Closing the circle to race against terror

Pia Levine is returning to Jerusalem for an encore performance, racing against terror and raising money for victims of terror.

Levine, a sophomore at Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business hails from Edison, New Jersey. On March 23, 2011 she was returning to her seminary on a bus that had stopped at Binyanei Ha’uma in Jerusalem when a bomb exploded, shattering the bus’ windows, killing a bystander and injuring others. Levine was physically unscathed but suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. She was planning on running the Jerusalem Marathon before the attack but was suffering from shock.

Chantal Belzberg, executive vice chairman of One Family Fund, an organization whose stated purpose is to provide “direct financial, emotional, material, and legal assistance to the victims of terrorism in Israel,” came to her aid. One Family Fund was founded in 2001 following the Sbarro bombing where 15 men, women and children were murdered and 130 wounded. In response to that attack, Michal Belzberg, Chantal’s daughter, canceled her bat mitzvah party and donated the funds from that to the victims and asked family and friends to give the gifts intended for her to them instead. They raised over $100,000 and from that was launched a large volunteer–based organization assisting victims of terror in Israel.

Chantal Belzberg took Levine to Shaarei Zedek Hospital the day after the attack to be treated for PTSD and then brought her back to her hotel where she was staying with her team. Belzberg cheered her on as she passed the One Family fund station at the marathon. When Levine returned to America after the race, Michelle Napell, representing One Family, assisted Levine in her recovery, meeting her for lunch, giving her contacts to talk to, going with her when Levine had to meet with the FBI and getting her involved in Team One Family, “the multi-sports training and fund raising” arm of One Family Fund that joins fund raising with competing in endurance races.

Levine competed in the New York City triathlon in August, raising awareness and $3000 for the Fund. She plans to run in the Jerusalem Marathon March 16 and the Philadelphia triathlon this summer.

“Last year was my first marathon.,” said Levine, in an email from Jerusalem. “I ran for an organization called Chayeinu, the Israeli branch of Chai Lifeline, in memory of my father who passed away the year before from cancer. I run marathons for organizations that have helped me as my way of giving back. I hope that the small dent of money that I can raise will help someone else the way they helped me.

“Everyone thought I was crazy for running in the marathon so soon after the attack but for me there seemed to be no other choice. I had been excited to finally run my first marathon, to give back to the organization that had helped me so much. Also, running was my way of not giving into terrorism. I would not let them stop me from living life and make me afraid. This week has been my chance to come full circle. Because I had left so soon after the attack I never fully got to deal with the aftermath. I didn't get the opportunity to get on a bus, to go back to the bus stop by Binyanei Ha’uma to ultimately confront my fears. Now I have had the chance. Sunday, the one year anniversary of the attack, I took my first bus ride and had a seudat hodaah (feast of thanks). Running the marathon will finally allow me to fully move on. I will participate in the event that they tried so hard to prevent me from running in.”

For more information go to: www.onefamilyfund.org.