'Israel on Two Wheels' Starts in West Bloomfield

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Despite the recent resurgence in attacks on Israeli civilians, 40 American supporters of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) sent their own messages of courage by biking the length of Israel last month — from the Galilee hills in the north to the Red Sea in the south.

Dany Saar, a former IDF soldier and avid cyclist from West Bloomfield Township, organized the “Israel on Two Wheels” Cycling Tour, a once-in-a-lifetime journey to show support for Israeli soldiers.

Joined by eight wounded Israeli veterans who are participants in the FIDF’s Strides Program, they visited IDF bases along the route. The Strides Program provides athletic prosthetics to wounded veterans so they can participate in and enjoy sports.

“This has been an amazing opportunity to bring FIDF supporters closer to Israeli soldiers and to strengthen the bonds between them,” Saar said of the tour. “Biking across Israel and meeting Israeli soldiers along the way allowed us to really connect with the brave men and women who benefit from FIDF programs.”

The challenging six-day tour covered 400 miles and a total vertical climb of 32,000 feet over some of Israel’s most unforgiving terrain. The riders began in the northwest corner of Israel near the Mediterranean Sea, and climbed the Galilee foothills heading to Mt. Hermon, the tallest peak in Israel.

They crossed the volcanic Golan Heights near Syria, and then descended into the Jordan Valley before reaching the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea. From there, the participants rode south, through Israel’s Negev Desert, to the Red Sea.

Saar, a recruiter for an executive search firm who came to the United States in 1977 to work on his doctorate, has cycled extensively in Israel. He organized the ride with other members of the Michigan chapter of the FIDF, one of 15 regional chapters of the international charitable organization founded in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors.

About a dozen Michigan residents participated in the inaugural tour, which was dedicated to the memory of West Bloomfield resident Jeff Surnow, who died in Hawaii this spring when his bicycle was struck by an on-duty police officer.

Surnow, along with his brother, Michael, was an extreme cyclist, so a challenging route was established to honor them.

The rigorous ride was “huge by any means, even for professionals,” Saar said.

Plans are already under way for next year’s ride, which will include more options to accommodate riders of different skill levels and abilities.

“We’ll add some creative things that will make it interesting, unique and different than the year before,” Saar said.

Photos

1. “Israel on Two Wheels” cycling 5our leader Dany Saar of West Bloomfield.
2. The FIDF cycling tour departing for the Negev Desert.
3. FIDF cyclists with IDF soldiers at Mt. Hermon.
4. FIDF cyclists at David Ben Gurion’s tomb in the Negev.
5. FIDF Cycling Tour leader Dany Saar of West Bloomfield, Mich. (left) with wounded Israeli veterans and FIDF Strides Program participants.
6. FIDF Cycling Tour leader Dany Saar of West Bloomfield, Mich., riding in front of wounded IDF veteran and FIDF Strides Program participant Col. Itzik Gabai.
7. Wounded IDF veteran and FIDF Strides Program Founder Shlomo Nimrodi (front right) leading the FIDF cyclists down Mt. Hermon.