Looking back, it was riding through Granville, Ohio, that brought it all home.

Since Oct. 7, those of us who feel deeply connected to Israel from abroad have felt helpless. In the face of the unimaginable suffering of Israelis whose loved ones were murdered, the hostages in Gaza and their agonized families and the various concentric circles of pain around them, there was so little we could do. We sent money, WhatsApped with friends and family members on the ground and supported the U.S. government’s solidarity with Israel — but ultimately our efforts felt like a teaspoon of sugar in an ocean of bitter tears, and even those things we could do often felt too remote or abstract. The distance between us never felt greater.

Then came Project24 and Pelotonia.

Project24 is the brainchild of Daniel Gradus. I met Daniel in 1995 when I was the program director at URJ Goldman Union Camp and he was a squirrelly Israeli 17-year-old working there as a camp counselor. Decades later, we reconnected, and I learned that Daniel was in the business of creating meaningful, win-win connections between Israeli startup founders and North American Jewish business leaders. 

In response to Oct. 7, Daniel dropped everything, took what he learned from his previous endeavor and, with some partners, poured all that experience, knowledge and energy into creating projects to give North American Jews meaningful ways to help suffering Israelis. 

Project24’s initiatives focus on shared interests and passions and creating personal connections. Diaspora Jews get to help Israelis in a far more targeted and creative way than merely writing a check, and Israelis are never mere recipients of charity, but rather partners in a mutually beneficial process of healing and relationship-building.

I invited Daniel and his team to visit Columbus in March during their swing through the U.S. to raise awareness and create partnerships. Project24’s method inspired a group of key local Jewish leaders, planting the seed for them to be ready to help when the right project came along. 

That opportunity came during a Zoom call in May between Project24 staff and stakeholders. “We have a group of cyclists from the Gaza border area,” said Project24 co-founder Aviv Hochbaum. “We are hoping to arrange for them to visit the U.S. Anyone into cycling?” 

Both Gordon Hecker and I practically jumped through the Zoom screen. I have become a fanatical cyclist since the outbreak of COVID-19. A former CEO of JewishColumbus and community volunteer extraordinaire, Gordon has been riding for years. We both appreciate the power of cycling to bring communities together and we have various groups of Jewish friends with whom we ride. After the call, the Project24 team followed up to say they were aiming for the end of July or the beginning of August. Would that timing work?

It was a crystal clear sign that this initiative was bashert, meant to be.

Every year, the first weekend in August is “ride weekend” for Pelotonia, an organization that raises over $25 million each year for cancer research. It is the biggest charity event of the year in Columbus, bringing together over 10,000 riders and volunteers, along with countless cheerleaders and supporters. For cyclists who care about making the world a better place, and for everyone whose life has been touched by cancer, it’s the centerpiece of the year. It’s the single greatest outpouring of human goodness I have ever seen.

Gordon and I immediately knew that these Israeli cyclists had to come to Columbus and ride with us in Pelotonia. And that is what happened — but it took a village.

JewishColumbus came through with significant funding to allow the project to proceed, as well as wonderful staff support. It was a perfect example of why we have a Jewish federation — a magnificent use of communal resources. Temple Israel hosted Kabbalat Shabbat services with the Israelis as guest speakers and a lovely Shabbat dinner. Rockbridge Capital lent us bikes for the Israelis to use. Fox’s Bagels provided a wonderful deli spread for our closing breakfast. The JCC hosted a spin class and a public gathering for the Israelis to share their stories. Various community members stepped up to handle everything from rides to bike repairs to Ohio State campus tours. The Pelotonia staff welcomed this unique “Team Project24” with open arms and facilitated support from donors. And seven generous families hosted the Israeli guests in their homes for four nights, creating relationships that will last a lifetime.

For three days we showed the Israelis around our community, embracing them in a giant hug of Jewish peoplehood. It was truly beautiful to see these battered souls getting a break from the hell they had been living through for ten months. We shared in their wonder and delight at the charms of Columbus and the vibrancy of our Jewish community, which too few Israelis really understand. We listened as they told their harrowing stories of Oct. 7. They saw and appreciated the creativity and power of Diaspora Jewish life, and they felt so much less alone.

And then, at 6 a.m. on Pelotonia “ride morning,” we gathered with a team of cyclists from Bexley for an interfaith moment of prayer to bless our riding, and off we rolled. This was where the magic of this project really blossomed before our eyes.

Cycling heals. The sensation of freedom, the sunshine and breeze, temporarily liberates us from our worries and grief. The challenge of pushing through the difficult stretches, conquering hills, reminds us we can overcome life’s challenges. And doing it together in a supportive community allows us to share each other’s burdens and help one another through the difficult moments. Pelotonia is all of that, magnified and elevated astronomically by the scale of the event and the power of its goal: ending cancer, that monster that has caused so much pain to so many. 

Our Israeli friends sensed that power immediately. The sea of humanity, seemingly all of Central Ohio, enveloped them in the spirit of gratitude, hope and joy — emotions they had scarcely felt since Oct. 7. Other riders along the way saw our jerseys with the Israeli flag and the yellow ribbon image and asked about our team. Cruising along at 18 miles per hour, they fell into respectful silence and even awe as they heard the stories of the Project24 riders. No matter how far we rode into rural Ohio, the support of friendly police directing traffic and small groups of supporters still lined the roads. 

But about halfway through our 100-mile ride, we entered the historic town of Granville, home of Denison College, and the meaning of the whole experience really sank in for the Israelis and me. The tiny downtown strip of Granville was packed on both sides of the street with throngs of supporters ringing cowbells and holding signs with messages of gratitude and support for the fight against cancer. The cheerleaders and marching band from Granville High School poured all of their youthful energy into celebrating the riders as we rolled through town. The Israelis beamed with pride and pumped their fists in the air in triumph. One even pulled out his phone to capture a moment on video that he would never be able to explain to his Israeli family and friends. 

Ten months after having their lives shattered, their communities torn apart by grief and loss and their national confidence and spirit battered, Team Project 24 suddenly felt like what they truly are: heroes. Their heroism extended from the sheer will to survive their trauma to the spirit of adventure and courage that led them to the heartland of the U.S. As much as they got from the experience, they gave even more to us, their hosts. Together we fought cancer and we fought despair in one magical weekend of Jewish peoplehood, generosity of spirit and the very finest of our humanity.

Rabb Jay Henry Moses is vice president of the Wexner Foundation. He is the captain of Team Project24, a group of Israeli cyclists in the 2024 Pelotonia ride, which has raised nearly $50,000 for cancer research.