Post-Ride Blogs

From Rabbi Jerry Weider

A Final Thought on the Ride

It was extremely interesting and impressive for me to ride the final two days through the forests around Jerusalem. These are the very same places that I remember being taken to as a teenager in 1963 to plant several trees for the JNF in Israel. Well, now those trees are big and those roads are the ones used for recreational biking and hiking. Now I understand, and have seen for myself, how that little contribution I made (in memory of my grandparents) has created a real forest for us to enjoy and to bike through, and as such, transformed an experience I myself had as part of this Ride for Reform. That was a very special moment.

In addition, the concept of “going up” to Jerusalem……. “Aliyat regel” that each Jew was asked to do each year in Biblical times has now become a reality for me. Riding up those hills took all my effort and determination, but upon reaching Jerusalem I was energized by the accomplishment and connected to our Biblical roots. I can now truly appreciate what it meant for a Jew to walk up to Jerusalem to fulfill the mitzvah of building the city and participating in the Jewish life of Biblical times.

On this motzei Shabbat after the ride, as I reflect on the entire five days of riding, I am amazed at the entire span of events that made up this ride. The connections to the land, the connections to other chevrah on the ride, and the connections to the IMPJ will now last a lifetime. I am honored to be a part of this experience and I hope to be able to participate again next year.

From Howie Goldsmith
I couldn't have imagined such a great ride!!

The people, the terrain, the cause, the organization... everything came together to make for a wonderful experience. My legs are sore, my butt is sore, but I know that I've done a good thing for the State of Israel.

To be honest, I'd gotten a bit sick of living here but this ride has renergized me. Not only has it renergized my feelings about being here for another month and a half, it has reinvigorated my Zionism. First, I feel that way because I've seen just how beautiful so much of the land is. Second, and more importantly, there is still so much to do to make this land a State for all Jews and for all kinds of Jewish experession. The work of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism is vital to realizing that goal and this ride allowed me to be a part of that work if only for a short time.

I will do this ride again. When? I'm not sure. But I will be back.

To all my fellow riders, thank you!

Love and Blessings,

Howie

From Jean Eglinton

Eagles and kingfishers and all sorts of other birds and wildflowers EVERYWHERE. Israel in the spring is especially gorgeous. It's much easier to see these things from a bike than from a tour bus. Also, we rode by many places I'd visited before - Yad Kennedy, the Sorek Caves, Jaffo, Tel Aviv. Covering the ground between them on my own power seemed to make them all fit together in the landscape in my mind.

It was a wonderful experience, and in spite of my frozen shoulder and thence inability to train properly beforehand, I made it through to the end. Even up and down the hills leading into Jerusalem (via Mevassaret Zion) and up, up, up... the final ascent into the city and to HUC. I am very grateful to all the people from home who sent checks to support the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism through this ride. Next year, I hope some of you can come.

From Karen Perolman
It's 7:34am the day after the ride. I'm awake because I went to bed at 9pm. I went to bed at 9pm because I was so physically exhausted that I was starting to get grumpy and whiney. So I went to bed. And now its 7:34 and I'm awake. Fabulous.

What hurts:
-my calves
-my stupid sunburned lips
-everything below my bellybutton
-my neck and shoulders
-my nose (stuffy)
-my throat (sore)
-my ears (just hurts)

What I need to do today:
-take my laundry in
-get a massage (12:15)
-get my hair cut (1:30)
-finish writing my thank you notes and buy stamps
-get all the work I missed
-and on and on

How am I feeling NOT physically?
-exhilarated
-"the highest high I'll ever need" -me after going down the biggest hill
-SO SO SO proud of myself
-kind of amazed that I did it all. Some walking. NO riding the bus. Mostly biking. I rode myself all over Israel and most of the time I had a smile on my face.
-like I met some really amazing people-- from my classmates who I bonded with on a totally new level, to my classmates who I didn't really know before, to my future colleagues to the men and women who inspired me, motivated me and kept me going when the going got tough.
-my muscles ache, but I feel really really good physically and know that I'll feel even better physically when I'm recovered a bit.
-I climbed up that road in that picture. Yes, that tiny one in the distance. I still can't believe it.

The last day [bum bum bum bum BUM-- appropriate theme music]
So I had heard over and over and over again how tough the last day was going to be. How the climb into Jerusalem was going to be like anything I had ever done before. Blah blah blah. After Thursday afternoon I was pretty sure that I could handle anything they put before me. Ok, that works...until I saw the climb. It was a very very long hill...that just kept going and going and going. It didn't want to end. I rode most of the way with Neil and Claire who were *amazing* biking buddies. Finally, after the "main" climb, we had to ride up another big hill that almost seemed like it was going to be the end of me. Finally (after about 4 1/2 hours of riding) we got to Mivaseret Zion, the congregation outside of Jerusalem where we had lunch and heard about their community. One of our riders, Michael is a member there and told us all about it including their amazing Rabbi Mya who won a Supreme Court case to buy land from the government to build a building. Now their building (which I visited earlier in the semester) is built, but isn't finished yet.

We had lunch and then got back on the road so we would arrive at HUC exactly at 3:30 for the welcoming and closing ceremony. We had a police escort all the way into town and even though the final hour was tough and my body was hurting including my knees (which was a common problem since Claire and Rachael already had taped knees) I kept going-- adrenalin or just plain excitement- I don't know which. And then suddenly, we were done. We came through the tunnel and then were on Betzalel, then King George, then Hillel then Yaffo then King David and then 13 King David Street. Home. We ended up being a few minutes early so we got to hang out and hug each other before cutting the ribbon and running into the courtyard. Rachel and Bekah were playing "Heveinu Shalom Alecheim" and "Simin Tov U'Mazel Tov" and everyone was singing. From there it was kind of a blur but at one point all the HUC riders who had been away from their significant others for the week were kissing- I hope someone got a picture of it. It was priceless. Everyone also got roses and flags from the kids at the gan who were also waiting for us.

Anyway, after all the hugging we sat down for the closing ceremony and everyone who spoke on the first day spoke today. Michael Marmur told jewish biking jokes (the "chain" of tradition," and that the month of Nissan was named after a Japanese car company!). We got all received certificates and had our names called so people could cheer for us. Then there was cake (with a biker on it) and then a group picture up at Mercaz Shimshon. Then I got my stuff and went home where I laid on my bed for about an hour before moving again.