How many cyclists does it take to impact the Jewish future? Over 65 of them made their mark this past June at Bike NCSY!
The sun had barely risen on Sunday, June 25th, but in Poughkeepsie, NY things were buzzing. Planes, trains, and automobiles abound, people amassed into the area from across the Eastern Seaboard, eager to get on their bikes and impact the Jewish future. These men, women, and teens rode with Bike NCSY, a fundraiser conceived by Director of NCSY Alumni Rabbi Yehoshua Marchuck, to raise money for scholarships for NCSY teens to spend a gap year of Torah and growth in Israel.
“As I was cycling through the Hudson Valley and seeing my fellow Bike NCSY riders, I was overwhelmed by the excitement and the energy surrounding biking for a meaningful cause,” said Marchuck. “Bike NCSY’s inaugural ride has set the route for this to become a bigger and greater event each and every year.”
Though Gary Weltman, father of three NCSY alumna and an avid cyclist, was certainly very excited about the challenge of the hilly terrain in New York, as his rides in his home state of Florida are relatively flat, his enthusiasm was most reserved for riding for a cause so important to him.
“I have been an avid cyclist for years. My daughters Aviela and Sarita were both active in NCSY – both were Jacksonville Chapter presidents. Bike NCSY enables me to rejoice in my daughters’ achievements, to give back to a cherished cause, and to challenge my stamina on the hills of the Hudson Valley.”
With the success of Bike NCSY 2017, plans are already underway for the upcoming year’s ride. Learn more and see how you can get involved at bike.ncsy.org.
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2017 issue of Ignite, the NCSY magazine.