Runners Without Borders

Runners Without Borders is a Jerusalem-based nonprofit initiative that uses running as a practical setting for Jewish-Arab contact, cooperation, and relationship building. It was established in 2014, during a period of heightened violence and tension in Jerusalem, with the stated aim of reducing racism and hostility through sustained, shared activity rather than one-time dialogue alone. The organization began with a mixed Jewish-Arab running group for girls aged 14 to 19. Participants came from neighborhoods across both eastern and western Jerusalem, giving the program a deliberately citywide character. The initiative was developed by Israel Haas, a Jerusalem resident, and Shoshana Ben-David, a Jerusalem high-school student. Following the early success of the girls' team, the organization expanded to include a boys' group and later created mixed Jewish-Arab groups for adult women and men over the age of 20. Its core model combines regular exercise with repeated social contact. Groups meet for joint training each week and generally take part in a social activity once a month. This structure makes the organization more than a race team: running provides the shared task, while the recurring meetings create opportunities for participants to form relationships across communal, religious, and neighborhood divisions. The organization presents Jerusalem both as the setting for its work and as something its participants can represent together. Runners Without Borders also organizes and joins competitive events. Youth delegations have taken part in international races in Europe, including events in Milan in April 2015, Berlin in August 2015, and London in September 2016. Its teams have participated in the Jerusalem Marathon every year since the organization was founded. These appearances have helped extend the initiative's message beyond its regular training groups and have enabled participants to represent Jerusalem as a joint Jewish-Arab team. The organization also developed its own races after a planned participation in the Jerusalem Municipality's night run in June 2015 was canceled because the event coincided with the first night of Ramadan. Runners Without Borders subsequently staged its own Jewish-Arab race between Beit Safafa and Malha in southwestern Jerusalem. The inaugural event attracted 87 participants, and two further races were held along the same route. In March 2017, the organization launched what was described as the first Jewish-Arab race in east Jerusalem, running between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber. Three east Jerusalem races had been held by the time of the November 2017 event, which drew more than 700 runners. The brand's identity is therefore centered on grassroots coexistence, youth participation, recurring group training, and public sporting events. It is not a conventional commercial sportswear or race-services brand; its principal offering is a social-impact program in which running functions as a tool for civic connection. The available reference material documents the initiative's founding period, expansion of participant groups, international delegations, marathon participation, and locally organized races, but does not provide reliable information about its current operating scale, funding, leadership beyond the founders, or present program status.

Runners Without Borders emerged in Jerusalem in 2014 in response to a period of violence and heightened communal tension. Its founding concept was to bring Jewish and Arab residents into sustained contact through a shared athletic activity. Israel Haas, a Jerusalem resident, worked with Shoshana Ben-David, a Jerusalem high-school student, to establish the first mixed running team. The initial group consisted of Jewish and Arab girls between the ages of 14 and 19. Participants came from a broad range of neighborhoods in east and west Jerusalem. The youth focus allowed the initiative to address intercommunal relationships at an early stage of participants' lives while also creating a visible example of cooperation across the city. The early results encouraged expansion: a parallel boys' group was formed, followed by mixed Jewish-Arab groups for adult women and men over the age of 20. The organization's regular program combines weekly joint training with a monthly social activity. Running is the common practical focus, but the broader purpose is to reduce racism and tension by creating repeated, informal interaction. Rather than limiting engagement to a single discussion or ceremonial event, the program relies on the continuity of shared preparation, exercise, and social time. In 2015, the organization encountered a scheduling issue involving the Jerusalem Municipality's night run. Its youth groups had planned to participate, but withdrew after learning that the event was scheduled for the first night of Ramadan. The organization responded by producing its own race. The first event followed a route between Beit Safafa and Malha in southwestern Jerusalem and had 87 participants. Two additional races were subsequently held on that route. Runners Without Borders later expanded its event activity into east Jerusalem. In March 2017, it organized a race between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber, described in the reference material as the first Jewish-Arab race in east Jerusalem. Three races had been staged in east Jerusalem by the time of the November 2017 event, which attracted more than 700 runners. These races made the organization's social mission visible in public spaces and linked participation from different parts of Jerusalem through a shared sporting occasion. The initiative also developed an international dimension. Delegations from its youth teams attended races in Milan in April 2015, Berlin in August 2015, and London in September 2016. In addition, the organization's teams participated in the Jerusalem Marathon every year from its founding through the period covered by the source material. Such appearances allowed participants to present themselves as a combined Jerusalem team rather than as separate communal groups. The available information portrays Runners Without Borders as a nonprofit social-impact organization whose principal mechanism is sport-based relationship building. Its documented activities include youth and adult training groups, recurring social events, locally organized races, participation in the Jerusalem Marathon, and international youth delegations. The available sources do not establish its current leadership, legal structure, funding, financial condition, or whether all of the documented programs remain active.

• 2017

  East Jerusalem race program expands

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  The organization launched an east Jerusalem race between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber in March and had held three such races by November, when participation exceeded 700 runners.

• 2016

  Youth delegation participates in London

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  A youth delegation took part in an international race in London in September.

• 2015

  First international youth delegation travels to Milan

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  A youth delegation represented the joint Jerusalem initiative at a race in Milan in April.

• 2015

  First organization-produced Jewish-Arab race

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Following a canceled municipal race appearance caused by a Ramadan scheduling conflict, the organization held its own race between Beit Safafa and Malha, attracting 87 participants.

• 2015

  Youth delegation participates in Berlin

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  The organization's youth runners attended an international race in Berlin in August.

• 2014

  Organization founded in Jerusalem

  [1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Runners Without Borders was established amid violence and tension in Jerusalem, with the goal of bringing Jewish and Arab residents together through running.

A nonprofit sports-for-social-cohesion initiative using recurring running programs and public races to reduce racism and tension and build relationships between Jewish and Arab residents of Jerusalem.

• Social-impact sports program · 2014

  Jewish-Arab youth running groups

  The organization's first program brought together Jewish and Arab girls aged 14 to 19 from neighborhoods in east and west Jerusalem. A boys' group was later added. Participants train together regularly and take part in social activities intended to turn athletic cooperation into longer-term personal relationships.

• Community sports program

  Adult Jewish-Arab running groups

  After establishing youth teams, Runners Without Borders expanded its model to Jewish-Arab groups for women and men over the age of 20. The adult groups extend the organization's cross-community approach beyond schools and youth athletics, using shared training and social contact as the basis for relationship building.

• Public running event · 2015

  Community Jewish-Arab races

  Runners Without Borders organizes public races designed to bring Jewish and Arab runners together on routes connecting different parts of Jerusalem. Its documented events include races between Beit Safafa and Malha and later races in east Jerusalem between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber.

• International sports participation · 2015

  International youth race delegations

  Youth delegations have attended races in Milan, Berlin, and London. These appearances presented participants as a joint Jerusalem team and extended the organization's coexistence message to international sporting events.

• 2017

  Expand race programming into east JerusalemStrategy

  Background

  After producing races in southwestern Jerusalem, the organization sought to extend its Jewish-Arab event model to east Jerusalem.

  Action taken

  It launched a race between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber in March 2017.

  Aftermath

  Three east Jerusalem races had been produced by November 2017, and the November event attracted more than 700 runners.

  Source

• 2015

  Create an independent race after municipal event withdrawalStrategy

  Background

  The youth groups had planned to join the Jerusalem Municipality's night run but learned that it was scheduled for the first night of Ramadan.

  Action taken

  Runners Without Borders canceled its planned participation and organized its own Jewish-Arab race between Beit Safafa and Malha.

  Aftermath

  The first organization-produced race attracted 87 participants, followed by two additional races on the same route.

  Source

• 2017

  East Jerusalem Jewish-Arab race draws more than 700 runners[1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organization reported that its November 2017 east Jerusalem race, held between Abu Tor and Jabel Mukaber, attracted more than 700 runners.

• 2016

  Runners Without Borders youth delegation attends London race[1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A youth delegation represented the initiative at an international race in London.

• 2015

  Runners Without Borders creates its own Jewish-Arab race after Ramadan scheduling conflict[1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  After canceling participation in a Jerusalem Municipality night run scheduled for the first night of Ramadan, the organization created an independent Jewish-Arab race between Beit Safafa and Malha.

• 2015

  Runners Without Borders youth team represents Jerusalem in Milan[1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A youth delegation attended an international race in Milan as part of the organization's effort to present a joint Jewish-Arab Jerusalem team abroad.

• 2015

  Runners Without Borders youth team takes part in Berlin race[1]Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organization's youth runners participated in an international event in Berlin.

1. 1Runners Without Bordersen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Runners Without Borders official websiterunnerswithoutborders.org