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The first Hapoel Games, or as they were then called the "Hapoel Rally", took place in 1928. It was then, and up to World Warli, a national gathering of all the members of Hapoel, in which sports competitions took place over a period of up to 3 days. Four such meetings took place and, after the establishment of the State of Israel, the tradition was renewed. The fifth Games, held in 1952, were of a different nature. For the first time athletes from abroad, primarily members of Workers' Sport Organizations, took part in them and the opening ceremony of the Games has been graced, ever since, by the presence of the President of the State of Israel. Thereafter the Games became an international sports event, in which some of the world's top athletes took part. In 1985 it was decided to change the name from "Hapoel Rally" to the "Hapoel Games", which now more appropriately expresses the character of the event. Earlier the Games had been put on a quadrennial basis and have been held in the year prior to the Olympic Games, thereby offering the athletes an opportunity to prepare themselves and to test their abilities at an international level.
The forthcoming Hapoel Games, the 15th in number, will take place in 1995 and will include international competitions in 21 sports.
Among the participants will be Olympic champions and world record holders. The Games will include world championships of the lnterntional Sports Organization (C.S.l.T.) in seven sports: Handball, Waterpolo, Badminton, Gymanstics, Wrestling, Karate and Chess. Within the framework of the Games, Beer-Sheva will host The European Weightlifting Championship for youth under 20 and for women.
In addition to the competitive sporting events, a significant number of "sport for all" events will take place, in which thousands of youth and adults of all age groups, including members of company sport clubs, will participate.
The stamp for the 15th Hapoel Games is related to the sport of canoeing, an Olympic sport included in the Games. In Israel this sport has its centre on the Sea of Galilee, and today it is taken up by all strata of Israel's society.
