My Profile

Dear Family and Friends,I have personally been involved with Geerz since we moved to Israel in mid-2019, with two sons benefiting from their weekly bike riding sessions for a couple of years and another son considering volunteering with them. I have set myself a goal and hopefully, with your help, I’ll be able to reach my goal to raise $5,200 AUD or 12,500nis to help a cause that I feel is a game changing program to help youth get off the couches, onto bike seats, out of the house and into nature with friends, seeing the beautiful trails Israel has to offer, learning to persevere and conquer challenges - literally life-changing stuff! I want a share a personal story. The day after the Meron tragedy in 2021 where 45 people lost their lives, the mother of a boy in my son's Geerz group reached out to see if anyone had a ... More

Dear Family and Friends,

I have personally been involved with Geerz since we moved to Israel in mid-2019, with two sons benefiting from their weekly bike riding sessions for a couple of years and another son considering volunteering with them. I have set myself a goal and hopefully, with your help, I’ll be able to reach my goal to raise $5,200 AUD or 12,500nis to help a cause that I feel is a game changing program to help youth get off the couches, onto bike seats, out of the house and into nature with friends, seeing the beautiful trails Israel has to offer, learning to persevere and conquer challenges - literally life-changing stuff! I want a share a personal story.

The day after the Meron tragedy in 2021 where 45 people lost their lives, the mother of a boy in my son's Geerz group reached out to see if anyone had a spare bike to lend to her son.

I told her we do.

She said she would send her husband later that night by taxi to pick up the bike (obviously they did not have access to a car).

I told her, no need, I will bring the bike to the Geerz meeting point the following day.

Turns out the boy's usual bike was broken and the brother that would usually fix it, was missing in Meron.

The mother so desperately wanted her son to ride in Geerz that week and not miss out as he had been up most of the night worried about his brother and she felt the fresh air would do him some good.

Thank G-d, the older brother was found alive and well.

Below is the response I got from the mother after the Geerz program finished that Friday.

“Thanks again for your chessed (kindness). David had a traumatic night, we were trying to locate his big brother in meron. BH (thank G-d) he got home safely. David came from the chug (program) more calm. Thanks for making this possible.”

There are several lessons to take away from this episode, but one lesson for sure is that having a program like Geerz accessible to kids who need it, literally changes their lives.

But unfortunately, unfortunately, many kids cannot afford what's needed to be a part of this program such as helmets, knee pads, and of course a bike. Geerz reaches out to families, and communities to help these families benefit from what the program has to offer.

As part of this, I am preparing for a two-day mountain bike ride through trails across Northern Israel in March to help raise awareness and much-needed funds for this very special program.

For the Aussies out there, it has even been recognised and supported by JNF in Australia, which means your donation can be tax deductible in Australia. Make sure to email me with your receipt or payment confirmation so I can get the amount earmarked for Geerz.

If you want to help me towards my goal, please click the orange SPONSOR ME button above or CLICK HERE to make a secure donation.

Every donation counts and will help me realise the goal I have set. All funds raised go directly towards bike equipment and programming for youth that cannot afford, but desperately need Geerz.

With much appreciation

Raph Sebbag Less