4-mile walk will support
terror victims in Israel
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
DAVE BENJAMIN Roey Wieser, Hila Wieser and Rachel Shevick (l-r), with the support of the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth, have organized a walk for the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund which will take place Oct. 6 at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Manalapan.
MANALAPAN — A 4-mile "Walk for Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund" will take participants along the trails of Monmouth Battlefield State Park on Oct. 6.
Sponsored by the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth and organized by three local teenagers, the walk will kick off at 10 a.m. and take about two hours to complete.
"The JCC of Western Monmouth is thrilled to sponsor this event," said Shelley Feingold, outreach director of the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth, Freehold.
"The money goes to the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund, which does a tremendous amount of humanitarian help in Israel with the victims of terrorism," said Susan Heckler of Manalapan, volunteer adult adviser. "It provides counseling and financial help for the victims."
The solidarity fund promotes long-term physical and emotional health, education, housing, income maintenance and other needs of terrorism survivors and their families.
The fund also provides psychological therapy, transportation to clinics and support groups for rehabilitation.
Since September 2000, 610 Israelis have been killed and 4,479 have been seriously injured in terrorist attacks in Israel, according to information provided by the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund.
The solidarity fund, based in Great Neck, N.Y., has held or organized more than 18 nationwide Israel walkathons, has raised more than $5.3 million and has made distributions to more than 810 terror victim families throughout Israel.
Credited with organizing the Manalapan event are high school students Roey Wieser, 17, who attends Freehold Township High School; and Hila Wieser, 17, and Rachel Shevick, 16, who are students at Manalapan High School.
"My sister Hila just came up to me and she had a great idea for a walk," Roey said. "I was at the rally (for Israel) in Washington, D.C., in April and the rally they had in Freehold. I enjoyed going. Hila brought up the idea of starting our own rally. Actually, it was a walk that she wanted."
Roey said he pondered his sister’s idea and decided to "just have it."
Hila could only describe her experience at the Washington, D.C., rally as "amazing."
"There were over a quarter of a million people there from so many different states," she said "It showed how much our country cares about what’s going on in Israel."
Hila said people drove six or seven hours, or came by bus, in order to attend the rally in Washington, D.C.
"If people can drive five hours to Washington, then we can do something in our own community," she said. "I know we can do it."
Rachel described what had to be done.
"We contacted (the park)," she said. "We thought it would be a great place to hold the event. Then we contacted the JCC. A date was selected and we divided up the work."
The three teens said they contacted youth groups in the area and noted that the event is open to anyone who is interested in helping Israel.
"We know that no matter how much money is collected, it will be an extra dollar that wasn’t there before," Rachel said.
"We’re hoping to get the youth involved in the walk," Heckler said. "We also need adults to walk and to get involved at the checkpoints every quarter-mile or half-mile."
The event will take place rain or shine.
Several stores in the community have already offered to help with needed supplies for the walk.
"The kids will be asking stores in the community to donate water bottles, Band-aids and garbage bags," Heckler said. "The Wawa store on Union Hill Road is already committed to donating water bottles."
Any merchant, organization or individual who would like to donate supplies for the walk can contact Feingold at the Jewish Community Center of Western Monmouth, (732) 683-9300, or send an e-mail to Susan Heckler at [email protected].
The registration fee to participate is $12. Each person who registers prior to Sept. 25 will receive a T-shirt, a bottle of water, a solidarity poster and a pin that depicts a victim of terrorism. Each participant will be walking in memory of a specific victim.
For pre-registration information, call Feingold at (732) 683-9300 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Checks should be made out to JCCWM and mailed to the JCCWM, 59 Broad St., Freehold 07728, prior to the walk.
A registration desk will be available at 9 a.m. at Battlefield State Park on the day of the walk for people check-in. Money will not be collected at the park.
"We’re really excited about this," Rachel said. "It’s something that was just an idea in our heads about a month ago, and now it’s really all coming together. We’re looking for a big turnout with as much support as possible."
"Volunteers are needed to help serve drinks and help sign in walkers," Hila added. "This is not just for Israel; it’s for anybody who is against terrorism."