▁were ▁first ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁they ▁were ▁declared ▁a ▁" Reg ional ▁Sports ▁Event " ▁by , ▁and ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁and ▁super vision ▁of , ▁the ▁International ▁Olympic ▁Committee . ▁ ▁Open ing ▁ceremony ▁Over ▁ 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁were ▁at ▁the ▁stad ium ▁for ▁the ▁opening ▁ceremony . ▁K eren ▁Le ib ov itch , ▁an ▁Isra eli ▁ ▁par al ym pic ▁sw immer ▁who ▁had ▁won ▁three ▁gold ▁med als ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Par al ym p ics , ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁honor ▁of ▁light ing ▁the ▁tor ch ▁at ▁the ▁Games ▁at ▁Ted dy ▁Stadium ▁in ▁Jerusalem . ▁ ▁Junior ▁fut sal ▁and ▁girls ' ▁s occer ▁were ▁new ▁sports . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁the ▁Games ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁A riel ▁Sh aron ▁declared : ▁ ▁" App ro xim ately ▁ 2 , 1 0 0 ▁years ▁ago , ▁the ▁Mac c abe es ▁lit ▁the ▁tor ch ▁in ▁Mod i ' in ▁and ▁carried ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁gates ▁of ▁Jerusalem , ▁in ▁the ▁Jewish ▁people ' s ▁struggle ▁for ▁freedom ▁in ▁its ▁hom eland . ▁ ▁The ▁same ▁fire ▁of ▁freedom ▁and ▁faith , ▁which ▁was ▁not ▁ex ting u ished ▁during ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁years , ▁is , ▁today , ▁passed ▁on ▁to ▁you .... ▁ ▁You