Some 40 people took part in the Gidion One Family Fund bike ride on June 6, and raised more than $50,000, despite the downpour.
One Family Fund Bike Ride co-chairs Marilyn Gotfrid, left, and Lisa Stern. [Jen Silverstein photo]
The funds from the 55-kilometre ride around Lemonville, a small community north-east of Toronto, will go to help victims of terror and their families in Israel.
One Family Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial, legal and emotional assistance to Israel’s injured and bereaved. This year, the ride celebrated the life of Gidion Lee, a former member of the Yidden on Wheels Motorcycle Touring Club (YOW) and a One Family Fund volunteer.
Born in 1934 in Israel, Lee immigrated to Canada in 1966. With a passion for motorcycling, he joined YOW shortly after the club was formed and became an active member. To the Yowies, Lee will always be known as “one of those guys that took long rides with friends for weeks on end, had a huge heart and gave everyone a warm welcome.”
The One Family Fund remembers Lee for his generosity and kind spirit. As a van driver for the organization, he took visiting Israeli children and their families to Niagara Falls. He was also responsible for helping marshal the annual bicycle fundraiser, which is now a cornerstone of the YOW charity initiative.
In addition, Lee helped organize the Yowie Ride to Remember (Holocaust Memorial Day) pilgrimages, his son, Jeff Lee, said. The first ride took place in Washington D.C., in 2005, where hundreds of Jewish motorcyclists “asserted that despite the best efforts of some of world’s sickest minds, the Jewish People were still alive and kicking, with a vengeance.”
At this year’s One Family Fund ride, Jeff said it was an honour that his father was recognized for being such an important part of “a great organization whose purpose is truly altruistic.” On a personal level, he said it’s nice to know that the effort his father put forth to help the organization was much appreciated. “The ride was important to [my dad], so it’s now become important to us.”
Pam Albert, executive director of One Family Fund Canada, said Lee was one of the first volunteers to help when the organization was launched. “We started our group seven years ago, but he joined us about six years ago when we needed help interacting directly with victims that would visit. He… has added so much to our organization.”
Albert said One Family Fund deals with each family unit individually and figures out how to meet the needs of every member. “We are the connector. Our goal is to help the family return to their functioning level prior to an attack, on all levels. We also help every Israeli citizen who is in an attack, which is unique.”
An attack lasts seconds, but the aftermath lasts a lifetime, Albert said. “We are the family that will be there for the victims as they go through numerous and varying traumas, both physically and emotionally, as they heal, and the healing process takes years. We are the constant that is there for them.”
Jeff said his father felt strongly that the victims of terror, who in most cases are innocent children, should not be allowed to forget what childhood can and should be.
“Because of its randomness, terror often leaves its victims feeling utterly alone and defenceless,” he said. “Adults and children alike can end up being extremely fearful of common, everyday things such as loud noises and large crowds. A car backfiring can be sufficient to send a small child into a hysterical panic. Left untreated, these fears can easily overwhelm a person and destroy their life completely.”
Albert said she has seen victims who were injured four or five years ago, who are only now able to start a new career, go back to school, be physically stable enough to function, or simply experience normalcy in their lives. “This takes a long time. Or, it may be that the family is doing well except for one child, who needs more emotional counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder and more support because they cannot function in school.”
At this year’s bike ride, Albert said she was delighted to see the Toronto community unite to support the Israeli community. “It’s wonderful to see young adults and teenagers who understand that we have an obligation to support the land and people of Israel.”
Albert said a victim once told her that every Israeli is like a soldier, living on the home front so that we in the Diaspora can have a place to call home.
Albert’s favourite aspect of the bike ride was seeing Jews from different walks of life and different age groups come together to support the victims of terror.
“I know that this is something I feel an obligation to do, but to see others join me in these efforts warms my heart and gives me hope for our future.”
Jeff said helping victims of terror “is neither as flashy or popular as most other causes. However, these victims can be quite strongly impacted, first by the negative aspects of their experience, and second by the positive aspects of seeing that there are actually people that do give a damn.”
It’s become a family affair, Jeff said. His brother, Rob Lee, assisted with marshalling the ride on his father’s bike. In addition, Rob’s son Kobi did the ride on his own bicycle, which “gave him a sense of completion as well as a feeling that his bond with his Saba was still intact in some way.”
