South African Runner Finds Community at New York Marathon

Dan Stillerman, a Jewish South African runner, recently participated in the New York Marathon, which drew a record 61,146 finishers. He had initially felt a sense of isolation, being the only Jewish South African runner he knew of, traveling to the event without a specific cause or personal-best target. However, his experience took a turn when he attended a "Shakeout run" in Central Park on the Friday before the marathon.

The Shakeout run, organized by Nice Jewish Runners (NJR), brought together around 200 people, many wearing branded NJR kit. Stillerman met Beatie Deutsch, the "Marathon Mother" and Israeli national marathon champion, who shared a past experience of running with the group in Glenhazel on a particularly cold day. The group ran through Central Park, where they were joined by hundreds of Israelis running for Team Shalva, an organization that supports people with disabilities.

The runners, including Stillerman, ran the last 800m to the official marathon finish line, singing Hatikva with close to 1,000 Jewish runners and supporters. It was an experience Stillerman described as unforgettable. At the finish line, he met Valerie Hartman and Matthew Schmidlin, who were running for Achilles International, a non-profit organization that helps blind and disabled athletes participate in marathons.

Stillerman learned about the significance of the Fred Lebow statue, located near the finish line pavilion, which was moved from the Upper East Side for the marathon. Fred Lebow, born Fischel Lebowitz in Arad, Romania, in 1932, was a key figure in organizing the first New York City Marathon in 1970. He served as the race director for 24 years and continued to be involved in the event even after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

After the Shakeout run, Stillerman and others walked to a bakery on the Upper West Side, where they enjoyed babka and coffee. It was there that he met Fred's niece, Estee Stimler, and Marty Granoff, the 90-year-old oldest runner in the field. Granoff, who hadn't run a marathon in 43 years, trained and completed the event with his son and grandson, finishing in eight hours and 26 minutes.

On the day of the marathon, Stillerman participated in the International Minyan tent at the start village on Staten Island, where he put on tallis and tefillin. He completed the marathon in 3:38, amidst a sea of two million spectators along the route. His wife, Kayli, was among those cheering him on. Stillerman reflected that he had found a sense of belonging and inspiration through his encounter with the Jewish running community.

The experience has inspired Stillerman to create a similar community back home. He recently hosted the inaugural Friday-morning Babka Run at Run Glenhazel, a social running group for the community. The event drew 40 participants and is set to become a weekly tradition. Stillerman, a visionary entrepreneur and productivity coach, aims to foster a sense of community and camaraderie among runners.

Key points

• The New York Marathon drew a record 61,146 finishers.
• Stillerman found a sense of belonging through a chance encounter with a group of Jewish runners.
• The Babka Run has become a weekly tradition in Glenhazel, inspired by Stillerman's experience at the New York Marathon.