22 | JUNE 22 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

T

he ride to honor our shared 
Jewish heritage is back! The 2023 
Ride for the Living (RFTL) takes 
place Sunday, July 9, at 8 a.m. 
The community event, hosted by 
the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit’s Israel & Overseas Department, 
is a satellite ride done in conjunction 
with the ride that happens every year in 
Krakow, Poland. 
The JCC Krakow’s Annual RFTL is 
a 34.5-mile bike ride from the gates 
of Auschwitz-Birkenau to the JCC 
in Krakow that commemorates the 
Holocaust and Jewish history and 
celebrates the miraculous rebirth of 
Jewish life in Poland today.
Federation’s corresponding ride 
— which is approximately 30 miles 
— is Jewish Detroit’s own way to 
commemorate and celebrate. All the 
proceeds from the Metro Detroit ride 
go to the JCC Krakow and the Jewish 
community there. 
The loop-around journey will start 
at Ferndale’s Gerry Kulick Community 
Center, ride all the way to the Detroit 
Riverfront and finish (at one’s own 
pace) at Ferndale Project for food and 
drinks and an opportunity to sit, reflect 
and enjoy. 

The round-trip ride is for riders of 
all ages and skill levels. Everyone from 
Slow Rollers (avg 11-12 mph), Cruisers 
(avg. 13-15 mph) and Chasers (avg. 
16-18 mph). 
RFTL Chair Ron Sollish says the 
event is an opportunity to get together 
in a different environment, schmooze 
and enjoy one another’s company, but 
it’s also much more.
“In the same way the RFTL in Krakow 
celebrates the rebirth of Krakow, we 
look at our RFTL as a celebration of the 
rebirth of Detroit,” Sollish said.
Sollish says the yearly event is enjoyed 
by both returning and new faces, 
bringing kids and other family members 
along with them. 
“We are all about inclusivity. 
Anybody that wants to participate can 
participate,” Sollish said. “And this is 
not a race. Nobody’s there to see how 
fast they can do it. We’re really there to 
enjoy this and enjoy it collectively.” 
The past year or so has been 
particularly important for the JCC 
Krakow and Krakow, having played an 

instrumental role in assisting Ukrainian 
refugees. 
“I think 200,000 people passed 
through the area, and they were actively 
involved in supporting those refugees,” 
Sollish said. “I hope people can find it 
in their heart to find a few extra dollars 
to contribute, because it is truly going 
to support Ukrainian refugees as they 
have been displaced as a result of the 
war.” 
Sollish hopes in the future, a group 
from Detroit will participate in the 
Krakow ride.
“There are a tremendous number 
of satellite rides, (but) no one is doing 
what we’re doing,” he said. “Detroit 
stands all by itself as to the sheer size 
and nature of this event. This is just 
another area where Detroit shines and 
leads, which we’re very proud of.”
Participants must fill out a waiver 
form before registering for this ride. 
The registration fee ($36) includes 
a RFTL fanny pack and one drink 
voucher. Register at https://jlive.app/
events/4203. 

All the proceeds from the Metro Detroit ride go to 
the Krakow Jewish community and its JCC. 
2023 Ride for the Living 

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Ron 
Sollish

