One step at a time: How faith and fitness blend to benefit congregants of one Houston synagogue
For David Kaufman, finding solace is simple: He laces up his sneakers and hits a trail. The Heights resident started running 10 years ago, when his father was first diagnosed with lymphoma.
“You feel powerless, and it hurts,” Kaufman recalled. “Running became an outlet. It has been my release.”
He also joined with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and ran for a cause close to his heart, while contributing to research through their fundraising efforts.
Ever since then, Kaufman said, running has helped him find his moments of Zen.
“It’s time with my soul and my shoes,” he said. And during the pandemic, it also became his time to reconnect with Judaism.
“It’s definitely strengthened my faith,” he said. “In fact, it reawakened my faith.”
Years had passed since Kaufman was a regular at services or a member of a synagogue.
During COVID, Congregation Emanu El began streaming the synagogue’s Shabbat services. Kaufman decided to try listening. He would sit on his balcony and watch the sunset during services.
“You feel refreshed,” Kaufman recalled. “It was meaningful to me. It was something I was doing on my own terms, in a way that made sense to me.”
He realized: If sermons could be delivered through ear buds, why not listen while jogging? The temple’s Shabbat Morning Experience on Saturdays coincided perfectly with his long runs. Soon, he had a routine.
One morning, he was in the woods, listening to the sermon. “I was watching the world come alive, and it was just beautiful,” he said.
Kaufman realized, “You don’t need to be at temple to practice Judaism. You don’t need to be somewhere to pray.”
When he learned about the Emanu El Runners, an all-ages group forming at the congregation for walkers and runners, he couldn’t resist.
“I jumped on it,” Kaufman said.
Starting a running group
Rabbi Oren Hayon and Cantor Rollin Simmons both began running during the pandemic.
“Like everyone else, I found myself at home, feeling a little stir crazy and a little claustrophobic in my four walls,” Hayon recalled. He found an app on his phone that helped him begin jogging a minute at a time, then incrementally increasing the segments until he was running nonstop. The entire process took nine months.
One day, Simmons, who often drove by the joggers at Rice University, decided to join them.
“I ran to Rice, ran around it,” she recalled. “I really liked it and started running twice a week.”
When Simmons realized
Hayon was running too, they began sending motivating texts and holding each other accountable.
“It was so nice having someone else encouraging you that we decided to get a group going,” Hayon said.
The idea was to extend the inspiration and promote physical, emotional and spiritual health while providing a safe way to see familiar faces.
“This was a way to keep our sense of identity,” Hayon explained. “We built up a core of people.”
The Emanu El Runners officially started in mid-April, with charter members Hayon, Simmons and Sarah Williams, director of the temple’s preschool.
“We thought we’d see if anyone would join us,” Simmons recalled. “Maybe they’d come or maybe not. But they did.”
The group started meeting for laps around Rice on Wednesdays at 7:45 a.m.
They also began trying other trails around the city — from Buffalo Bayou to Memorial Park.
As the group grew, a wellneeded sense of camaraderie blossomed.
“People weren’t able to go to temple; we couldn’t sing together,” Simmons said. “We were all so isolated. And then here was this really low-pressure way to get together. I felt so uplifted.”
Before each session, the Emanu El Runners gathered in a circle, sharing their names and stretching. Some took off while others strolled, chatting with new friends.
“I connected with congregants in a new way,” Simmons said.
She also saw new faces. “Services aren’t for everyone,” she said. “This was a new way to feel joined to your Jewish community.”
Kaufman was one of the new people Simmons met, and soon he became a member of the temple. The group offered him a way to meet others in the congregation and truly get to know the cantor and rabbi.
“I’m so thankful I’ve done it,” Kaufman said. “Now Oren is not only my rabbi but also my friend, someone I can go out with for Indian food, someone I can go with on a long run.”
He hopes to expand the group and add other options for runs, like one after parents drop their children off for Sunday school.
Kaufman also encourages others to join — whether they are members at Emanu El or another synagogue. “Bring a friend,” he said. “People of all abilities and ages are welcome.”
Running for a worthy cause
After forming, the Emanu El Runners began participating in events like the Rodeo Run and Houston Half Marathon.
First, the runs were virtual, Simmons said. For the Rodeo Run, the group got together and all hit “go” on their phones at the same time.
“People really took off,” she said. “It was fun to feel that team spirit.”
Then, the Emanu El Runners met in person to compete in the Houston Half Marathon on Oct. 31. Now, the group is gearing up for the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon on Jan. 16. Kaufman suggested running for a cause.
“If we’re going to run anyway, why not leverage this to help the community?” Kaufman suggested to the rabbi.
The Houston Holocaust Museum came up.
“The Holocaust Museum is a really important part of the Jewish community,” Hayon said. “Our run can help support their good work.”
Rocio Rubio, the museum’s assistant director of corporate relations, was honored by their decision to become a beneficiary.
“The Emanu El partnership helps the Houston Holocaust Museum spread awareness about the museum’s education initiatives, especially concerning human rights,” she said.
Kaufman is also running the half marathon and competing in the 5K on Jan. 15.
“We have the ability to raise money for a worthy cause,” he said. “It’s a sweet, fun mechanism for that.”
He added, “We’re also running to create awareness. The work that the Holocaust Museum does, their mission to fight against bigotry and hate, it’s just so important.”
Kaufman looks back at the time since the Emanu El Runners’ small first runs, and growing into a team for the marathon. And now he looks forward to crossing the finish line together.
“Anytime you’re at an event like this, there’s a sense of satisfaction,” he said. “But when you’re doing it for something bigger than yourself, especially with a group of people — talk about adding the icing on the cake and a cherry on top.”