ISRAEL NEEDS US THE SAME AS WE NEED ISRAEL

We live interesting and tumultuous times. For the last 72 years, the World managed to avoid being destroyed by a conventional WWIII. However, threats and armed conflicts are developing, as I write these words, worldwide. Terrorism is the new war disturbing our peace every day, day after day. Terrorism is the new war declared not on a nation or another but on the culture of peace, of life, of freedom and progress. Lately, terrorism hits Europe, the United States of America, Australia, Canada and Africa the same as it hits, for decades, the State of Israel. Already, too many families are mourning their loved ones who have fallen victims to terrorism. United by loss and grief, by our wish to defend our families, our homes, our way of life, we are all in it together.

One personal story, the story of Nathan Peled, emphasizes the purpose of our ride: many weeks after he joined our R4S team for riding from London to Jerusalem, Nathan Peled opened-up about his reasons for joining the ride; his wife Ruth Peled (56) and his granddaughter, Sinai (15 months old) (may their memory be blessed), were murdered, in 2002, in a terrorist attack committed by a Palestinian suicide terrorist in a major mall near Tel Aviv. Joining Nathan, in his personal remembrance journey, we decided to dedicate R4S ride, mainly, to the memory of Ruth and Sinai.

In the Middle East, the birthplace of the terrorism, there is one tiny country, truly democratic and progressive that for the last 60 years faces continuous threats to its existence: The State of Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, the land where Christianity, Islam, Judaism and all other religions are coexisting in peace and freedom.  For more than half of a century, Israel is forced into a war against terrorism, the same terrorism that kills other people around the World.

Despite her continuous struggle, in the face of terrorism, raised from the ashes of the Holocaust, in only 70 years, Israel became a symbol of stability, of true and solid democracy flourishing in the chaotic, war devastated, Middle East. Israeli essential start-ups and developments, in education and culture, in medicine, in science and in technology are a fact happening daily.

In this context, for saluting the People of Israel, in sign of recognition of the Israeli contribution to the Humanity,we are organizing Ride4Solidarity (R4S) ride to hit the road in June 2017. R4S is a motorcycle ride that will begin in the West of free, democratic,progressive Europe,and it will end in the only truly free, democratic, progressive country in Middle East, the State of Israel.

Who is organizing R4S 2017 motorcycle ride?

Maximillian Marco Katz, born in Romania, is the initiator, the spirit and the organizer of the R4S 2017. As project and business manager, Maximillian created, administered and managed, during the years, diverse commercial operations in Romania, Israel, the US and Africa. In 2002 he established and he is coordinating since, on voluntary basis, the Center for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism in Romania (MCA Romania). Since 2016 he is the vice-president of the Zionist Movement in Romania(ASR). In 2015 Maximillian was one of the 11 Israeli bikers taking part in the Back to Berlin ride, recreating the 1930 motorcycle ride, when 11 Jewish bikers traveled from the British Palestine to Europe.

Joining Maximillian as a co-organizer, there is Jozsef Horvath, a civil engineer born, educated and living in Budapest, Hungary. Between 1998-2010, Jozsef was the Chairman of Maccabi Hungary. Since 2011 he is the Head (Rosh Hakehila) of the Bet Shalom Synagogue in Budapest. Jozsef also participated together in the Back to Berlin 2015 ride.

Leonid Rosenthal, a  lawyer from Berlin and a R4S biker. also a Back to Berlin 2015 participant, joined the organizing team, organizing the three days ride in Germany.

Gary Burd, from the US, coordinates and organizes the US team participating in R4S ride.  Gary and his wife Carolyn, are great supporters of Israel . Gary is the soul and the organizer of the Run for the Wall Israel 2010.

Why in 2017?

2017  will be a year of multiple celebrations for the State of Israel and for all Jews around the World

– 120 years since The First Zionist Congress that took place in Basel on 29 August 1897
– 100 years since November 1917 when the Balfour Declaration was issued by the British Government
– 70 years since 1947, the year when the United Nations approved the division of Palestine, a decision that allowed the establishment of the State of Israel one year later
– 50 years since the 1967 Six Day War, the Liberation of East-Jerusalem and the Reunification of Jerusalem and its opening up to worship by all faiths.
– The 20th edition of the Maccabiah Games (The Olympics of Jewish athletes), first established (in Tel Aviv) in 1932 (when Jewish athletes were banned from participating in international competitions).
In July 2017, thousands of Jewish athletes from around the World,  gathering for the 20th edition of the Maccabiah Games, will  fill with joy the sites of the extraordinary City of Jerusalem. Among those events, one which we hope that it will stand out, will be our R4S, an extraordinary and historic journey that we believe that will capture public imagination: a ride also dedicated, in times of joy and celebration, to the memory of the victims of terrorism, to the memory of the Israeli athletes targeted and killed by terrorists in Munich (45 years ago) a ride to express solidarity with the victims’ families and their loved ones, a ride to celebrate life, hope and peace.

Remembering the Israeli olympic athletes murdered in 1972, in Munich

In our way we will stop in Munich for paying our respect to the memory of the 11 members of the Israeli Olympic Team and the German police officer, murdered by heavily armed Palestinian terrorists, on September 5th 1972 in the Munich Olympic Village. The first Olympic Games held in Germany since the notorious 1936 Olympic Games organized by Hitler were transformed in a blood bath by ruthless terrorists of the same type of those that are today killing people on the streets of Europe, the US, Australia, Africa and Israel

Remembering the Holocaust Victims and Survivors

Remembering the Holocaust and the Holocaust Victims is a must for all of those that wish for a future free of such abominable crimes like those committed  by the Nazi regime and its allies. With the time passing by and taking away from us the Holocaust Survivors, we must increase our effort for keeping their memory  alive. This is why, in our way to Israel, the shield of the Jewish People, we will stop in Dachau (Germany) and Mauthausen (Austria) Concentration Camps.

Where R4S  ride will start and where it will end?

The bikers will begin their journey in London, ride, with Israeli flags up on the motorcycles, through Europe, and end the ride in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Along 6000 KM, R4S will cross through England, France, Belgium,Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and Israel.

When?
– June 13th, 2017 – leaving London, the UK ( In 1967, on June 13, USSR asked the UN for measures     to be taken against the “aggression” of Israel )
– June 25th-29th, 2017 – reaching Athens, Greece
– July 01-03, 2017 – arriving to Haifa, Israel
– July 6th, 2017 – participating at the 20th edition of the Maccabiah Games in Jerusalem

#SupportIsraelDay …what is about?

• June 5, 1967: On receiving information about an impending attack from all directions, a planned annihilation war against the Jewish state, Israel opened a pre-emptive strike, the Six Day War, against its neighbours whilst they were busy with the final preparations for the “War of all Wars”.
• June 7, 1967: The Israeli army is liberating East Jerusalem, unifying the City of Jerusalem, bringing it back under its historical Jewish control for the first time in 2500 years.
• June 10, 1967: The Six Day War is over with victory for Israel. The plans of its neighbours, supported by USSR, to annihilate the Jewish State have failed.
• June 13, 1967: The USSR, the state behind the Arab war on Israel, sends a letter to the UN asking that the UN take measures against the “aggression” of Israel.
• June 13, 1967  is the day and the Russian letter is the document which legitimized the terror against Israel, began the demonization, the harassment and the targeting of Israel, which today continues as  BDS and in the endless terrorist attacks  and UN resolutions issued, on an industrial scale, against Israel.

For this reason, celebrating 50 years since that crucial victory, for the State of Israel existence and the reunification of Jerusalem, we, the R4S bikers, call for the 13th of June, the day when we start our RIDE4SOLIDARITY motorcycle ride from London to Jerusalem, in support of the State of Israel, to become the #SupportIsraelDay

In the behalf of the R4S bikers, I invite those who support the State of Israel, peace, life and freedom, those who are fed up with the terror threatening our daily lives, you among them, to post, starting from today, mentioning #SupportIsraelDay at the beginning of your message, on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) a photo of yourself holding the poster that can be found on our Facebook page (Give a Damn Ride4Solidarity)

Who are the bikers?

R4S is open to any motorcycle biker, older than 35, who has a heart that beats for freedom, for respect among people, for life, for democracy, for peace and for the State of Israel. We already have 12 registered bikers coming from the USA, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, Israel.

How many bikers will the group have?

Because of logistics, the R4S group will include maximum 20 bikers. However, we welcome, as we progress, along the road, local bikers to join us.

What about security?
We are aware of the security issues that such a ride could generate. This is why we are in touch with the relevant authorities and institutions. However, each participant biker has to be aware of the security issues that R4S bikers are likely to face, especially when riding with Israeli flags up.

How much it will cost and who is paying?

We estimate the cost of the ride to be between 5000 and 6000 euro per rider, including fuel, road taxes, ferryboat fees, accommodation and food.

What about sponsors?

We are seeking sponsors and any support will be much appreciated. In this respect we contacted relevant organisations. Any sums collected from sponsors will be allocated to covering the expenses of all the team members. The donations, if received, will be administered in concordance with transparency principles and are fully accountable.