The Maccabiah Games are named in honor of the Jewish Maccabees, who in the 2nd century BC revolted against and defeated the superior armies of King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was trying to abolish Judaism.

[20] He later represented Israel in the 1972 Summer Olympics, but was one of the 11 Israeli sportsmen killed by Arab terrorists in the Munich Massacre.

[32] In tennis, Julie Heldman, who was ranked # 2 in the US, won gold medals in the women's singles, the women's doubles with Marilyn Aschner (defeating South African silver medalists Esmé Emmanuel and P. Kriger), and the mixed doubles with Ed Rubinoff (defeating South African silver medalists Jack Saul, a Davis Cup player, and Esmé Emmanuel).

[34][35] American Davis Cup player Allen Fox defeated South African Julian Krinsky in the men's individual semi-finals and South African Jack Saul in the finals to win a gold medal, and in doubles playing with partner Ronald Goldman they won the gold medal after they defeated Americans Tom Karp and Peter Fishbach in the semifinals, and then Americans Ed Rubinoff and Leonard Schloss in the finals.

[34][16] In table tennis, Jeff Ingber of England won a silver medal in men's singles.

[34] Leah Neuberger won a gold medal in doubles, partnering Irene Ogus for the United States.

[35][36][37][3] In 1970 the NCAA banned Yale University from participating in all NCAA sports for two years, in reaction to Yale—against the wishes of the NCAA—playing its Jewish center Jack Langer in college games after Langer had played for Team United States at the 1969 Maccabiah Games with the approval of Yale president Kingman Brewster.

The final gold medal count was United States 63.5; Israel 48 (though it won the greatest number of total medals); Britain 10.5; South Africa 8; the Netherlands 6; Austria, France, and Mexico 4; Argentina, Italy, Canada, and Austria 3; and Rhodesia 2.