Israeli Special Team Runs New York Marathon in Honor of Fallen
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
A special delegation of 160 Israelis, including wounded soldiers and families of fallen soldiers, participated in the New York City Marathon on Sunday as part of the Shalva team. The runners honored fallen soldiers like Major Harel Birnstock and victims of the Nova festival massacre. Participants included a soldier who lost a leg in Gaza and a father pushing his daughter in a wheelchair.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- 160 Israelis, including wounded soldiers, ran the New York City Marathon with the Shalva team.
- The delegation ran in memory of fallen soldiers and victims of the October 7th attacks.
- Major Harel Birnstock, killed in Lebanon, was honored by his widow who accompanied the team.
- Boris Shtunda, an amputee fighter, became the first Israeli leg amputee to complete the marathon.
- Yossi and Chaya Hamani ran in memory of Nova festival victims, with Yossi pushing Chaya in a wheelchair.
A special delegation of 160 Israelis, including combat soldiers and individuals with personal connections to the ongoing conflict, participated in the New York City Marathon on Sunday. The group, running as part of the Shalva team, comprised fighters who lost limbs in Gaza, commanders from the October 7th battles, and others running in memory of fallen friends and family.
Among those honored was Major Harel Birnstock, who ran in the marathon two years prior and was killed in reserve duty in Lebanon two months ago. His widow, Elya, accompanied the delegation on the journey in his memory.
Notable participants included Boris Shtunda, a Duvdevan fighter who lost his right leg in Gaza and recently became the first Israeli amputee to complete an Ironman competition. He ran alongside Yossi and Chaya Hamani, a father and daughter, with Yossi pushing Chaya in her wheelchair as she battles a rare illness. They dedicated their run to Arik and Ruth Peretz, father and daughter murdered at the Nova music festival.
Other runners included Captain (Res.) Karni Gaz, who led a tank company that fought terrorists in the Gaza border communities, officers from the Golani and Givati brigades who lost soldiers, reservists, altruistic kidney donors, and parents of children with disabilities. This marked the second year of Israeli participation in the New York Marathon with the Shalva team, with this year's contingent highlighting resilience and remembrance.