Jerusalem City Councilman Aryeh King has submitted a request to the mayor, Nir Barkat, the mover and shaker behind the Jerusalem Marathon, to begin to plan appropriate sporting events for the religious and Haredi public, as many do not participate in the existing ones due to problems of modesty and gender-mixing.
Kiong wants alternative races that would have separate courses and starting times for men and women. The religious people would like to participate in such events but cannot and creating appropriate events for them would allow them to get into the cycle of sports and fitness.
King says Barkat agreed to the proposal and now he, King, is preparing the text of the initiative.
Elad Malka, another City Councilman, says there already are sporting events separate for the Haredi public and the religious could join those, such as a bike race. Other events he does not see happening, but there are separate hours in the city pools and gyms, though he also doesn't see a need for more events and doubts there would be much demand.
Another City Councilman, Chanan Rubin, says that creating separate events enhances division among the residents rather than unity, and he says, it would be better to figure out a way to make the existing events appropriate for those communities as well.
source: Kipa
if they create such events, the roads of the city will be closed twice the amount, as each event will need to shut down the city. If that's what it takes, great, but it will be frustrating to a lot of people.
Will they offer equal prizes to the winners of the Religious Jerusalem Marathon as those offered in the regular Jerusalem Marathon?
Considering that they already keep track separately of the results of the men and women, it is clear they accept the fact that men and women are different and at least somewhat separate. Having them also run separately, for those who want it, doesn't seem like such a big step.
I also wonder what the course would be like. They clearly should not have these religious runners running through Jaffa Road and King George. They should probably find a way to route these races through Romema, Mattesdorf and Kiryat Belz, along with Geula and Mea Shearim. Maybe start the race in Har Nof instead of Gan Sacher, and run through Givat Shaul, around to Bayit Vegan, back out and up to Ramot and then down and through Mea Shearim, Geula and Shmuel Hanavi. This could be very cool. If they do it, I might even want to participate!
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