Topic: Rides

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Retreat Highlight: Eden Village Camp

After a weekend retreat spent on the historical grounds of Camp Kinder Ring, New York Ride and Retreat participants will spend Sunday biking from Kinder Ring to Eden Village Camp.  Much, much younger than our other host camp, Eden Village Camp was founded in 2008, and ran its first summer program just last year.  The camp was founded by Vivian and Yoni Stadlin, who imagined a Jewish overnight environmental camp.  In their mission statement they explain, “Rooted in the Jewish vision of creating a more environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually connected world, Eden Village Camp is dedicated to providing campers with an incredible summer experience while empowering them to promote a vibrant future for themselves, their communities, and our planet.” (more…)

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Grantee Spotlight: AmpleHarvest.org

For the first time this year, Hazon is excited to offer a grant from the proceeds of the New York Ride to AmpleHarvest.org, an incredible organization whose work fits very well with the theme of this year’s weekend retreat: “Food Choices: Why what we eat matters.” In 2008, Gary Oppenheimer  became the director of a community garden in his hometown of West Milford, New Jersey, and quickly realized that many of the plot holders were growing more food than they could possibly eat, save, or give to friends, and so were leaving a lot of their produce unharvested.  He formed a committee to gather the extra produce and deliver it to local food pantries, and was struck by how difficult it was to find food pantries, as many were unlisted, and did not have websites.  Gary knew that nationally, more than 50 million Americans live in food-insecure homes, and more than 40 million Americans grow their own produce, oftentimes more than they can actually use.  In 2009, Gary started AmpleHarvest.org to be the link between these two groups – encouraging home gardeners to donate their excess produce to people in need in their communities, and connecting them to local food […]

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2010 Hazon NY Environmental Bike Ride

New York Ride & Retreat Shabbat Schedule Announced

The educational theme of the New York Ride‘s Shabbat Retreat is “Food Choices: Why What We Eat Matters,” and we are promising participants a fun, relaxing, engaging, and informative weekend at the beautiful Camp Kinder Ring.  The schedule for the weekend has now been finalized, so check it out to learn about all the exciting activities, workshops, services and meals – all keeping with the theme of food choices – offered throughout the retreat weekend. Join us for the Shabbat retreat, and here’s what your weekend might look like: After you arrive on Friday afternoon and settle into your cabin, you might choose to learn a bit of Yiddish in an introductory class: Yiddish on One Foot.  If you’re more excited by food, you can learn some DIY kitchen skills by attending workshops on pickling, challah baking, and making homemade salad dressings.  Or maybe you’ve really been looking forward to the Ride, and will want to learn a bit of bike maintenance in the flat changing workshop.  You can choose how you would most like to welcome in Shabbat as there will be several different service options, and we will all join together to light the candles, and to share […]

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Grantee Spotlight: Teva Learning Center

The New York Ride is Hazon’s longest-running program, and will take place for the eleventh time this Labor Day weekend.  Each year, the Ride is an opportunity for Hazon to connect with and support new organizations that are doing work we are excited about, and over the years we’ve been able to support upwards of 80 different organizations.  Just as importantly, the Ride has allowed us to build continued, long-lasting relationships with several organizations that we have been involved with from the very beginning, and whose goals and visions are similar to our own.  There are several organizations that have received grants from the New York Ride for many years, but only the Teva Learning Center has been a grant recipient for every one of the New York Rides, 2001-2011. (more…)

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Why We Ride With Hazon: Ruth Messinger [VIDEO]

We want to know, why do you ride with Hazon? We grabbed a video camera and started asking. This week we hear from Ruth Messinger, president and executive director of American Jewish World Service. She has ridden in every New York Ride since its inception. Prior to joining AJWS in 1998, Ruth was in public service in New York City for 20 years, including having served as Manhattan borough president. American Jewish World Service’s Hunger Campaign, Fighting Hunger from the Ground Up, also happens to be a beneficiary of fundraising from the New York Ride. Read more about Fighting Hunger from the Ground Up. Why do you ride with Hazon? Leave your thoughts in the comments! Stay tuned for more videos! Learn More about the New York Ride & Retreat

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Camp Kinder Ring: 100 Years of History

The New York Ride‘s weekend retreat will take place on the grounds of Camp Kinder Ring, a Jewish summer camp located in Hopewell Junction, New York. Aside from being a beautiful and fun setting for the Shabbaton and start of the Ride, Camp Kinder Ring has a very interesting and unusual history. Camp Kinder Ring was started in 1927 by The Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring, an organization founded in 1900 by Jewish immigrants in New York and still active today, with members across North America. As the number of Eastern European Jews immigrating to the United States grew drastically near the end of the 1800s, it became clear that there was a real need for an organization that would work to preserve the Jewish culture and identity, and to unify the community against the challenges facing new American immigrants. Der Arbeter Ring, or The Workmen’s Circle in English, was founded to meet these challenges, and has evolved with time to adjust to the changing situation of American Jews, while remaining true to its founding principles of Jewish community, the promotion of an enlightened Jewish culture, and social justice. (more…)

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Grantee Spotlight: Adamah, The Jewish Environmental Fellowship

Proceeds of this year’s New York Ride will provide grants to several organizations and projects that are in line with Hazon’s mission.  Among the major grant recipients is Adamah, which is a program of the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, located in Northern Connecticut. Adamah connects people to their roots, to the land, to community, to Judaism, and to themselves by providing educational programs and products in order to build a more sustainable world. (more…)

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Rider Spotlight: Donna and Makayla Kahan

When Donna Kahan first read about Hazon’s New York Ride, she thought it sounded like something she would love to do, but didn’t see how it would work because leaving her kids and husband for Labor Day weekend just seemed too complicated. A resident of Demarest, NJ, Donna had been on the lookout for a new group to bike with since her cycling group had recently broken up. She decided to check out the Hazon training rides.  On her first training ride, she met Ezra Weinberg, one of the chairs of this year’s New York Ride.  When Donna mentioned to Ezra that she would love to do the ride with her daughter Makayla, she wasn’t sure that, Makayla was quite old enough. Ezra was very motivating, and was able to convince Donna that she and Makayla could definitely do the ride together.  The pair got some tips on training a friend who had ridden in the New York Ride before. Since then, mother and daughter have been riding together every weekend in Hazon’s training rides.  Makayla is going to be a freshman at Northern Valley Regional High School in the fall. (more…)

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Israel Ride Touring Options Announced

The Israel Ride is more than just a bike ride – it’s a week-long fully supported tour of Israel, complete with hotel accommodations, great food, expert tour guides, and a wonderful community of cyclists. For many riders, one highlight of the Ride is the sight-seeing and educational opportunities along the route. The Israeli landscape is full of historic sites, natural features, modern villages, and other points of interest. Unlike a bus tour, when you travel by bike you spend more time absorbing your surroundings.  We build in time for all participants to learn about the past, present, and future of the land. [blue_message]For more information about the Israel Ride, please explore the Israel Ride section of our website. [/blue_message] (more…)

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Vote for Hazon in Citgo’s Fueling Good Summer Charity Contest

Citgo wants to know “How far can a gallon of gas go?” We’re hoping to take it across the United States in support of our cyclists. Every Hazon ride provides extensive support to its cyclists. This means transporting people and gear in cars and trucks. The cost of fuel is rising and that raises the costs of running a Hazon ride. With your help we can provide grant recipients with the funds they deserve. (more…)

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Staten Island Ride

Staten Island Training Ride July 24th [NY Area Cycling]

UPDATE 7/21/11 6:14 PM: Due to the expected Heat, we are changing the start time on Sunday. NEW Start Locations and Departure Times You can meet us in Manhattan at the JCC Manhattan (76th and Amsterdam) at 7:00 am or in Brooklyn at Grand Army Plaza at 7:30 am if you want to bike to the ferry.  Both groups will meet at the Staten Island Ferry to catch the 8:30 am ferry, or you can take the subway and meet us at the ferry terminal. Note about the heat: We have moved this ride extra early because of the current heat wave – the high on Sunday is 90 degrees. Please be sure to bring TWO water bottles, ideally one filled with an energy drink. We strongly recommend having snacks to eat on the ride, especially something salty.  For more about about the heat, check out the tips sent this week from our friends at Bike New York. This Sunday, Ride to Staten Island with Hazon! Start at the JCC Manhattan (40 miles total) or starting at Grand Army Plaza (35 miles total) and ride to Staten Island for a 25 mile loop around the northern half of the island. Hazon […]

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Riding by the JCC Manhattan

July 17th Training Ride [NYC Cycling]

THIS WEEK: Ride with Hazon this Sunday, July 17th. Starting at the JCC Manhattan – 50 miles to Nyack or 40 Miles to Piermont Hazon rides are open to everyone but you should be able to maintain a minimum speed to stay with the group. We suggest leaving your lock, backpack and any other unnecessary weight at home. Please make sure your bike is in working condition before you leave. If you cannot keep up with the group or if your bike does not work, the Ride Leader may “release” you from our ride. Start Location and Departure Time 8:45 am at JCC Manhattan on Amsterdam Ave. by 76th St. [blue_message]Be sure to RSVP for the ride online (We will contact people who RSVP if we cancel due to rain. The current forecast is lovely, but you never know.)[/blue_message] (more…)

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Ride with Hazon in Celebrate Israel Parade

Last year over 40 riders joined Hazon in the Celebrate Israel Parade up 5th Avenue in Manhattan. Join us this year! Sunday, June 5th, 11 AM, New York, NY RSVP for a spot in the parade up Fifth Avenue – on a bike! Learn more about the parade. Parade meeting point: 53rd St between Madison and Park Avenue Parade starts: 11:00 Assembly Time: 11:45 Estimated Step off time: 12:30 This is a FREE event!

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Finding a Spiritual Home

By Rabbi Ezra Weinberg, New York Ride Co-Chair To all you seekers of spiritual community out there, I have one piece of advice. Do not limit your search to only traditional religious institutions. Do support your local synagogue, but also be aware that spiritual community comes in many forms. The Hazon community has become one of my spiritual homes. For me, the term “spirituality” refers to when the different pieces of one’s life start to tell a coherent story that inspires action. The backbone of spiritual experience occurs when seemingly disconnected parts of my life begin to feel interconnected—what I like to call the “connecting of the dots;” when coincidence becomes impossible to ignore. This is only one limited explanation for a widely used elusive concept, but this “connecting of the dots” experience happens to define my relationship with the Hazon community, including how I first got involved. (more…)

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Why Jewish Environmentalism

What is Jewish environmentalism? 1. The beginnings of a Jewish environmental ethic emerge out of Bereishit, – Genesis – through the two creation stories, which set up models of our relationship as human beings with the rest of creation, and which obligate us to tend and to protect the world. 2. Our agricultural roots, celebrated on holidays and in sacred texts, are intended to connect us to the land. 3. The cycles of the Jewish year are grounded in the natural world and our connection to it 4. Shabbat – stopping and resting on the Sabbath – teaches that there are higher values than production and consumption. Resting on Shabbat – one day in seven – lies at the heart of a healthy relationship with oneself, one’s friends and one’s family, and the wider world. 5. The biblical concept of shmitta – having the land rest on its seventh year – provides an equivalent model of rest for the land itself. 6. The biblical concept of peah – leaving the corner of the field unharvested for the poor to pick themselves – connects ecological issues with human values: our obligation to see that people live free of hunger and that […]

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