Pedaling toward a better world

Cedarhurst rabbi teams with wife and friend for bike ride through Israel

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Together, Steve and Shira Golden of Cedarhurst, along with Lev Herrnson of East Rockaway, are preparing for a 350-mile long bicycle ride known as Hazon Israel beginning in Jerusalem in the center of Israel to Eilat at the country’s southern tip, which will take place Nov. 4-11.
The ride is sponsored by two environmentally-minded organizations: the Araza Institute of Environmental Studies and Hazon. The Arava Institute in Israel is an academic program that brings together Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian and western students in an educational setting. Hazon, a Hebrew word meaning “vision,” is a nonprofit organization based in New York City that works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and world. The ride serves not only as a fundraiser, but also to raise awareness about environmental concerns and sustainable living.
Golden, the assistant rabbi at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst, rode in the 2013 Hazon Israel Ride and loved it so much that he convinced his wife, Shira, and Herrnson, a rabbi at Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, to participate with him this year. “I’d done bike rides throughout the country and here in New York,” Golden said. “But in doing this ride last year, I really wanted to share my experience with people. I look forward to seeing places up close and riding my bike.” They will be part of team called Pedaling 50 as all three are approaching or have turned 50-years-old.
This year, to try something new, Golden and Shira will complete their ride on a tandem bike, a bicycle built for two people. It took some convincing to get Shira to join the team but after a couple of days, she agreed to do it. “I thought the idea of riding a bike for that length of time, plus on a tandem bike, was a bit daunting,” she said. “I’d told him that I would think about it. As I started watching the Hazon videos about their ride, I was convinced. This is a great opportunity for us.”

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