The UJIA Rebuild Challenge on 14th January has raised more than £140,000 and is still growing.
The UJIA recently organised the Rebuild Challenge, a fundraising initiative for Israel encouraging the community to come together to run, cycle, row, or walk an aggregate total of 3,600 km – the distance (as the crow flies) from the UK to Israel.
The initial aim of the initiative was to raise £36,000 (3,600 km times £10), which would then be doubled by match funders for a total of £72,000, all taking place on one day. At the time of writing the initiative has raised over £140,000, with donations still ongoing.
Activities involved group training sessions, group runs and walks, group cycles, and even a group boxing session. 62 teams signed up for the event, each with two to 12 participants, with organisers estimating that around 250 people took part.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. As well as the huge amount of money raised for the Healing Centres in Israel, local organiser Adam Gilman commented that “the positivity the event generated in communities all over the country was amazing.”