The 2009 Maccabiah Games (Hebrew: המכביה ה-18 ישראל תשס"ט‎‎) were the 18th incarnation of the Maccabiah Games, being held in July 2009. According to the organizing committee these were the largest games held yet. These Games are the world's fifth largest sporting event, behind the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Police and Fire Games and Universiade. On the 13th of July, more than 6,000 Jewish athletes from all over the world joined Team Israel's 3,000 participants at the Ramat Gan Stadium in Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv District, Israel, for the opening ceremony.