A highlight of this year’s games was that Ottawa community member and long-time Maccabi Canada executive Bill Izso received a lifetime achievement award for his nearly five decades of involvement in Maccabiah sport.

Izso’s journey began in 1977, following the death of his father. Looking for an outlet, he took up running and soon learned about the Maccabiah Games. Although he narrowly missed earning a spot on Team Canada in both 1977 and 1981, he remained determined.

“I made it my ambition to get better,” he recalled.

That perseverance paid off in 1985 when he qualified for Team Canada in the half marathon. Competing in Israel, Izso earned a medal, but more importantly, discovered a lifelong calling.

“I came back and volunteered,” he said. “I just got hooked.”

Since then, Izso has served the movement in nearly every capacity imaginable: coach, manager, team leader, board member, executive committee member with Maccabi Canada, and leader within the international Maccabi World Union. This summer will mark his eighth Maccabiah Games.

For Izso, sport has always been the vehicle, but the mission has been much larger.

“Some people get involved with hospitals, with synagogues, with charities,” he said. “For me, it’s always been through sport.”

For Ottawa’s Mitch Miller, a member of Maccabi Canada’s Board of Directors, the Games are a powerful catalyst for strengthening Jewish identity and fostering a sense of belonging.

“I was taught early that Maccabi Canada brings athletes who are Jewish to Israel and they return to Canada as proud Jewish athletes,” he said. “After travelling Israel … they return with a love for it and a passion to learn more about their heritage and connection to the land and people.”

Every Maccabiah brings together thousands of athletes from around the world to compete in Israel. Eligibility reflects the Games’ unique spirit: participants from the Diaspora qualify if they have at least one Jewish grandparent, while Israeli delegations include citizens of all backgrounds, including Jews, Arabs, Christians, Druze, and Muslims.

Beyond competition, participants have the opportunity to travel throughout Israel, visit historic and cultural sites, experience Israeli cuisine, and connect with Jews from around the world. Those shared experiences, Miller said, often deepen participants’ connection to Israel while inspiring them to learn more about their Jewish heritage and the land and people of Israel.

In Ottawa, Miller believes there are many opportunities for community members to become part of the Maccabi movement. He also credits Izso with helping establish a strong Maccabi Canada foundation in the city and encourages athletes of all ages to consider participating in future Maccabiah Games. Beyond competing, volunteers can also get involved as coaches, team managers, or members of the medical and physiotherapy teams.

To learn more about Maccabiah, you can visit their website here.