New York – In what is possibly a first for the frum community, JRunners, a Brooklyn based organization is holding its first long distance relay race next week, to raise money for a 39 year old Flatbush father of five stricken with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), an incurable, degenerative, fatal condition also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The race, which will begin at 9 PM next Wednesday night in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park will cover 125 miles and will end at Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, New York with a free carnival and a concert featuring Lipa Schmeltzer in addition to several of Jewish music’s brightest stars.
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Jrunners, whose slogan is “We run for those who can’t”, was founded by Shmayie Friedman, Motti Katz and Chezky Rosenblum, all of Brooklyn, who hoped to combine the exhilaration of running with the spiritual high of raising money for a charitable cause. Jrunners was born when Chezky Rosenblum and Mutti Katz decided to pair Mutti’’s idea of a long distance relay race that was accessible to shomer Shabbos runners with Chezky’s desire to help raise money for someone he knew who was suffering from ALS.
This men’s only 22 hour marathon will be anything but typical. All the food will be kosher and not only are there two minyanim for Shachris, but they will be followed by divrei Torah from two prominent individuals, Rabbi Bentzion Shafier of The Shmuz and Rabbi Betzalel Rudinsky. Singer Shea Rubenstein will sing the National Anthem and Hatikva at the starting line and Brooklyn South Police Chief Joseph Fox, Dov Hikind and Chuck Schumer, among other dignitaries, will be in attendance at Prospect Park when the race kicks off. The 125 mile course will be split into 30 legs, with the race being run continuously by ten man teams. Each runner will run three legs of the race and will be driven to predetermined exchange spots so that they are on hand to run their leg of the race.
For those runners who need to rest, each team will be provided with an RV, which will have a bed, bath and shower. Five major exchange areas along the route will provide live music, kosher food and first aid services. The Fort Lee Exchange at the CNBC parking lot will feature a 10 PM – 3 AM kumzitz with Eli Beer while the Wesley Kosher Exchange in Monsey will be the site for both a 5:45 and a 7 AM Shachris minyan. Additionally, JM in the AM host Nachum Segal will broadcast his morning radio show live from the Monsey Exchange location.
The route for the race begins in Prospect Park and takes the runners over the Brooklyn Bridge, up the West Side of Manhattan, over the George Washington Bridge, up Route 9W along the Hudson River, through Monsey and Harriman State Park. Runners will continue through Orange County into Sullivan County, taking them through Monticello, Kiamesha Lake, Fallsburg and finally to Loch Sheldrake with the finish line located at Sullivan County Community College. Runners and volunteers will enjoy a barbeque at the finish line. The general public is invited to a gala carnival featuring Uncle Moishy, rides, games and food followed by a free concert, featuring Lipa Schmeltzer, Shloime Dachs, Shea Rubenstein, Eitan Katz, Dovid Stein, Mendy Worsch and Eli Beer.
Currently, there are six full teams on board for Wednesday night’s race. Runners recruit sponsors for the race and while each runner has committed to raising a minimum of $1000 for the cause, there are runners who have already raised over $5000. Notable corporate sponsors include Garmin, Gatorade and Jana water. Ninety percent of the runners in the raise hail from the frum community.
In an interview, JRunners cofounder Mutti Katz told VIN News, “Expenses are astronomical for someone with ALS. We have been very successful raising money, even in such a terrible economy. We are hoping to be able to raise awareness for different causes and tzedakas in future races, while promoting health, fitness and fighting obesity.”
Plans are already underway for three future races, one of which will be a women’s only event.
Online: http://jrunnersrelay.org/
One does not usually associate chareidim with physical fitness. I hope Hatzolah is on hand to administer oxygen.
Where can you contribute for this important cause without running?
what a phenomonal idea as a tzedakah for a most worthy cause may the patient have a refuah shleimah bkorov. Where can one donate money to?
These great runners are not only sweating by running,they are sweating and working hard putting together large sums of money for this great cause.please post a toll free phone so the people not running could at least make a donation during those 22 hours
Go , Motti ,go. I mean, Run Motti Run .
To #1 Why the mean spirited comment? These are all committed runners, some of whom have completed marathons.
This group meets all the time in the park to run. All very serious and accomplished runners. comment #1 is laced with meanness.
great story and great cause
Chesky Keep up your good work!!!
it’s insane to do this in middle of the summer. those runners will ch”v get dehydrated in such a hot summer season. In my opinion this should be postponed till sukkos time
Chareidi and Hatikva?
chesky may hakodosh baruch u grant u and your wife loads of nachas your heart runs with chesed go shmuly w. go yanky w. u r an inspiration M.Y. u r always the driver behind the scene tizku limitzvos
Anyone who wants to donate (without having to run yourself) can visit the website at jrunners.org and choose a runner to sponsor by credit card. Tizku l’mitzvos!
Mutti, Keep up the good work. See you on Shabbos.
Ha, i remember when country yossi had an article on a jewish marathon and how it would look—exactly as described in the article ..and some comments too.
So proud of Yidden who do this! Keep up the good work klal yisroel! Hashem up there is smiling , smiling, smiling!!!
this is such a beautiful idea but can I ask one question – any reason we are not given the name of the person who is sick so we can daven for him? Teffila will probably work better then a race. How about providing a name for Tehilim
Hashem,look at your beautiful children who will do anything to help another yid!
Chesky, We are so proud of you, keep up your great work. May hashem grant you all that you need, and much nachas from your children.
Your Lakewood Family
Great mitzvah but please be careful.
Yay!! Go team go!!
Chesky and his incredible group is creating a revolution within charedi society.jrunners is changing the way runners and athletes are perceived. Instead of viewing running as a frivolous and trivial activity, we now see some serious Talmedei Chachmim and Business men running for Health and to help a fellow human being who is in terrible situation. Thank you Jrunners for having the vision and fortitude to take on such a challenging endeavor.
Wow, what a great idea. Does anybody know if you can still join this race ? I am a satmar chasid from williamsburg, but i do run three times a week for 10 miles. I think i could run 10 miles straight, without stopping. Who ever thought of this idea, is a geniuse. And i hope more people would join in the chareidi community. We need more exercise in our community. And to run for this great cause…… WOW !!!
We wish you much Hatzlacha in this great endeavor may you succeed in all that you undertake. We look forward to having you back after the race.
I am not running but I am REALLY looking forward to the finish-line concert, carnival and barbecue. I hope to see you all there.
Each runner runs 3 legs of the course, which is a total of 30 legs long. Each of those three legs are roughly 3-5 miles in distance, and runners will end up running an average of 13 miles in total. There are several hours in between each of the legs, where runners can shower, rest up, eat, and enjoy the festivities along the route. (Each team has their very own RV’s, with beds and all).
IF STILL INTERESTED IN RUNNING YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO INFO AT JRUNNERS DOT ORG
Chesky,great great job.
I knew you’ll do somthing big 1 day.
Good Luck
Chesky ,Moti, Shmaya you have come along way, you are almost at the finish line
No one knows and can understands what it means to put together this event,
These three soldiers are not event planners or fundraizer organizers ,Hashem gave them a special skill and the wisdom how to use it .
The strength that you put into this event and for such an important cause should take you and your families on a long journey to always be able to help others in need with lots of hatzlacha
ALWAYS RUN TO DO A MITZVA
RUN ! RUN! RUN!
Rutz Ktzvi Vgiboir Kehahri, to all the runners i wish you speed(zerizus)and strength(endurance). its wonderful to know that you are not only running for a mitzvah but the actual running is a mitzvah.
if you see a deer on the road simply outrun him.
and to the BODIE a.k.a.Mordche as well as all the other runners”may the wind be at your back” I wish you an exhilirating run.
My own feelings are, that there is so much energy in young people which is wasted, and there is so much chesed needed and torah learning which is not being done, and it is so challenging to be a real yid who is shomer tora umitzvos 100% together with all ones heart and mind and with true understanding.
For this, it is GREAT and a very big mitzva, to keep fit and healthy. But there is no reason in the world yo excercise for over an hour, and for most people, 20-30 minutes 3 times a week, is enough, and most beneeficial.
However, most of those who are busy learning, and doing mitzvos and working for parnoso, do not have time and mind fo this, and if they did, it might help every thing else.
But why make a G-d of all this, with barbecues and parties etc?
And what i’m talking about, is also, not intended to be as a public spectacle.
How about runners for tora……….. if anything? (but i’m not sure about that either, but it might cause an awareness, which can eventually help devotion to tora and other mitzvos) Also, It should not be with a competitive spirit, as this is what the goyim like, since for them, the body is their G-d.
Shmayie Friedman running? maybe to the bakery
My husband joined the weekly jrunner runs and this was the best thing for him… we are sooo happy that hes finally loosing weight and getting healthy. may hashem give you guys the strength to continue promoting health and fitness in the hiemishe community
The real chareidim, will NEVER go in for all this. I mean those who are working on kedusha v’tahara and shiflus and anovo, with every fibre of their being.
I find it amazing that any frum person would make negative comments regarding this huge mitzvah. This cause has raised so much money for this desperate family, provided them with consolation and brought great awareness to ALS. Instead of useless deriding comments why not do something good,donate, spread the word. G-d forbid this disease can affect anyone and wouldn’t you want a cause such as this behind you??
It is an honor to know the people that put this together and the runners.