Maccabiah Games Lock Out Foreign Owners From Their Apartments at Kfar Maccabiah Hotel

The 22nd Maccabiah Games, held after a one-year delay, have left about 40 foreign apartment owners locked out of their units at the Kfar Maccabiah Hotel, which hosts many international delegations. These owners purchased apartments in the hotel to stay during visits to Israel, with the units rented out by a management company for at least half the year. The apartments, sold starting in 2005 for $230,000 to $270,000 each, total 124 units and make up about half of the hotel's 260 rooms.

Owners claim that when they recently tried to reserve their apartments for the Maccabiah period through the hotel's digital booking system, their access was blocked. Their attorney, Michael Dvurin, sent a letter to the hotel alleging a unilateral policy breach, as the hotel reportedly allocated all rooms to athletes for the event. The owners argue that their agreement contains no exceptions for the Maccabiah or other sports events, accusing the hotel of effectively expropriating their property for commercial use.

This dispute adds to previous complaints by owners, including the hotel's unilateral cancellation of late check-out for Sabbath observers, denial of access to spa and pool facilities, and declining quality of synagogue services. Concurrently, owners are suing the hotel for approximately 2.5 million shekels, claiming the hotel failed to properly share rental income as stipulated in their contract.

The hotel responded that no forced evictions occurred, emphasizing that it acted sensitively and professionally, offering alternative accommodations and respecting owners who chose to remain in their units. The hotel expressed regret over the timing of the dispute amid the international event and stated it is focused on the success of the games while protecting owners' rights.