[1] The closing ceremony took place on September 5, 1961, at the stadium before a crowd of 40,000, with Israeli prime minister David Ben Gurion telling the crowd that he hoped that in the future athletes from North Africa, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union would also compete.

[5] The Maccabiah Games are held in celebration of the victory of the Jewish Macabees, who defeated Antiochus IV and the Hellenized Syrians in battle in 165 B.C.

Gary Gubner of the United States, a future Olympian and world champion, won gold medals in heavyweight weightlifting, shotput, and discus.

[16][17] In tennis, American former Wimbledon champion Dick Savitt won both the singles gold medal (defeating American Mike Franks in the final), and doubles gold medal (with Franks, defeating South Africans Rod Mandelstam and Julie Mayers).

[18] American Sidney Schwartz competed in men's tennis singles, where he was defeated in the third round by Israeli Elazar Davidman.

[29][18] In wrestling, Canadian future Olympian Phil Oberlander won a gold medal in the middleweight class of Greco-Roman.

[16][32] Angelica Rozeanu of Israel, who in her career won 17 world titles, was the women's table tennis singles champion.

Allen Rosenberg and future Olympian and world champion Donald Spero of the US won gold medals in rowing.