David Berger National Memorial

Located on the grounds of the Mandel Jewish Community Center of Cleveland, this sculpture honors the memory of Olympic athlete David Berger. Berger was a 28-year-old U.S.-born Israeli weightlifter who was one of 11 Israeli athletes killed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

This is a very simple yet moving memorial comprised of the outdoor sculpture and a plaque. It has been at the current location since the fall of 2006. Renowned Cleveland sculptor David E. Davis designed the piece dedicated to Berger's memory and that of the 10 other athletes. The five Olympic rings are broken in half, symbolizing the interruption and cancellation of the Munich games. The arches reach skyward, symbolizing hope. Berger was the sole American citizen lost in the tragedy.

David Mark Berger was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio. He attended Tulane from 1962-1966, where he was a weightlifter and honor student. He joined the Israeli weightlifting team to realize a dream, but it ended tragically on September 5th, 1972. As Israeli athletes slept, eight armed members of the Palestinian group Black September scaled the fence at the Olympic Village compound. They entered two apartments used by the Israeli team and took them hostage. The world watched in horror on TV sets as a rescue attempt failed. Although the initial news reports indicated all the hostages were alive, the horrible truth was soon revealed.