Naomi Shemer's family and the organizers of the 2026 Maccabiah said Tuesday evening that they had reached an understanding after a dispute over the use of "Shir HaMaccabiah" in a new song by Nunu and Jimbo J, "Sport." In a joint statement, they said the updated version was created at the Maccabiah's request, out of "artistic respect and deep appreciation for its place in Israeli culture," with the goal of connecting generations through music.
According to both sides, direct talks made clear that the issue was a good-faith mistake. They said there had been "a mistake made in good faith and without any intention to harm [Shemer's] rights or her rich musical legacy." The family also said it understood the creative idea behind the project and the organizers' wish to honor Shemer's work while offering a contemporary artistic interpretation.
As part of the agreement, the necessary credits for the original work were corrected. Earlier on Tuesday, the Shemer family had sharply criticized the use of the song, saying Nunu and Jimbo J used "Shir HaMaccabiah" without their knowledge and without the required permission. They called it a legal and moral violation and said it was not fitting for two respected, successful artists to use Shemer's song without authorization.
Earlier in the day, Nunu discussed the song on Reshet Bet and said the original assignment had been to perform Shemer's song, before the project evolved into something more creative. She said they took lines from the original and built them into their own song with their own twist and humor, adding that she enjoyed making it. Nunu also described the Maccabiah as personal and moving, saying the "closing of the circle" was exciting, and called Shemer's music a source of reverence and nostalgia.
