Massachusetts Natives Cycle Across Israel with Wounded IDF Veterans

Photo Credits: Nadav Ariel.

WAYLAND, Mass. – Massachusetts Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) supporters Herbert Kavet, of Wayland, and Elizabeth McClintock, of Wellesley, along with 35 other supporters from across the U.S., concluded a six-day bicycle ride through Israel last month. Joining the American FIDF supporters for this cross-country ride, which began in northern Israel on Sept. 18, was a group of wounded Israeli combat veterans who have benefited from FIDF rehabilitative programs and prosthetic devices. The ride allowed participants to show solidarity with the brave men and women of the IDF and experience Israel in a whole new way.

“The FIDF Cycling Tour gave me valuable insight into Israeli culture – and its passion for life,” said McClintock. “The tour gave us the unique opportunity to ride across Israel with wounded veterans and visit IDF bases, where we met the soldiers who serve on Israel’s front lines. We learned firsthand about their intense training and responsibilities – and their inspiring dedication to protecting the Jewish homeland.”

The 37 cyclists from across the U.S. covered more than 400 miles and a total vertical climb of about 32,000 feet. Cyclists began near the Sea of Galilee and rode along the Jordanian border, then climbed the Golan Heights toward Mt. Hermon, Israel’s tallest peak, before descending to the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea, and riding through the Ramon Crater in the Negev Desert. The tour ended at Tel Aviv’s scenic Mediterranean beach. Along the way, the group visited Israeli military bases, national landmarks, and ancient historic sites.

Photo #1: The group of 37 cyclists and FIDF supporters from across the U.S. by Tel Aviv’s coast.

Photo #2: The group of 37 cyclists and FIDF supporters from across the U.S. at a memorial in the Golan Heights’ Valley of Tears, the site of a major battle during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Photo #3: Former IDF 1st Lt. David Peretz, who lost his leg in a battle in Lebanon in 1985, during the FIDF Cycling Tour of Israel.

Photo #4: Cyclists on the FIDF Cycling Tour of Israel riding through the Negev Desert.

Photo #5: Elizabeth McClintock, of Wellesley, Mass., riding through the Golan Heights.

Photo #6: Elizabeth McClintock, of Wellesley, Mass., leading the pack of cyclists.

Photo #7: Herbert Kavet, of Wayland, Mass., during the FIDF Cycling Tour of Israel.

About Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF):

FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization with the mission of offering educational, cultural, recreational, and social programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide. Today, FIDF has more than 150,000 loyal supporters, and 16 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF proudly supports IDF soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and wounded veterans through a variety of innovative programs that reinforce the vital bond between the communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF, and the State of Israel. For more information, please visit: www.fidf.org.