Forget the marathons. Swimming enthusiast Vivienne Glaser has come up with an off-land challenge to raise funds for charity. Last year, she founded Swim4Sadna, a 3.5 km swimathon across the Kinneret, Israel's largest freshwater lake.
On Wednesday, Mrs Glaser, a mother-of-six, will take part in the challenge for the second year running. The aim is to raise money for Sadnat Shiluv, a centre for special needs children and young adults, which her 20-year-old son Elchie attends. It is located in the community of Rosh Tzurim in Gush Etzion.
British-born, now based in Israel, Mrs Glaser, 51, tells People: "I would like to see Sadnat Shiluv become an international model, inspiring full integration of all types of the special needs population as the norm."
Mrs Glaser was inspired by the Kinneret Swim, one of the largest popular annual sports events in Israel. However, it takes place on Shabbat. "Women who have always wanted to participate in a Kinneret Swim but were unable to do so because of the mixed swimming or Shabbat scheduling can now join in," she says.
Mrs Glaser made aliyah 37 years ago and last year, swam alongside her 75-year-old mother, Sylvia Wallis, Elchie's grandmother. Next week, she will be joined by 200 others and hopes they will raise enough money to create two new living spaces for Sadna students.
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