Dear Houston HOD Brethren All,

Announcement of new HOD Global Initiative - the HOD / Maccabi Global 5k Fun Run

HOD International Lodges are going to be partnering with Future Leaders Forum, a division of the Maccabi Games World Union, to participate in a 5k race called the Maccabi Fun Run.  Maccabi Fun Run is an extraordinary community FUN and Charity Sport Day where people run or even walk together with, and for their favorite charity organization. 100% of your registration fee will be donated to the charity of your choice from our list! This is what makes Maccabi Fun Run a special community event, different from anything you have ever experienced!

This event will be held in each of the cities that HOD lodges are located in globally.  This will be an opportunity for each of our Lodges to raise some money for charities we select as well as great publicity for us.   The selected charities will be associated with Children's Health and Well Being.

The Maccabi Fun Run was held in 25 cities across the world in 2019 with over 15,000 people participating. Hundreds of Jewish organizations participate in it and several other Jewish organizations will also be participating with us. People/families of all ages participate, and they can walk or run.

Please see the link here: http://globalfunrun.org/

The organizer from HOD is Anton Teper, who is the HOD Deputy Grand Lodge President.  Anton is based in London.  He is working with the organizer of the Maccabi Games for us to partner with them.   The goals of HOD participating are to affiliate with a cause: to raise funds for a any local charities that are related to Children’s Health and Well Being. 

Our HOD role is simple: for our Houston lodges to get at least 30 runners in Houston to participate.  Each runner will raise some money for our charity. That’s it.  We expect though that we will have hundreds or thousands of runners for this event.

Also, since we have experience in organizing events in Houston, we can also help organize this event or serve on committees to help organize if you wish.  We will be working with the Houston volunteer from the Maccabi Games Future Leaders Forum who will be organizing this in Houston. Also, the race will not be scheduled until possibly summer 2021 if it is safe at that time.  If Covid is still an issue, then the race would be scheduled later in 2021 or possibly into 2022.

Please watch the following video presentation to some of us in Dallas and Houston by Anton Teper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUAqjjcXI5I&feature=youtu.be

We are in the beginning stages of this and will have more information coming up soon.  Governing Lodge and all HOD lodges will be supporting & participating in this.  We will also discuss it at upcoming Lodge meetings.

Regards,

Joe Blog                                               Ivor Segall

President, Lodge Galil                           President, Lodge Tikvah