Jewish athletes from Poland, Bulgaria, and Czechoslovakia participated for the first time after World War II, after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Yael Arad, who had won a silver medal for Israel in judo at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, lit the Maccabiah torch.

In wrestling, Canadian Olympian Andy Borodow won two gold medals, one in freestyle and one in Greco Roman.

[7] In soccer, Lev Kirshner and Amos Magee played for the United States as it won a bronze medal.

[10] In tennis, Michael Zimmerman and Giora Payes of the U.S. won the men's doubles gold medals.