On April 7-9, Geerz held its 8th annual Get Into Geerz, two-day charity bike ride. This year's ride was rendered incredibly special by virtue of the collective sense of mission and community that has characterized Israel throughout this historically complex time. The ride, which was delayed by a month because of the security situation, nearly did not take place at all.  However, the greatly expanded scope of activities made the resources that the ride produces more critical than ever, so our determination to proceed was steadfast.

Despite formidable challenges presented by the ongoing war and the increasingly familiar phenomenon of unseasonably late rainy weather, over 100 riders hit the trail for two days of breathtaking cycling in the Carmel and Ramot Menashe regions. Seven riding groups of varying levels from beginner to advanced Enduro were guided by some of Israel's most experienced and dynamic biking guides. As always, our riders represented an impressive cross-section of the biblical prophecy of the ingathering of the exiles as they included Olim from the US, UK, South Africa, Chile, Australia, and Israel. This diverse group came together and collectively rode over 8000 kilometers and climbed over 120,000 meters of some of the most magnificent trails in the Holy Land. It was truly a celebration of life, Zionism, camaraderie, and resilience.  

The riders were hosted in the lovely Kibbuz Nir Etzion hotel, which was founded by the survivors of the Kfar Etzion massacre in 1948. The location was especially meaningful because the hotel had been filled with evacuees from Southern Israel since the start of the war on October 7th until just two weeks before the ride. Geerz actually operated several Geerz groups for these very same evacuees, first in Nir Etzion and now continuing in their hometown of Ibim.

The first day of the ride was conducted in the awe-inspiring terrain of the Carmel mountain range. Later that night, a torrential downpour and epic electrical storm made it clear that the course we had spent months painstakingly planning would be unrideable the next morning. So with the undaunted assistance of an unparalleled logistics staff, we spent most of the night recalibrating our plans. The potential pitfalls in implementing something so complex on the fly were infinite. However, once again, G-d shone upon us, both figuratively and literally, and the riding day in Ramot Menashe was spectacularly beautiful and unforgettable.  

The ride featured an apres ride party featuring craft beer and specialty beverages from Oak and Ash and our traditional gala barbecue dinner. The emotional highlight of the ride was delivered at the Geerz presentation. Jen Airley, a long-time Geerz instructor, whose son Binyamin fell in battle in Gaza several months ago, shared her extraordinary odyssey of faith and described the transformative impact that Geerz has had on her and on the girls she trains. We also heard from Baruch Swinkin, Geerz's accountant, who spoke eloquently about the financial integrity and ethic of gratitude which have been so central to Geerz's success. Eli Lederman, a long time Geerz rider and supporter, whose son-in-law fell in battle on October 7th, spoke movingly about the way the Geerz community has helped him cope with his devastating loss.  

Our riders collectively raised over $700,000 to fund Geerz's vastly expanded war-time activities and expansion into new youth villages and special education programs throughout Israel. The revolutionary Geerz therapeutic mountain biking program is enabling some of the most vulnerable sectors of society to flourish despite the devastation they have endured.

At this point, we want to take the opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to our riders and to those who supported their campaigns on our behalf. Thanks to your generosity, Geerz will continue to empower hundreds of kids by teaching them essential life skills through the magic of mountain biking with our incredibly dedicated staff and highly customized curriculum.

We have already announced that the GIG 2025 ride will take place in Israel on March 23-25. Join us (click here) and see firsthand how the magic happens. 

Like everyone in Israel, the Geerz family was devastated and overwhelmed by the unfathomable tragedy that unfolded on October 7th and since. None of us, however, had the luxury of processing this shock. The country's very survival hinged on the ability of ordinary residents to step into the fray and fill the huge gaps between what was needed and the government's ability to meet these needs.

The collective trauma experienced by the entire nation, and especially by the kids, required everyone who had the ability to help, to step up in a big way, regardless of the cost. Geerz quickly made the obvious decision to do everything we possibly could in support of the national war effort. We knew that our remarkably effective therapeutic mountain biking program would be a powerful weapon in dealing with the epidemic of PTSD that tens of thousands of children were suffering from. 

So, in addition to our regular programming, Geerz immediately opened three new groups in response to urgent wartime requests from multiple communities and youth villages that have a high proportion of kids suffering from PTSD. Many additional groups soon followed and more are being added constantly. The demand for these game-changing programs is nearly endless and we are doing everything humanly possible to meet this explosive demand.  

In addition to the curriculum-based Geerz programming, we have also operated special programs for kids displaced from the South in order to provide them a sense of normalcy. We have even built custom mobile bike parks to bring the program to the kids when riding on the trails has been impossible because of security concerns.

On a clinical level, Geerz has also greatly enhanced the training of our staff to enable them to address the unique challenges Israeli kids are struggling with in these extraordinarily trying times. The results have thankfully been phenomenal and there are dozens of testimonials attesting to the powerful impact Geerz is having on hundreds of kids. Kids who were initially too terrified to leave their parents’ sight for a single moment in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th horrors have gradually developed the confidence to go outside and even ride their bikes independently in their new and unfamiliar surroundings.

In addition to Geerz’ regular activities operating our award-winning therapeutic mountain biking program serving over 500 kids each week, our special wartime activities include the following: 

• We provided material and emotional support to the Geerz families from Sderot, including counseling, phone support, toys, clothing, bikes, helmets, scooters, pacifiers, housing support and food. 
• We purchased and delivered bikes to displaced children. 
• We provided financial support for the families of fallen soldiers.
• We operated a campaign to support the wives and families of soldiers called up for extensive reserve duty.
• We used our online fundraising platform to raise money for victims of the October 7 massacre and absorbed all associated costs and fees.
• We purchased and delivered large amounts of tactical equipment including scopes, backpacks, utility knives, helmets, drones, clothing, thermoses, portable batteries and bulletproof vests.
• We purchased and delivered warm jackets to IDF soldiers.
• We provided Shabbat kits for soldiers. 

Naturally, none of this vastly expanded wartime activity was foreseeable and therefore Geerz could not and did not budget for these activities. We responded to this unprecedented emergency because we understood what a difference our programs would make to these kids and their families.

We are proud to note that we did not scale back on a single one of our regularly scheduled programs, whether in youth villages, special education frameworks, special circumstance girls’ schools or community groups. Initially, we refrained from actively fundraising to defray the huge additional costs of our emergency programming because we were reluctant to divert much-needed resources from the military effort. At this point, however, as we continue to respond to the demand for the Geerz program, we are reaching out to our supporters to ensure that we can continue serving more kids who desperately need us.

We are all praying for better times.  But we dare not delude ourselves that when the guns finally fall silent that all will magically return to the way they were.  Restoring a sense of security, confidence, empowerment, and resilience in the kids of this country will be a herculean effort. Geerz will be here, doing everything we can to ensure the mental health and vitality of these kids. We are so grateful for your partnership in this holy and indispensable mission.

The goal of the Talpiyot Youth Village is to provide the children with a warm, family-style, therapeutic environment that addresses the child's needs while considering the child's family and background. We operate a full therapeutic boarding school which is home to children aged 6-18. The boarding school operates with a format of small, close-knit groups of up to 12 children. Each group is under the care of a couple who lives with these children in the group's building. We believe that this model and through association with the family, the children will be able to adapt themselves to correct family patterns and ultimately, apply them to their own family in the future.

Geerz has been operating within the village for three years. Our partnership with Geerz arose from the need to provide a framework for our children of all ages to be active in open spaces. Over the years, we have introduced countless programs into our villageת but many of them have failed to catch on.

At first, Geerz operated in the village in a limited format. But the program was extremely popular and it quickly gained momentum. Therefore, we asked them to expand the program to other groups. Despite the fact that our budget did not enable us to adequately fund these programs, Geerz was incredibly enthusiastic and accommodating about expanding their highly successful programs.

We have been very impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the Geerz staff. The level of the instructors and assistants is high. They exhibit tremendous patience in often trying circumstances and manage to include every child at his/her level. What is most striking about the program is how it manages to be so structured and goal-oriented while still being spontaneous and fun. Their unique curriculum and flawless implementation are both vital to the great success of the program. 

Children like those in Talpiot, often begin our new programs with lots of enthusiasm, but the biggest challenge is their ability to persevere. Many of the children who participated in the Geerz program were children who were unable to stay in other group activities and take part in the activity for a long time. From the very first meeting, the Geerz team made sure to provide a highly inviting setting that included providing the children with a new bike, helmet, and customized shirt. In turn, Geerz demands that the child treat the program with the appropriate seriousness, arriving on time and being responsible for their gear.

Most of our children could only have dreamed of ever owning a new mountain bike. The kids ride as a group outside the village, in the hills, on the beach and in other natural treasures they never knew existed right near the village. To say that this voyage of exploration has expanded their horizons is an understatement.

The sessions forced the kids to face various challenges, such as fear, competition, failure and frustration. As a long-time youth village director, I have seen a lot, but the transformation we witnessed in so many kids, was amazing. I want to thank Geerz for their beautiful and holy work with the children of Talpiot.

I want to especially express our appreciation to the instructors for their kindness and patience even in the difficult moments that are inevitable in such an environment. The Geerz instructors manage to relate to the kids even in their most challenging circumstances, to manage complex behaviors and still persevere and reach new goals each time.

Our kids desperately need individuals who see them and fight on their behalf.   The Geerz team are models on how to do this.

Want to be inspired? Watch these extraordinary speeches by Geerz instructor Jen Airley and Geerz rider Elie Lederman which were delivered recently at the Geerz ride. Both speakers recently experienced the tragedy of bereavement and offer profound reflections on their experiences. These speeches will change the way you see the world.

Jen's speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRvIM2Caaf0

Elie's speech: https://youtu.be/BuG3epvcsos