Johannesburg community runs for joy at hostage release

The Johannesburg Jewish community defied rain and gloomy weather on Sunday, 12 October, to don running shoes, yellow ribbons, and blue and white colours for a run in honour of the hostages to be released from Hamas captivity on 13 October.

In collaboration with the Jewish National Fund (JNF); the Malka Ella Fund; The Base Shul; DL Link; 2.0 Strength and Fitness Gym; 365BPM; and KosherWorld, runners were filled with anticipation, not only for the 3km or 5km run, but to celebrate the hostages’ return.

“It was moving to see our community, from toddlers to great-grandparents, braving the rain and filling the streets of Glenhazel in blue and white,” said Michael Kransdorff, chairperson of the JNF.

After the news was announced on Thursday, 9 October, that a deal had been reached to return the remaining hostages, the JNF wanted to do something to celebrate the news.

The JNF and The Base community have been at the forefront of hostage awareness locally for the past two years.

“We launched the yellow ribbon campaign around Johannesburg, and have hosted more than 20 former hostages and their family members as part of our Hostage Healing programme,” said Kransdorff.

“As news of the imminent hostage release broke, we felt the need to do something meaningful and positive for their return. Though we’re thousands of kilometres away, we wanted to walk those last few miles with them, to remind them and us that they aren’t alone and that their pain and courage are shared by all of Am Yisrael.

“So many diverse organisations came together at the last minute to make this happen. With incredible teamwork and dedication, we were able to pull it off in less than 72 hours – with 24 of those being on Shabbos,” said Kransdorff.

The atmosphere was set before the run had even started, with Israeli music outside KosherWorld setting the tone for something the Jewish community hadn’t seen in two years – celebration of the hostages finally coming home.

The mood continued throughout the run, with some runners running with speakers on a backpack so that everyone could celebrate with Israeli music, and keep up the infectious, upbeat attitude.

Steven Slotow, from 365BPM, said, “We’re here to show the strength of the Jewish community. We’re going to be playing music the whole way. We encourage everyone to stick together. It’s not a race; there are no awards or medals or anything like that.”

“Hundreds of people ran, walked, and even danced along the route, with Israeli music showing that our hearts are with the hostages and their families. It was a powerful expression of unity, hope, and our love for Am Yisrael,” said Kransdorff.