Recent Washington University graduate Marc Hendel hopes to make history by becoming the first American to run the full length of Israel in nine days – from Rosh HaNikra, near the Lebanon border, to the Red Sea port of Eilat, at Israel’s southernmost tip.

Hendel, who started his run on Tuesday, hopes to raise money and awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and for Youth Futures, a Jewish Agency for Israel-sponsored mentorship program that assists at-risk children throughout the Jewish State.

The 23-year-old is currently in Israel as a volunteer on Project Otzma, a 10-month community service program sponsored by MASA Israel Journey, a joint venture of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Israeli government.

 “I was inspired by my work with Youth Futures to do something to help them,” Hendel said earlier this week from Israel  “I also wanted to support the Take Steps for Kids 5K (for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri).  

“I was reading a book about a runner who crossed the United States in the ’80s and the idea formed in my head.  I spent the next couple days reading the book, scribbling notes about logistics in the margins.  When I shared the idea with friends and they were enthusiastic, I went for it.”

During his Otzma volunteer year, Hendel worked as an English teacher in an elementary school in Karmiel, in North Israel, where he formed a running club to promote diversity among the city’s immigrant population. He then went to Netivot, near the Gaza border, to volunteer with the Youth Futures mentorship program.

While in Netivot, a sister city of Philadelphia’s Jewish community through the Jewish Agency’s Partership2Gether initiative, Hendel built on his Karmiel success and organized the Run Together for Netivot 5K to raise money for local, grassroots programs.

Not satisfied with local exposure, Hendel decided to go big –- to run the length of Israel and generate excitement, buzz and donations along the way.

 “My goals for this run are two-fold,” Hendel said. “First, I want to strengthen bonds between Israel and American Jews and also to strengthen bonds between children and their mentors. Both of these mentor organizations are near and dear to my heart. I am also running to highlight Partnership2Gether and the 45 partnerships between Jewish communities around the world and Israeli towns. We are one global family, and these partnerships are essential to a secure future for the Jewish people.”

Hendel explained that he has been running for eight years and completed both the Go! St. Louis and Lewis and Clark Marathon (in St. Charles).  “Thus far, I have been doing normal marathon training with one day at 40-miles, just to see how my body could take it.  It’s funny you asked the question because I wrote a blog today describing how I was relying as much on my inspiration as my training to complete the run.”

Hendel hopes to raise at least $1,000 for each organization. Visitors can make donations to Youth Futures or Big Brothers Big Sisters (or both) in Hendel’s honor at www.RunIsrael.org. He and his crew will be updating the site daily with photos, blog posts and videos and will map his progress southward.

“With the support of my fellow Otzma volunteers, I am sure I’ll complete the run,” Hendel added. “Also, when people donate, I get an extra boost, knowing that every step I take helps these wonderful children get the mentors they deserve.”