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After months of planning, fund raising, and spreading the word about Tikvah and all the Ramah special needs programs, the Ramah Galil Ride 2011 has come to a successful conclusion.

More than 40 Riders met and exceeded their goals; in addition, the overall experience gave them a new perspective and excitement for the Ramah Camping Movement.

What a great combination--more than $205,000 raised for an important cause, intense physical challenge and adventure, and a new experience of seeing Israel and learning about the land and our history.

Shabbat was not only restful and restorative, but also, according to many Riders, truly spiritually uplifting. Barbara and Herb Greenberg, the founders of Tikvah, came as our guests. After havdalah, we all enjoyed a campfire and singing to celebrate Lag B'Omer. 

Day 4: Sunday's ride from Carmiel to Kibbutz Hannaton was mostly uphill, and at times quite steep. (And some Riders added an additional 18 km of cycling to the village of Avtalyon and back!) After lunch, the group switched to dirt bikes and rode a trail in the mountains overlooking Tiberias at Poriah. 

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Day 5: For today's final ride, we circled the entire Kinneret, a ride in the hot sun of 66 km, with some Riders adding a climb into the Golan Heights. We learned about early Christian sites as we visited the ancient church at Kurzi.

Shortly after 2 p.m., the last Rider returned to the hotel parking lot, greeted by a celebratory throng of cheering group members. With so many new friendships created, our final meeting seemed like the last night of camp, accompanied by moving speeches and tearful goodbyes.

Most importantly, we all saluted the incredible staff members who work with our special needs children and young adults. Proceeds from the Ride will support the training of these dedicated counselors and each camp's special needs scholarship program.

Thank you again to all who supported this Ride, and a special thanks to Dr. Joe Freedman, Director of Ramah Programs in Israel, for leading and inspiring us throughout the week.

Finally, I must acknowledge once more our incredible Riders for all their support and enthusiasm. We look forward to including even more supporters in our next charitable adventure.

Please continue to view our latest photos, videos, and blog posts at www.ramahbikeride.org.

Shalom from Tiberias,

Visit our website at www.ramahbikeride.org.

 www.campramah.org

Missed any of our previous updates? Here are some highlights!

Click on the image to view the Ride photo albums

Day 3: Day 3 began with a two-hour ride, almost all uphill, right along the Lebanese border. The views into northern Israel were spectacular. Once again, riders cheered as each participant rode into the first rest stop, having climbed approximately 1,400 feet... Read more 

Day 2: Another great day on the Ramah Galil Ride...most riders took a bus up to the top of Mt. Hermon, the highest point in Israel on the Syrian and Lebanese borders. About 15 riders made the entire climb by bike, a great accomplishment and "one of the greatest physical challenges I have ever done"... Read more  

Day 1: What a fantastic (and exhausting!) first day of the Ramah Galil Ride! We started at Katzrin and biked, mostly uphill, to the south eastern section of the Golan, overlooking the Syrian border. The uphill climbing seemed endless... Read more