Naomi Shemer’s Family Accuses Nunu and Jimbo J of Unauthorized Maccabiah Song Use

Naomi Shemer’s children have objected to the new Maccabiah anthem, “Sport,” by Nunu and Jimbo J, saying it uses Shemer’s classic without permission. The song was released on Monday and announced as the official anthem of the 2026 Maccabiah Games.

According to the family, “Sport” is based on a song Shemer wrote for the Maccabiah in 1981, but the new version adds extra verses and several lines in English. After Nunu, whose real name is Naama Aharoni-Gal, spoke about the song on Kan News Radio’s Reshet Bet, it emerged that Shemer’s heirs, who control her estate, had not been informed about the remake.

The family said, “It is not respectful to use a song without permission, which is required by law. This is a violation of moral rights, and it is not appropriate for two respected and successful artists to use Naomi Shemer’s song without permission.” As of publication, no response had been given by the production team for the Maccabiah song, Nunu, or Jimbo J.