Esther Roth-Shahamorov Munich Olympics Shoes Donated to Museum
Marking 54 years since the Munich Olympics massacre, Jerusalem Municipality has transferred the historic training shoes of legendary athlete Esther Roth-Shahamorov to the World Jewish Sports Museum.
Today marks 54 years since the tragic massacre of 11 Israeli delegation members during the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. To commemorate the event, the Jerusalem Municipality is transferring a unique and emotional item to the World Jewish Sports Museum at Kfar Maccabiah: the athletic shoes used by Olympic runner Esther Roth-Shahamorov during her training for the Munich Games.
Roth-Shahamorov, one of the greatest athletes in Israel's history, was a member of the Israeli delegation in Munich. She personally brought the historic shoes to the Jerusalem Municipality several years ago for a special exhibition ahead of the Jerusalem Marathon.
Following the exhibition, the shoes were kept at the entrance of the Jerusalem Municipality's sports department. Now, with the blessing of Esther Roth-Shahamorov and her family, they will be permanently housed at the World Jewish Sports Museum.
Joining a Historic Collection
The shoes will join a prestigious collection of prominent historical items from Jewish and Israeli sports history, including:
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The windsurf board used by Gal Fridman to win gold at the Athens 2004 Olympics;
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The judo suit worn by Yael Arad when she won silver at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics;
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The European Basketball Championship Cup won by Maccabi Tel Aviv in 1977;
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Sandy Koufax's baseball glove;
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Trophies belonging to Agnes Keleti, one of the greatest Jewish athletes of all time;
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Original national team jerseys of Eran Zahavi and Yossi Benayoun.
Official Reactions
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion stated:
"Fifty-four years after the terrible massacre in Munich, we seek to preserve not only the memory of the 11 athletes, but also the story of the Israeli athletes who continued to dream, train, and represent the country on the international stage. Esther Roth-Shahamorov's shoes are an emotional historical item that tells the story of an entire generation in Israeli sports."
Osnat Tzur, Director of the World Jewish Sports Museum, added:
"We thank Esther Roth-Shahamorov and her family for their willingness to transfer the shoes to the museum. Here, we will have the great privilege of preserving and displaying them to visitors in a fitting place alongside central exhibits of our sports history. We also thank the Jerusalem Municipality for preserving the shoes with dignity over the years."
