עברית
The First Bedouin Cycling Club
The first Bedouin cycling club opened this week, after months of effort at both the Abu Basma Municipality and the Israel Cycling Federation. The club opened at the Bedouin township of Abu Krinat, near Beer Sheba, is part of the Cycling Federation’s “Bikes For All” Program. The aim of this program is to give children and youth, in all parts of Israel and at every socio-economic level, the possibility of gaining from the benefits of cycling, through enjoyable hands-on experience and proper education.
The Israel Cycling Federation gave Amir Elhawashlah, of the Elhawashlah settlement near Dimona, a scholarship to train as a cycling instructor for the 7-month course, which he has recently completed successfully. Yossi Levin, a Masters student in Middle Eastern Studies and a keen cyclist, has undertaken to help set up the club. Amir and Yossi put together the 15 bicycles that Neviot Company donated. Odeh, the headmaster of the regional school, helped pick the youth who would attend the club.
In the photo: The club’s boys and their instructors, Amir and Yossi.
The 15 boys in 8th grade who attended the club’s first meeting got to know their new instructors and immediately learned about the importance of wearing a helmet when cycling and how to ride and stop correctly. They also discussed the mission of the club and their future activities.
In the photo: The boys receive their first cycling lesson.
Araleh Zohar, of the Abu Basmah Municipality, one of those who helped to set up the club says: “The opening of the first club in the Bedouin sector is most important. We hope that many children and youth will take part in this wonderful social project. Moreover, the importance of cycling as a form of transportation among the Bedouin can create a new social life for them, enabling them to visit their friends. We hope that soon another club will open at the nearby township of Abu Kaf, where negotiations are already in process.”
Tal Horesh-Blith, a social worker with Abu Basma Municipality adds: “The opening of this club and its activities is a special way to help our youth at risk. There are many youths at risk in the Bedouin sector. Together with the Israel Cycling Federation, we will do our utmost to enable these youths to realize their potential through their love for cycling, in the educational framework of the cycling club.”
Eyal Hershtik, director of the “Bikes For All” program, comments: “Today we made a big step toward introducing the cycling culture to all children and youth in Israel, through cycling clubs all around the country. The collaboration between the Cycling Federation and the Abu Basma Municipality has proved successful. I wish and hope that we shall continue to push forward with our project to set up many more cycling clubs. Special thanks to Odeh, Amir, Yossi, Araleh and Tal for working with us to set up this wonderful project and to Neviot Company and Skoda who are sponsoring it.
The “Bikes For All” project is a modern educational project which the Cycling Federation fully supports and promotes, with the blessing of members of the Knesset, business leaders, volunteers, and celebrities who have donated bicycles. Further details about other clubs and activities in this project appear on the project website:
We believe that this project will bring significant change to thousands of children in all Israel, in many different communities, because through their cycling they will learn and adopt our educational values – a love of the land, conservation of nature, helping others, and engagement with sport.
What is a cycling instructor in Arabic? مرشد دراجات هوائية
In the photo: Bicycles donated by Neviot Company
In the photo: Dr. Aharon Zohar, Tal Horesh, Odeh, and Emilio Roitman, Director of the Israel Cycling Federation at a meeting about setting up the club.
