Among the tens of thousands of runners in the Chicago Marathon on Sunday were Erez Berkowitz, 26, and Hagai Avitan, 46, members of the One Family organization team. Both arrived at the 42.2-kilometer (26.2-mile) race with a story of loss: Erez lost his older brother, Eyal Meir Berkowitz, who was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip in December 2023, while Hagai's father, Ehud Yehuda-Yosef Avitan, was murdered in a terror attack in Beit She'an in 2002.
"We as a family chose to move forward, even when it is the harder choice," said Erez, who was an officer in the IDF when he received the news of his brother's death. Hagai, who is married and has three children, found running to be a way to cope with loss over the years, including during the hundreds of days of reserve duty he served after October 7. After one of his rounds of reserve service, he joined a therapy group organized by the foundation and later joined the marathon team. "I came to receive, but also with the thought that maybe after so many years with bereavement I could give something to others," he said.
Training became much more than marathon preparation for the two men. They met people who had experienced loss at different stages of their lives, shared stories, and found strength in their connection. "You can run next to someone for a long time and not really know what they are carrying with them," Erez said. Hagai added, "There are those who are still in the middle of digesting what happened, and there are those who have already come a long way. Within the group, you realize that there is no single way to live with bereavement."
Hagai, who has lived alongside loss for nearly 24 years, also sees importance in the ability to help others. "I do not think the goal is to commemorate all the time. The goal is also to live. To take those we lost forward with us," he said. Erez, who was less familiar with the foundation's activities before joining, said the experience changed his perspective: "Even seeing people running in memory of someone they did not know at all, there is something very moving about that. For me, it is a privilege to take part in this family." The running brand HOKA sponsored the team and accompanied its members during the training period and on the trip to Chicago.
Moshe Saville, CEO of the One Family organization, said that the connection between people dealing with loss at different stages of their lives is a significant source of strength. The organization was established 25 years ago by Chantal and Marc Belzberg and provides bereaved families, terror victims, and victims of hostile actions with emotional support, individual and group therapy, and financial assistance. Since October 7, it has expanded its activities for the affected families. The founder of the organization, Chantal Belzberg, won the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement thanks to her work for bereaved families, terror victims, and victims of hostile actions.
