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Ten Crown Heightsers Run NYC Marathon for FC

Photos by Meir Pliskin

This Sunday, ten Crown Heightsers woke up bright and early and went for a run… that ended 26.2 grueling miles later at Central Park. They were part of Team FCBC, running in support of Friendship Circle of Crown Heights and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Bikur Cholim of Crown Heights in the 2011 ING NYC Marathon.

Among the runners were Noami Aharon, Shmuel Cohen, Sarah Harrouch, Malka Perelman, Aaron Popack, Miralle Schildkrat-Mazuz, Mushkah Schneider, Yehudis Silverman, Mandy Storfer, and Chaya Wolf, coached by Chaim Backman of TriChai.com.

Bikur Cholim and Friendship Circle set up a cheering station at Mile 10, on Bedford and Myrtle Avenues complete with personalized T-shirts, signs, balloons, and of course, lots of Kosher Gatorade to give out to the passing runners. About 75 friends and family of the runners showed up to cheer them on, some coming from as far as Pittsburgh and Toronto.

“I’m so humbled by the runners,” said spectator, Chana Lew, who came to cheer on her friend Mushkah Schneider, “And also by how the whole Crown Heights came together to support the runners and these organizations.”

Chaya’le Eckhuas, representing the Friendship Circle of Crown Heights spoke about how inspiring it was to watch the runners prepare for the Marathon, “They worked so hard,” Eckhaus said, “Not just to physically train for the marathon, but how much time and energy they put into raising the money for our community. It was incredible to see.”

For Yehudis Silverman, originally of Pittsburgh, running the marathon was a way to give back to her new community of Crown Heights. “I’ve worked with Friendship Circles for years, and started to volunteer for Bikur Cholim this summer, so I know firsthand of the good that they do. This was just one way I could get involved.”

“There are some 47,000 runners out here, many of them committed to unbelievable causes,” said Esther Blau, a member of the Bikur Cholim advisory board, “and amongst them were our ten Frum runners, dedicating time and soul to help our community, in Sheitels and skirts, Yarmulkas and Tzitzis. That is something we are incredibly proud of.”

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41 Comments

  • more chabad lite?

    Is the woman in the 8th picture (from top). id ends on 931 WEARING PANTS????

  • to #2

    to #2:

    NO SHE SI NOT. SHE IS WEARING A SKIRT!!!!!! and stop looking at ladies legs…… you need HELP!!

  • think if...

    would they have come like this to the rebbe to get dollars “far dem loyfen” (for running)?

  • running

    hard work pays off. Were any of the farfrumt leidergeyers with all the comments to try and walk/run a quarter of the distance they would see that it takes tremendous will power, goal setting, hasmoda and dedication to pull something like this off. This is a skill that very few of our locals have in their bag. It takes a lot to make happen. Try it sometime, it will make you a better person, spouse, neighbor, father etc.

  • amazing!!!

    There is nothing untsnius about this,Some of these wonderful people are running for a cause and those that arent have their own cause, its an amazing challenge that is healthy and beneficial. Also, the women in all the photos are dressed completely tsnius,we should all be proud of them and their representation of our faith.

  • muttle from meziboz

    Nachman #6: the bigger question is
    How many from BP, WBG or Monsey get out of their daled amos bichlal?

  • BP WBG Monsey

    Nachman #6: what do you care what is going on in other neighborhoods? do you think that they are better than us? do you have an inferiority (or however you spell that) complex? if you think it’s wrong say that we shouldn’t do it because its wrong. why involve other “kreisen” which we are better than.
    We have to do things (whatever it may be) because we are chabad. If it’s right, we do it. if it isn’t, we dont. just because other communitys do or dont do certain things doesn’t mean that we are better or worse. because we just have to be confident of the truth: We are better than the WBG, Monsey and BP Kehillos.

  • jj

    Nachman – dont be a zealot. Nothing wrong with running in a marathon, getting exercise and making a kiddush hashem.

    If you are so obsesses with skirts , maybe you should wear one too

  • to # 6

    i don’t know if people from Williamsburg ran it, but there sure were there watching it !!!!!

  • mg

    I am not from CH, but I also run in my neighborhood. However,I ensure that whenever I run I dress tzniusly and I run at a track when it is less crowded. It is always with a long sleeve, not tight, t-shirt with an A-line long skirt.

    The CHsters can rationalize the womens’ actions til there blue in the face. The Rebbe would never approve.

    A message to these misguided women. Would you dress this way in front of the Rebbe? More importantly, is this a proper message to send your daughters?

    This story reminds me of the title of a book R. Manis Friedman wrote years ago, “Doesn’t anyone blush anymore?” Sad but true. Unfortunately, many of today’s bnos yisroel lack this beautiful middah.

  • To number 12

    forsure ALL Willamsburg were watching i even made one cheer for me- he stopped eating his Bissli and actually clapped his hand.

  • To # 14

    Yeah I would absolutely love if my daughter – my bas Chabad daughter would participate in such a thing !!!! What an absolut kidush Hashem !!!!!! Awesome , amazing, cool and inspiring thing you guys did here ! Most people cannot do this, and yet you guys did it while for all amazing organizations !!! Kol hakavod and this is true avodas Hashem !!!

  • Stop kidding yourself

    Come on. Let’s get into goyishkeit for a good cause and call it holy. Sorry, you can’t justify women drawing attention to themselves in public. We are chassidim, and being politically correct is not part of the shita.

  • Awesome!

    Congrats on your big achievement! I personally get a little winded going up my 4 flihhts of steps! Seriously, great excersice and a good message dont listen to the nay sayers. You rock!

  • SZ

    I really hope that whoever would participate in such a run would have asked their posek first if it’s allowed, al pi halacha.

    My instinct thinks there’s something very not tsnius about running in a marathon, no matter what the cause is, and this is a sign of a general desensitization towards tsnius, and I really hope that all our daughters and sons reverse this trend and not, ch”v, continue it, and I daven they can find a way to fundraise that’s both effective and unquestionably appropriate.

  • to #7

    Tznius is not just a way of dress it is the way we conduct ourselves.

    Running in a marathon with men, untzniusdike women and down the main streets of New York in front of thousands of people is just not in the spirit of Tznius for a Bas/ Ben Yisroel.

    The reality is, that this never would have happened before Gimmel Tammuz and that definitely means something, no matter how great the cause.

    This is nothing to do with narrow-mindedness, it is just about having a sensitivity to the spirit of Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit which has been with us for generations.

    And if you can’t appreciate this and think I can’t think out of the box, I suggest you start working on getting out of your own box which takes any criticism as an expression of a narrow-mindedness, no matter how true it might be.

    And yes I do exercise regularly, just without the whole community watching….

  • WONDER

    WONDER WHY NO OTHER HASSIDIC GROUPS ARE RUNNING. WHY IS CHABAD THE FIRST TO ADOPT TO THE GOYISH LIFESYLE AND LOVE IT?????

  • MH

    Dear #14,
    Why is it that we always have to pick on the negative? Why do we always have to look at the bad and comment on it? Why do these women, who for whatever reason, worked hard and set a goal and achieved it, have to know that people out there don’t approve of what they were doing? How would you feel if you worked so hard on something and were criticized for it? How does anyone know what the Rebbe would say or approve of? Times are so different now. The younger generation is so different, and is going in a very different direction than that of their parents. Times are so different now physically and spiritually then when the Rebbe was here, its time we all see that. And if we really, truly care that women aren’t acting or dressing appropriately, then we would find every way possible and do everything we can to connect with this generation, to find ways to relate to them so that we can effect a change positively and without such discord and separation. Did the Rebbe ever speak badly of someone or criticize someone’s efforts to do something good? Or did the Rebbe explain things in a positive, loving manner? If you dress a certain way while you run, that’s amazing. You cannot expect the same from other people, and then criticize them when they don’t live up to your expectations and visions of what a tzniusdik woman should be. Please, take some time to think about the positive. One small positive thing that came out of these women running, and leave the rest to the one above. You will not teach anyone anything by pointing out the negative.

  • CH runner

    to #14 “MG”

    Please stay in your neighborhood.
    We are happy here.
    And when you run, run AWAY from the direction that leads towards Crown Heights.
    Thanks,
    And one more thing, please don’t look when you run across the street!!

  • Esty B

    As long as they keep tznius in dress and attitude, it seems to me like they’re doing a good thing. We ladies need to remember staying healthy by exercise helps us be better wives, moms, and role models for our girls. I haven’t always been good about staying in shape and have hesitation about running for exercise. This reminds me I can get exercise and dress modestly too.

  • KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

    As a community member, who cannot run or raise $3,500, I just wanted to say thanks for going out there and doing this and raising so much money for our community.

  • Other chasidim run too

    Lubavitch is late to join the game. There is Ohel, Chai Lifeline and many more frum organizations that have been running for years before lubavitch joined. There are also very ehrlich Lubavitcher chasidim (not lite) from Monsey who participate every year. This isn’t the travesty you’re describing. It’s completely harmless and neutral.

  • MG

    To #24,

    What an immature, hateful and defensive comment. It is unbecoming of a Chabad chassid. It is obvious you are not a Chasid, because a real chassid would listen to tochacha and look inward and change his/her ways. Take my advice. If you are a runner, kol hakavod, but do it in a tznius way. Without the world watching.

    BTW, I’ll be in CH very soon, I’YH. No, I won’t be running up or down Easter Pkwy, c’v. But I will be dressed like a Bas Chabad should dress and a way that the Rebbe would be proud.

  • Go Channan!

    Big Ups to Chanan for supportting the runners of FCBC & Chabad of LIC Cheering Zone

  • Mother

    Unfortunately crown heights has a lot of poverty and families are struggling with illness and hardships no one should ever know. I can’t explain in words what strength we get from you youngsters who go out and show us you care about me and my family even though we have never met. I like so many lean on the charities in our communities for many different things and without all the support they get I would never get any in return. It’s called Paying It Forward. When you go out and do this huge Mitzvah you are creating many more around you that you are not aware of. So while you may read some anti sentiments on this i am sure it is no stranger to you because success will always have haters, but remember the many more that you are helping. Thank you from a mother to you all. Moshiach Now.

  • I think its wonderful

    All those negative comments, what is wrong with you people? The women were all dressed tznius who ran in the marathon! Also they were not drawing attention to themselves bu running, the only people drawing attention to them is you!!! Get a life, there is nothing wrong with any of this. If a man can run, a women can run, period!

  • FCBC

    It is great to see last years runners out together showing support for this years athletes. Thanks for the support!!!!!

  • Shaliach

    Keep on doing constructive and charitable work with your spare time. This is an example of what one can do after hours to help out one another. There are many things that each of us can do and while we are all created different we have each been given a gift from G-D that we must use for the good of all. Discover your talents whatever they may be, helping a woman across the street, smiling at a passerby, running a shule, speaking kindly about others, letting someone go in front of you at the supermarket, donating money to causes, running a school, whatever it is that you you do so well, keep on doing it so we can rejoice together with MOSHIACH. Hareni Mekabel Alai Mitzvat Asei Shel Veahavta Lereacha Kamocha. We say it every morning. Keep on doing it Chabad.

  • Team Work Makes The World a Better Place

    Crown Heights will one day be one team just like them. Supporting one another, cheering each other on, happy for each other, proud of each other, loving each other. It’s not just about recruiting strangers outside your community, its also about caring about the people where you live too. As the proverb says, charity begins at home. A person’s first obligation should be to help the members of his own family before he can begin thinking of talking about helping others. Crown Heights is all of our family.

  • Chabad of Long Island City

    Great to see you guys spreading the light. From your fans across the ocean.

  • non lubavich

    WOW i am not lubavich. but looking at all comments… you guys know nothing about havas israel.. nothing at all.

  • I was further north and did not see

    I was at Bedford and Taylor trying to cross the street with my wheelchair bound daughter who had Shabbos respite in Williamsburg. That kind of thing doesn’t exist in Crown Heights. Maybe that should be a focus of Friendship Circle- developing families in our community who are willing to take in a disabled child and yes- get paid for it by the various agencies as reshab or respite work. What a morning to have to pick her up- there was no way to cross the street for about ten minutes.
    And the Yidden in Williamsburg don’t like the marathon as the yingelach had to leave for sunday cheder extra early plus with the time change it was hard for the boys to be on the buses to school so early before the streets were closed.
    One child thought that all of the goyim in the world were running due to the masses of people in all types of get ups. They were surprised to hear that frum people ran.

  • Seriously?

    ayayay melech hamoshiach ayayay baruch haba!

    ATT pple who disapprove: if you dont like what you see, don’t do it yourself. But these pple are doing more good in the world then you apparently are, so please do the world a favor and stop criticizing. Plus, it is a great kiddush hashem to non-jews who see the Jewish pple proud of who they are by dressing differently. Trust me, the Jewish women running (covered head to toe with clothing) were NOT attracting any attention that isn’t modest… Seriously, use that sechel you are trying to show off.

    I hope you will take a moment and realize that “a mentch is a shpigal” “a man is a mirror” you are seeing your flaws in someone else. Deal with it :P