Those of us of a certain age will remember Toronto’s UJA Walkathon whose length in kilometres matched the age of the State of Israel. This 1978 pin promotes that the Walk is 30 kilometres to celebrate Israel’s 30th Independence Day.
The walk was first held in 1970 as the UJA Walkathon and has had several name changes since: Walk for Israel (1978-1993), Community March for Israel (1994-1996), Israel Funwalk (1998-2002) and is currently the Walk with Israel. Over time, the length of the walk has been reduced significantly so it is now a more family-friendly and manageable distance.
The route of the Walk has also changed over the years: originally it was in the Bathurst street corridor; then a downtown route through historic Jewish Toronto; along the lakeshore, ending at Ontario Place; and now back to the Bathurst area.
Regardless of its name, distance and route, the Walk has remained what it always has been—a show of solidarity by Toronto’s Jewish community with the people of Israel, and a source of funding for UJA’s programs in Israel.
This year’s Walk with Israel is on Sunday, June 9. It is an important opportunity for all of us together to show the world our community’s unity, pride and resilience.
