May 14, 1948, Israel was founded, just a few hours before the British Mandate was to expire. Eleven minutes later, the United States became the first country to recognize the Jewish state. On May 15, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Syria invaded Israel, the War of Independence lasted 13 months. The Israeli flag became the state’s official flag. Their population, 806,000 residents.
Two commemorative rides were designed by Ride for Solidarity to celebrate this historic date. The bikers dress their bikes with flags from Israel and the USA, as they roll across Europe and the USA.
Crossing Europe and Israel, Ride For Solidarity, R4S, began under the leadership of our founder, Maximillian Marco Katz, with the help of co-founders, Jozeph Horvath from Hungary’ Leonid from Germany and Gary Burd from the USA. It was our honor to carry the torch for the opening ceremony of the Maccabi Olympic Games, held in Jerusalem.
In Joseph’s words, ‘In June 2017, a group of 14 bikers, Christians and Jews, from 6 countries rode together from London to Jerusalem in support of the State of Israel. Celebrating the constructing and often, the lives saving contribution of Israel to Humanity, celebrating 50 years since the Six Day War, celebrating the liberation and the unification of Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel, in their long way, the bikers also honored the memory of the Holocaust and the Terrorism victims.’
Continuing the 2017 R4S London to Jerusalem mission tradition, the R4S HERZL and the R4S USIL70 rides are dedicated to spreading the word about the miraculous existence and development of Israel, one of the World’s most advanced countries and certainly the only democracy in the Middle East.
The R4S HERZL was a great success which rode from June 08 to June 24 following the locations where Theodor Herzl, the founder of the Zionist Movement and the spiritual father of the State of Israel, lived the important dates of his life.
October 13, a group of Christian riders with Jewish brothers from Romania and the USA will leave Los Angeles and travel along old Route 66 to Chicago and then head to New York City, where they plan on arriving October 28. The IPHC is represented by Rodney McCray, Boyce McKinney, and myself on bikes and will be followed by a chase truck driven by John McVey and Stephen Walker aka Sgt Rock. Other Christians and Jewish riders will also make the trip.
For more information, please visit our website, www.ride4solidarity.com or FaceBook page.
By: Gary Burd
