Dead Sea Half Marathon

Next Friday, I am b’’eH going to be running the Half Marathon at the Dead Sea. “Ellen…..YOU?!” you might be saying. Which would be totally understandable, especially for those of you who have known me since my (rather frail) youth. 

Running a half marathon has been a goal of mine since I started running in 2017 and this year I am REALLY MOTIVATED to actually do it. Why? Because I am running as a fundraiser for my favorite local charity, Lema’an Achai. I have twice run 10K in the Jerusalem Marathon for Lema’an Achai and, for those of you who supported my previous runs, I thank you. The work Lema’an Achai has done with your donation to break the cycle of poverty and give families “a hand up, not a hand out”  is incredible. But this year, they need more support; they have now expanded their mission with an emergency campaign due to the war.

My motivation is also because I am running in memory of two special people, both of whom had a strong connection to Lema’an Achai and neither of whom I EVER could have imagined would not be here, also running this year.

My friend Yosef Newman (Yosef Refael ben Chaim) died of cancer on January 20, 2023 (yes, I am writing this exactly one year after the secular date of his passing). In January 2019, Yosef, Chani and I were sitting together at the Lema’an Achai volunteer appreciation night and Yosef, who was about to run the Half Marathon in Jerusalem, was so encouraging that, although I was only running 10K for LA that year, he helped me form a vision for how I could turn that into a half marathon in 2020 (thanks, Covid. Here we are four years later with me finally bringing to fruition the first tiny hopes that Yosef encouraged). 

I am also running in memory of my neighbor, Binyamin Airley (Binyamin Meir ben Ze’ev Dovid) who was killed in action in Gaza on November 18, 2023, just two short months ago. The Airley family is so supportive of Lema’an Achai that his mother Jen continued to host the “Loaves of Love” campaign from her house even during the shloshim (first thirty days) after Binyamin’s death. Jen and  Binyamin ran the Jerusalem Half Marathon as a Lem’an Achai fundraiser a few years ago and the Airleys have hosted the pre-marathon dinner at their house many times. 

Please support my half marathon in memory of Yosef and Binyamin and to help Lema’an Achai continue their crucial work. Thank you.

https://www.lemaanachai.org/chesedathon/en/athlete/ellen-goldberg-3159/