‘BRING THEM HOME’—Above, some of the 200 riders en route. Courtesy photos
Jan. 14 was a difficult day for the local Jewish community, to say the least.
Exactly 100 days before, more than 200 men, women and children of Israeli and other national descent were abducted by Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Amid the kidnappings, hundreds of others were brutally killed.
While about half of the hostages have been released since that terrible day on Oct. 7, many of the Israeli victims, 136 to be exact, remain captive.
“Bring them home now,” was the cry heard around the world on Jan. 14, the 100th day of captivity, as supporters of Israel held rallies to gain awareness for the plight of the hostages.
Westlake Village resident Isaac Goren, a 66-year-old investment portfolio manager, is an avid bicyclist and rallied his Team Israel bike club to go on different rides, depending on ability, around Westlake Lake in a show of support for the hostages.
Team Israel comprises 50 members, all born in Israel but now living and working locally.
Information about the captives with supportive yellow ribbons.
The goal of their ride was to attract at least 136 cyclists to match the number of Israeli nationals still being held captive, but many, many more showed up.
In solidarity with other groups around the world, the cyclists signaled their sympathy for the hostages by wearing “Bring Them Home” T-shirts and tying yellow ribbons on their bikes as they rode.
“I received a phone call from the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles with only 10 days to the event asking me to get riders, as the rest of the world was also riding on the same day with yellow ribbon on the handlebars,” Goren said.
“Information from Israel was that Westlake Village had the largest amount of riders almost reaching 300.”
Participants were from 6 years old to 80, on kid bikes to e-bikes to professional triathlon bikes, Goren said.
All riders started from Triunfo Community Park in Thousand Oaks, and were given the choice of traveling three different routes: 5 miles (about one loop around the lake); 11 miles (two loops around the lake); or 32 miles (two loops around the lake plus another 1,200 feet of elevation gain with the riders traveling the roads of T.O. Oak Park, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Calabasas.
FOR A CAUSE—More than 200 Team Israel riders show solidarity with the hostages. Courtesy photo
As the pelotons wended their way through the neighborhoods and up down the hills, a helicopter flew overhead with “Bring Them Home Now” painted on its sides.
“Being overwhelmed on the turnout from riders living in our community I decided as I was riding with my daughter to ask riders whom I had never seen ‘why,’ and the short answers were very touching, reaching deep into my heart and realizing that this event is a success in bringing awareness to the community as well as touching people’s hearts,” Goren said.
The Team Israel bicycle club has been going strong for more than 10 years and is planning other events for the future. For 2024, rides in Europe are in the works.
In Gaza, there is no end in sight for either side. The war has cost the lives of more than 25,000 people with still no guarantee of a Palestinian state—or an agreement that gives security to Israel—in the future.