Beth El congregants recently exercised their right to show support for Israel at this critical time by, well, exercising.
The Pikesville synagogue’s Israel Affairs Committee raised more than $8,000 for “We Move for Israel,” a virtual physical fitness challenge held for two weeks in December. Every dollar pledged to the challenge will go directly to the Israel Emergency Fund of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, and participants were encouraged to make supplemental donations to the fund as well.
The challenge required participants to engage in physical activity and self-report miles accumulated through such activities as walking, running, swimming, bicycling and other forms of exercise. Activities for which miles were not directly measured — such as weightlifting or balance and stretching exercises — were converted to a mile equivalent.
For every mile reported by participants, Beth El congregant Dr. Jordan R. Stewart pledged a $1 match, with a goal of a $5,000 donation to the emergency fund.
“Moving is good for the body and soul,” said Dr. Stewart, a podiatrist and fitness enthusiast. “I always encourage my patients to exercise and engage in physical fitness. Participation in this event will strengthen our community while supporting Israel.”
Dr. Kerry Stewart, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Robert Slatkin serve as co-chairs of Beth El’s Israel Affairs Committee. “Because this event was new, we had no idea of what the response would be, and our initial goal was to reach 5,000 miles,” said Dr. Stewart.
As participants began reporting their miles, the organizers soon realized that 5,000 miles would easily be achieved. Additional matching pledges were made by Dr. Stewart and his wife, Cherie, and by Slatkin and his wife, Eva, as well as by anonymous donors.
The original goal was exceeded with a final total of 8,313 miles reported by 178 participants, resulting in a donation of $8,313. Besides Beth El members, participants included individuals from Baltimore’s Jewish community and around the country, with an average of 46.7 miles per person.
“This was a great response and the variety of activities was impressive,” said Dr. Stewart. “Moving is good for anyone, at any age.”
He noted that “8,313 miles are about 40% more than the distance from Baltimore to Jerusalem, which is quite impressive.”
The Jillian and Lindsay Wiener Short-Term Rental Safety Act requires rental companies to conduct annual fire inspections in Baltimore City and every Maryland county.
Reproductions of the murals, previously believed to have been lost, are now part of the Jewish Museum of Maryland's new permanent exhibition.
The donation will be directed to help foster research conducted by faculty at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and to advance innovative treatments.
Scholar Izabella Tabarovsky will speak at the “Generations of Courage” program on Apr. 26 at The Associated's Goldsmith campus.