Hi all!

I am running the New York City Marathon on November 1, 2026, in memory of William Zev Shakin, z”l.

William was a guy just like you and me. He grew up in New York, went to Jewish day school, and lived a regular American Modern Orthodox life. But despite his “regular” upbringing, he chose to do something extraordinary and enlist as a soldier in the IDF’s Golani Brigade. After October 7, he left his life in America to serve the Jewish people and the State of Israel. He fought in Gaza and Lebanon, witnessed unimaginable devastation, and lost friends in combat.

William died at just 25 years old, leaving behind a legacy that demands action. William wanted to raise awareness about the challenges lone soldiers face when they return to civilian life, often struggling with trauma, isolation, and the loss of the brotherhood and support system that sustained them during their service. William understood that lone soldiers, especially those who grew up in Israeli children’s homes, needed so much more support. He was trying to call attention to this need, and I want to continue what he started.

My work with Kol HaNearim has taught me that when children leave our partner children’s homes at age 18, they must navigate adulthood, and often their IDF service, without the support systems every young person deserves. For some, the challenges of breaking free from the circumstances they grew up in are immense, and the cycle of hardship can continue into the next generation. Young people who grow up without the support they need can become adults who struggle to provide that same stability for their own children.

Through Kol HaNearim, we work to interrupt that cycle by giving children the opportunity to experience unconditional love, meaningful relationships, and people who believe in their potential. Through William’s memory, I hope to extend that same commitment to lone soldiers, ensuring that the people who sacrifice so much for others are not left to face their hardest battles alone.

Running the NYC Marathon in William’s memory is about continuing what William wanted to accomplish: raising awareness, creating lasting support systems, and working toward a future in which fewer people fall through the cracks.

My goal is to turn William’s vision into something tangible by raising funds to support lone soldiers, specifically those who grew up in Israeli children’s homes, as they transition into life beyond the two frameworks that have defined so much of their lives: the children’s home and the army.

We want to fund a professional network of people who can help these young adults find meaningful employment, provide subsidized apartments where they can live with and support one another, and subsidize food so that meeting their most basic needs does not become an obstacle to building their futures. We want to fund weekly sessions with life coaches and therapists who can check in on them, help them navigate the challenges of independent living, refine their goals, and support them as they work toward achieving them. We also want to provide guidance and support as they build healthy relationships and, ultimately, families of their own.

The goal is not simply to help these young men and women survive after leaving the structures that once supported them, but to give them the tools, relationships, and resources to build lives filled with stability, purpose, love, and belonging. We want to help break the cycle of distress and give the next generation the opportunity to build lives that extend far beyond what they have known.

I am beginning this mission by raising funds through the New York City Marathon in William’s memory. We have to start somewhere, and I hope this is the beginning of turning William’s vision into a reality.

If you want to learn more about William (highly encouraged!), here is a link with pictures and videos that will give you a window into who he was:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rmfnmitrqLMuL7WpLUvx5uZlQcV-Gpyw?usp=drive_link

New York City Marathon in memory of Daniella Moffson and William Zev Shakin z”l