Team OneFamily Races to Rebuild Shattered Lives
By Sari Nossbaum

With the situation in Israel taking a turn for the worst in recent months, it is difficult to merely sit back in the comfort of our living rooms and watch, practically helpless. Certainly, while we all desperately want to help, there is only so much we can do from here in New York. A few months ago, I found out about a team that was training for a Triathlon in order to raise money for the OneFamily Fund. The OneFamily Fund is a fantastic organization that helps alleviate the suffering of terrorist victims in Israel through providing direct financial, legal, and emotional assistance. Essentially, the idea of racing in the Triathlon was to “race to rebuild shattered lives” through fundraising for Israel. So, being an avid athlete myself, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to help our brothers and sisters in Israel, and simultaneously get into great shape and race in a triathlon – something I have always wanted to do!

A Triathlon is by no means an easy feat; it is a test of sheer strength and determination. A full Olympic Triathlon includes a 1.5km (1 mile) open water swim, followed by 40km (25 miles) on the bike, and then a 10km (6.2 mile) run. In order to build up the endurance necessary to race, many hours need to be invested in the pool, on your bike, and on a running track. So, along with 32 other Team OneFamily members, I spent this summer training and fundraising for Israel. The training regimen was rather rigorous and more or less involved training six days a week – sometimes up to three hours a day! As you can imagine, athletes needed to be truly motivated and disciplined! “I thought there was no way I could transform myself into a tri-athlete in 12 short weeks, especially considering I didn’t really know how to swim properly,” said Josh Glazer, a first time Tri-athlete from West Orange, NJ. “But as the hard work continued daily, the rewards slowly began to emerge.”

Athletes had the choice to either do the race individually or as part of a relay team. There were 17 athletes who completed the race individually, and an additional 15 athletes that were part of five different relay teams. Regardless of whether you were racing individually or in a relay, all athletes were responsible for fundraising. Team members put together personalized websites to raise money and this elicited a tremendous response! By the time the Triathlon came around, the team had jointly raised approximately $100,000 for the OneFamily Fund!

So, while the fundraising aspect of the race provided some great inspiration and incentive, this was only half the task; the physical challenge of the race was now before us.

At 4.30am on Sunday morning, September 17th, the team headed out to Rye Beach in Westchester where the Triathlon was being held. With a combination of nerves and excitement, the wee hours of the morning provided a fitting backdrop to the whole event. Rain had hit New York for three days straight prior to race day, but luckily, we woke up to some beautiful clear weather that day. The race began with a postcard-like setting: At 7am, as the sun was rising over Rye Beach, leaving a beautiful silhouette across the peaceful waters of the Long Island Sound, athletes eagerly entered the water to begin the swim. The feeling one experiences at the beginning of the race, surrounded by a thousand other athletes, all pumped up and ready to begin the swim leg is something I will never forget. And then we were off… embarking on the grueling challenge of the Triathlon!

Swimming in a pack of hundreds of people in the open water is very challenging. “I was being kicked in the face by other swimmer's feet and drinking murky sea water for breakfast,” said Zachary Hepner, who was racing in a Triathlon for the first time. While the race was tough in itself, with the temperature hitting 80 degrees that day, it did not make it any easier. But with the combination of adrenaline and a “never say die” attitude, Team OneFamily athletes all pulled through with some amazing finishes. Family and friends cheered us on from the sidelines, providing some great support and encouragement. On the race course itself, team members also urged each other on, helping one another through the rolling hills on the bike and the grueling run at the end. “Everyone was pushing everyone else to do their best …it was incredible,” remarked Josh Glazer.

Relay members had a great time out on the course, with Yonina Blumenthal claiming “it was so much fun!” on her experience in the run. For those of us that completed the race individually, the real “fun” only came at the end, as we crossed the finish line - physically and mentally exhausted, but ecstatic! All those hours of training had paid off and now the celebrations could begin!

From another perspective, it was a truly proud feeling to see many of the females on the OneFamily team racing in skirts (and head coverings for some!) and many of the guys wearing their kippot during the race. This really was a true Kiddush Hashem, and in fact, a number of competitors commented to me after the race that they thought it was “cool” that Orthodox Jews participated in this race, and for such a special cause.

So, overall, the OneFamily Triathlon team 2006 was an incredible success. "The model of our program provides a win-win situation for everyone involved,” said Sammy Zack, Team OneFamily director. “Our 32 athletes proved today that anyone can actually complete a full Olympic distance triathlon if they are motivated and committed. Training with this great group of people to help our brothers and sisters in Israel is an added incentive. The sense of accomplishment shines on each athlete’s face, and I am proud of them".

I couldn’t agree more - from the training, to the fundraising for Israel, to the actual race day, the Triathlon provided an experience that athletes will never forget. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. Can’t wait till next year!