Did you know that the co-founder of the New York City Marathon was a Jewish Holocaust survivor? Fred Lebow was born Ephraim Fischl Lebowitz in 1932 to a Jewish family in Romania. After surviving the Holocaust, Lebow immigrated to the United States in 1949 and settled in New York. By 1970, motivated by his passion for running and his desire to create an inclusive event to unite New Yorkers, he launched the NYC Marathon, which began as a modest event with over 100 participants doing laps around Central Park. When Lebow led runners through Hasidic neighborhoods, he would yell, “Luz mir heren!” which translates to “Let’s hear it” in Yiddish, to motivate cheers from the local onlookers. Today, the marathon attracts more than 50,000 participants, keeping Lebow’s legacy alive.
Last month marked 30 years since Lebow passed away in October 1994.
