Earlier this month, as thousands of runners lined up at the starting line of the Jerusalem Marathon, one group stood out – quiet, moving, and deeply inspiring. Around 70 blind and visually impaired runners took part, tethered to their sighted guides with a small elastic strap, running hand in hand, step by synchronized step. Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, women and men – all running together, as one.
They are part of Kesher Ayin – Winner Israel, a social running club that proves a simple truth: when you connect people through their feet, their hearts follow. Their goal went far beyond athletic achievement – it was a reminder, from the heart of one of the most complex cities in the world, that coexistence, partnership, and hope are still possible.
The club was founded in Jerusalem nine years ago by Alon Shoov, who is visually impaired himself, under the umbrella of ALEH – the Association for Promoting Blind Students in Israel. With support from the Ministry of Welfare and sponsorship from Toto (Israel’s national sports lottery) in the past two years, the club has expanded to Haifa, Beersheba, and Modi’in. Today, it includes roughly 45 blind and visually impaired runners and about 120 sighted volunteers. The concept is powerful in its simplicity: each visually impaired runner runs connected to a sighted guide by a strap – but the emotional bond runs far deeper.
A microcosm of a better Israel
“I feel a constant drive to make running accessible to the blind and visually impaired,” says Shoov, the club’s founder and director. “We spend countless hours recruiting participants and volunteers – because it’s not just about running. It’s a way to overcome physical and emotional struggles, to build confidence, and to become part of a community. Our group reflects the full spectrum of Israeli society – men and women, Jews and Arabs, religious and secular. A microcosm of a better Israel.”
The club’s highlight of the year was the Jerusalem Marathon – a sporting event that doubles as a social statement. Club members participated in every category: full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. Each pair moved in sync, sometimes in silence, sometimes with guiding words, music, or encouragement. They crossed the finish line not just as athletes, but as a symbol.
The Jerusalem Marathon is one of Israel’s most powerful and emotionally resonant sporting events, and over the years it has become a symbol – a symbol of a city filled with complexities, contradictions, voices, and identities. And within this city, running becomes a space for connection. No wonder Kesher Ayin – Winner Israel has become one of its most meaningful participants.
In the colorful crowd flowing through Jerusalem’s streets, the club members stood out – not only because of the straps connecting each guide and runner – but because of the message they carried with every step: that a different reality is possible. Perhaps more than any other participants, they embodied the spirit of Jerusalem – a city divided, charged, and challenging – but one that still manages to create rare moments of unity, closeness, and hope.
For many of the runners, this wasn’t just a sporting challenge – it was salvation. A lifeline. A meaningful framework that gives them strength, personal resilience, and a sense of belonging. Many face physical or emotional challenges, and through running – they are no longer alone.
Take Roy Shipman, a member of the Jerusalem group, who lives with cerebral palsy (CP). He doesn’t let his condition stop him from engaging in sports and running. He was registered for the 5K, but ended up running 8 kilometers with the help of his guide, Adrian Breska.
“I have CP, and I’m also hearing- and visually-impaired,” says Shipman. “Kesher Ayin gives me so much in life – it offers community, belonging, and a way to be physically active, which is so important for someone with a disability. I’m also fulfilling a dream by volunteering as the club’s social media manager.”
The runners weren’t just chasing a finish line – they were defeating isolation, depression, physical limitations, and self-doubt. On the streets of Jerusalem – a city steeped in social tension – they reminded us that there is no barrier we can’t overcome if we simply begin the journey together.
According to Meir Bardugo, CEO of Toto: “The past year and a half has been tremendously difficult on a national level – and in that context, Israeli sports rose above everything. It was the biggest winner of this time. Olympic athletes, teams, marathon runners, and the public – they all proved that sports are far more than competition. Sports are a source of national resilience, mutual responsibility, and belonging. A club like ‘Kesher Ayin,’ which began in Jerusalem – the most complex city in Israel – shows, in the most emotional way, how sport can connect worlds, bridge between people, and hold our society together, even in the toughest times. That’s why it was so important for us to support this project – to allow the group to keep training, to maintain routine, to travel to competitions in Israel and abroad, and to believe that what once seemed impossible – is within reach.”
Osama Khujirat, a member of the Haifa branch, shared his own running journey.
“Since I started running, something deep inside me changed. Not just in my body – in my heart, in how I see life. I’m blind, but running is when I see the clearest. I see people. I see hope. I see a different future.”
He offers one last powerful thought:
“If there’s one thing I keep learning – it’s that in running, there’s no politics. The moment I put on my running shoes, I realize: Jews and Arabs don’t just can run together – we do run together. No flags, no fear – just a heartbeat that unites us. In the Jerusalem Marathon, a city that represents so many divisions, I feel the deepest connection. Smiles replace opinions. Cheers replace arguments. Shared steps overcome division. As a blind runner, I depend on someone to walk the path with me – and there’s something powerful in that. It’s what we all need – to run together, and to say to one another: ‘I’m with you.’”
The Kesher Ayin club continues its work far beyond the marathon. Weekly training sessions are held with certified coaches, personal guidance for every runner, and a strong, supportive community. The club invites anyone – blind or sighted – to join the journey, and be part of something much greater than just sport.
They will keep running.
For their health.
For their community.
For hope.
