The following is a post by Avi Korn on his fundraising page for the Jerusalem Marathon:

As some of you may know, I have been training to run the Jerusalem Marathon this March.

My goal had always been to run a race in Israel, but I am writing to you about an even more important cause—the One Family Fund.

The One Family Fund has supported victims of terror attacks in Israel, both emotionally and physically, and helped them regain their lives and dignity. They work with victims, family members, and the Israeli government to ensure that victims receive the necessary care and support to move forward with their lives. While this goal may have somewhat distant meaning to me living outside of Israel, I have recently met some of the One Family “family” this past year and was struck by the resilience and drive many of these victims have to continue their lives, and shine even brighter.

A few months ago, I met Aharon Karov, an Israeli soldier who was critically injured after being called to service just days after his wedding. Although pronounced dead following an ambush in Gaza in 2008, Aharon was miraculously revived and has since made great strides to recover from his injuries. Aharon is in the middle of a long recuperation, but he came to New York to run the New York Marathon this past November with the wife of the doctor who helped save him.

I have met other victims with similar stories and with similar goals: to regain their independence and to rebuild their lives from the trauma and destruction that to many would seem impossible to overcome.

I hope that you would consider supporting this amazing cause, and to cheer me on in March!

By Avi Korn