Anniversary+of+Munich+Olympics

=toc= = = =[|Munich To Be Commemorated in London?]= Israeli diplomat hails pledge of ‘personal’ memorial for 11 Israeli athletes

International Olympic Committee: =[|Minute of Silence at the 2012 London Olympics]= media type="youtube" key="aEVmxjYwJy0" height="315" width="560"

=[|Thank you Bob Costas]= for acknowledging for "acknowledging the 40th anniversary of the slaughter of Israel's Olympic athletes with a moment of silence by [|having his own moment of silence]."

=UK Chief Rabbi’s Prayer for the 1972 Olympic Tragedy= Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks of the UK composed a special prayer to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the massacre at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists.**.** Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks is the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organisation of 54 independent member states including The United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and South Africa. “The massacre of eleven Israeli athletes and coaches at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich was a tragic event in the history of the Olympic Games. But for the Jewish people, Munich 1972 is more than history.” “**It is an event forever etched into the hearts and minds of our collective Jewish memory.** History is his story – an event that happened sometime else to someone else. Memory is my story – something that happened to me and is part of who I am.” “History is information. Memory, by contrast, is part of identity. **The eleven Israeli athletes and coaches were targeted not just because of their nationality, but because they were Jews.**” “**The attack was carried out on a world stage because it had a global target: the Jewish people.** We are a people whose faith is central to our identity. It is therefore not sufficient for the Munich 11 to be remembered simply in the secular setting. It requires an expression of religious remembrance as well. That is why I have composed a special prayer of remembrance to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the massacre and to ensure it has a place on the map of Jewish memory.” “Coming at a time in the Jewish calendar when we recall the many tragedies that have befallen our people throughout history, the fortieth anniversary of the Munich massacre is also a moment when we can recall how, despite the many attempts to destroy our people, our faith has remained intact and the Jewish people, together with the memory of those lost, lives on.” .**The Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has composed the following prayer:**//Almighty God,We, the members of this holy congregation,Together with members of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth,Join our prayers to the prayers of others throughout the world,In remembrance of the eleven Israeli athletesBrutally murdered in an act of terrorism,At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich,Because they were Israelis,Because they were Jews.// At this time in the Jewish year,When we remember the destructions of our holy Temples,And the many tragedies that have befallen our people throughout history,We mourn their lossAnd continue to protest against those who hate our people. We pray to You, O God:Comfort the families and friends of the Israeli athletes who continue to grieveAnd grant eternal life to those so cruelly robbed of life on earth.Just as we are united in grief,Help us stay united in hope.As we comfort one another under the shadow of death,Help us strengthen one another in honouring life. The Olympic message is one of peace, of harmony and of unity,Teach us, Almighty God, to bring reconciliation and respect between faiths,As we pray for the peace of Israel,And for the peace of the world.May this be Your will and let us say: Amen**David BergerYossef GutfreundMoshe WeinbergEliezer HalfinMark SlavinYossef RomanoKehat ShorrAndre SpitzerAmitzur ShapiraYakov SpringerZe’ev Friedman**Source: ChiefRabbi.org
 * Here are the words of Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks (prayer is found down below):**

=**[|Israel underwhelmed by surprise Munich memorial]**= by JPost

=[|2012 Olympics scandal is its refusal to honor the victims of 1972]= by guest columnist at Cleveland Plain Dealer

[|Italian Olympic Team Commemorates Munich Massacre]
About 30 Italians, including Minister of Sport, stand in silence at the entrance to Israeli team's quarters. The Italian Olympic team at the London Olympic Games made a noble gesture Sunday and stood in silence outside the quarters of the Israeli team, in memory of the 11 athletes slain in the Munich Olympics 40 years ago, //Voice of Israel// radio reported Sunday. About 30 Italians were present at the ceremony, including Italy's Minister of Sport, the heads of the Italian Olympic Committee and athletes. Israeli Olympic Committee head Tzvi Varshaviak and Olympic delegation leader Efraim Zinger also took part. According to an unverified report on the internet, the pilot and crew of a British airliner headed for Israel Thursday did what the Olympics Committee refused to do, and observed a moment of silence in memory of the Israel athletes murdered in Munich in 1972. The "USA Stands with Israel" Facebook page, with over 10,000 subscribers, reported that the heartwarming gesture was made by a pilot for EasyJet, on a flight headed from the firm's home base of Luton, England, to Tel Aviv. "The pilot came on the intercom and informed the passengers that the crew will be observing a minute of silence as they fly over Munich and he invited the passengers to join them in remembering the Israeli sportsmen who were murdered there at the Olympic Games 40 years ago," according to the report.

=[|Israel Olympic March of Nations 2012]= Despite the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) refusal to hold a minute of silence to commemorate the 11 Israeli athletes who were tortured and murdered 40 years ago at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, //NBC// sportscaster Bob Costas led his own, improvised, tribute as the 2012 Israeli athletes walked into Olympic Stadium Friday. "For many, tonight with the world watching, is the true time and place to remember those who were lost and how and why they died," he said. Following his comments, Costas went silent for five-seconds before the show cut to a commercial break. A short ceremony was also held at Israel’s embassy in London on Friday, followed by a global minute of silence.