Malki Foundation UK recruits South African runners for Marathon - The Jewish Chronicle

Four runners from Johannesburg have enrolled in the TCS London Marathon to raise funds for the Malki Foundation UK.

The British charity, which supports Israeli charity Keren Malki, helps alleviate the financial burden of special equipment and essential paramedical therapies for the families of children with special needs.

Named after 15-year-old Malka Chana Roth, who was killed in a Palestinian terror attack on a Jerusalem restaurant in 2001, Keren Malki aims to improve frequently under-funded homecare to discourage the institutionalisation of children. According to the charity, the latter can have detrimental effects that Israeli authorities have yet to fully recognise. Since its founding in 2001, the charity has funded over 70,000 therapy sessions.

Ricky Kruger, 33, has always wanted to run a marathon. “It’s been something on my bucket list,” she said. “If I did one, I wanted it to count and be meaningful. I’ve always wanted to specially run for a Jewish charity. I also really love that the Malki Foundation is affiliated with Israel.”

Kruger found out about the opportunity through a friend she met on a gap year in Israel. She was inspired by her late mother’s cancer journey, which included fundraising for Jewish cancer charity DL Link at the Jerusalem Marathon. “I remember her saying to me, ‘So-and-so’s running with my name on their shirt. If they can do that, I can beat this.’ And that always stuck with me.”

Kruger and her sister-in-law Talia Dadon, 40, who run together, rallied Kruger’s physiotherapist, Talya Chemel, 32, and family friend, Josh Kaplan, 30, to join them.

Josh Kaplan (Photo: courtesy)[Missing Credit]

“[The charity] really resonated with us,” Dadon explained. “When we found out that Tali [Chemel] wanted to run a marathon, we told her: ‘I think there’s another entry if you want. Come on board!’”

“The work that [the Malki Foundation] does is amazing,” Chemel said. “Because I’m a physiotherapist, I’m very passionate about people receiving the therapies that enable them to live their best quality of life.”

Kruger hired a coach to plan training runs, while each runner made a pledge of £2,000. “The training is very rigorous,” Chemel said, who has a newborn and has previously run in the Cape Town Marathon. “We’ll be feeding in the night, and then I wake up early to run. It’s a lot, but it’s so good for my mental health. I want to show women that having kids doesn’t stop us.”

For Kaplan, the Malki Foundation reflects the key values running has taught him—“resilience, perseverance, and fighting against adversity.”

“The training has been intense, but it’s nothing compared to what these families face every single day,” Kaplan said, who is preparing for the run with strength work and weekly training sessions. “Together, we’re committed to making every mile count for these remarkable families.” Kaplan often passes Ricky and Talia on runs, after which they celebrate with coffee.

“We are incredibly proud to have four dedicated runners travelling all the way from South Africa to represent the Malki Foundation UK at the TCS London Marathon,” said Alison Cohen, executive director. “By taking on this extraordinary challenge, they are helping us raise vital funds and awareness for Keren Malki in Israel. We are deeply grateful for their passion and belief in our mission.”

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