PITTSBURGH — A brief protest outside the JCC Maccabi Campus Games opening ceremony in Pittsburgh drew fewer than 40 anti-Israel activists but did little to deter the event’s positive energy and unity among Jewish youth.
The protest unfolded at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Bigelow Boulevard near the opening ceremony venue on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Demonstrators chanted slogans including “From the river to the sea” and “Let Gaza live” while carrying Palestinian flags and placards criticizing Israel. Many also employed noise makers. Most passersby ignored them.
Organizers described the demonstration as an attempt to diminish the Games’ purpose. Jason Kunzman, CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, emphasized the resilience of the event, saying the protest “was nothing more than a brief and irrelevant footnote in what has already been a joyful and powerful expression of Jewish pride.”
The Maccabi Games welcomed nearly 5,500 athletes, coaches, and volunteers from 41 delegations, including teams from Israel, Canada, Argentina, Ukraine, Poland, and Great Britain. Approximately 70% of participating teens are not engaged in other forms of Jewish youth programming, making this event a crucial gateway into Jewish identity.
Security was a top concern. The JCC began planning for heightened vigilance months in advance, coordinating with local authorities to ensure participants’ safety. Pittsburgh’s Jewish Federation encouraged anyone with security concerns to report via its incident system.
Despite the protest, the opening ceremony celebrated Jewish unity and resilience. The program included tributes to victims of the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue massacre, October 7, 2023, hostages, and the 1972 Munich Olympics tragedy. Jewish volunteers and shlichim (Israeli emissaries) helped set the tone.
Local Jewish leaders reaffirmed the importance of visible Jewish life. “Public displays of Jewish youth activism are the strongest counters to antisemitic intimidation.”
The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle reported that charges were recently filed in the community under harassment and ethnic intimidation statutes after a driver repeatedly shouted antisemitic slurs at Jewish students in Squirrel Hill. This prompted renewed security alerts ahead of the Games.
As the Games progress, organizers stressed that protests will not overshadow their mission. “This is the most tangible expression of Jewish peoplehood our teens will experience,” Kunzman said. “No protest can change that.”
This article is based on verified information from The Jewish Chronicle / Times of Israel, WESA Pittsburgh, Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, and JNS.