Controversial Closing Ceremony Of Maccabiah Games In Jerusalem Editorial Photo

Hundreds gathered at the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem, on the evening July 13, 1989 for the closing ceremony of the 13th Maccabiah Games. The site is a holy one for the Jewish religion. The Maccabiah Games, known informally as the Jewish Olympics, is held every 4 years. But this ceremony, the first closing event in the history of the games, was controversial because it was a seculary event held on a holy site. Despite objections from the religious Jewish community, the ceremony continued. But shortly before it was scheduled to conclude, an ultra-Orthodox man hurled a tear gas grenade and the gathering rapidly dispersed and police moved in to insure safety of the participants.