Wheels of Love 2022

While we highly recommend that you bring your own bike on Wheels of Love, we understand that some prefer to rent a bike for the duration of the ride. Our recommended supplier is Rent a Bike Israel. You can email them at INFO@BikeJerusalem.com. Quantities of rental bikes are limited so please get in touch with them when you register for the ride. Bike Jerusalem will bring the bikes to ALYN during the Friday check-in. All riders renting from them must be present at ALYN to receive their bikes. Please let us know that are are renting a bike by emailing us.  

1. How much do I need to raise to participate?
2. What happens if a rider does not meet the minimum fundraising requirements?
3. What is included on the ride?
4. Is ALYN’s Wheels of Love safe?
5. Do I need spending money?
6. What is the difference between the routes and how difficult are they?
7. Is the food kosher? Can I pray with a minyan?

The minimum fundraising requirements depend on which route you choose. For the 2022 Wheels of Love ride, the amounts are: Trail & Enduro: $4,000 Road & Touring: $5,000 Challenge: $5,500 Our hope is that your fundraising efforts will raise visibility for the hospital and introduce your donors to the amazing work that happens at ALYN. Many who will give to ALYN for the first time through your fundraising efforts will become repeat donors to the hospital. It is a long-term plan of support.

The goal of Wheels of Love, in addition to producing a world-class riding experience for our riders, is to raise as much money as possible for the children of ALYN Hospital. Participation in Wheels of Love involves making a binding commitment to raise the minimum amount of funds required by the Ride Organizing Committee.

All riders who have not met their obligations at check-in must give credit card details before taking part in Wheels of Love. Any rider who has not raised the required amount by December 31, 2022 will be charged the shortfall. The credit card will not be charged prior to December 31, 2022, two months after the ride, so there is plenty of time to continue additional fundraising in order make up the deficit.  We strongly encourage you to satisfy (and hopefully far exceed) your fundraising obligation prior to the ride.

On each of the three nights of Wheels of Love (Monday through Wednesday night), riders stay in three or four-star hotels. Accommodations are clean, comfortable and convenient. We eat breakfast and dinner in the hotels. During the day, there are numerous rest-stops which will have a variety of food such as fresh fruit, energy bars, and snacks. Each day, there will also be an extended pit stop for lunch. At the end of the riding day, you can relax with a cold beer and some protein and carbs. All food is certified kosher. Riders can also reserve vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free food. Every rider receives a deluxe ALYN riding jersey. During the ride, we provide complete support. That means that we have mechanics, medics and a sweep bus to pick up riders who are having a hard time keeping up or just need a break. We also have escort vehicles and staff ready to help if any need arises. All routes have lead and trailing vehicles. We will transport your luggage between hotels. You can also pack a small day bag that will accompany the Road and Touring routes and which will be brought to each rest-stop. Every night the mechanics will be available at the hotel to make any repairs needed. Should you need a part (i.e. a tire or derailleurs), most things are available for purchase. Please check our packing list.

Rider safety is our top priority. We work very closely with the Israeli police and military in planning our routes. We are also in constant contact with governmental authorities in the event of a security issue. In the event of an accident, we have experienced medics accompanying each route who can provide immediate medical assistance. While we make every attempt to keep you safe, riders are also largely responsible for the safety of the ride. Please read over our Rider Safety page so that you can do your part in keeping the ride safe for all our riders.

On the ride itself, you don’t need to bring substantial spending money. We provide everything you need over these four days, including hotels, meals and all logistics. You may want to bring a little extra for souvenirs, but once you step on the bus on Sunday night or Monday morning, you can leave your wallet at home.

Kashrut policy All food provided on the ride is kosher and has valid kashrut certification. This includes fruit, all of which is purchased from suppliers who certify that their products adhere to kashrut requirements for מצוות התלויות בארץ (mitzvot teluyot b’aretz). During the ride, kashrut certificates for items that are not prepared under the supervision of the kitchen are available from the staff upon request. This includes fruit and nuts served at rest stops. Dishes and spoons are disposable. Glatt kosher food for the five-day ride is available. Please let us know ahead of time so that we can best accommodate you. Minyanim Daily minyanim are held at the hotels and at lunch stops. The hotels have synagogues on premises.

All riders must check-in prior to the ride. The schedule of check-in is as follows: (*All times subject to change) At ALYN Hospital: Thursday, November 3: 16:00 until 21:00  (4:00 PM to 9:00 PM) Friday, November 4: 8:00 until 13:00 (8:00 AM to 1:00 PM) At Nir Etzion Resort Sunday, November 6: 16:00 until 21:00 (4:00 PM to 9:00 PM). At check-in, all riders receive their jerseys, tags, and other ride kit. Mechanics will be available for unpacking bikes and routine mechanical adjustments.

Wondering what the money you raise by participating in Wheels of Love is used for? Below are a few stories of remarkable children whose progress depended on the work of ALYN Hospital, which in turn depends on Wheels of Love to make these treatments possible. Tell these stories to your friends and family and ask them to make a donation to help children like the ones described below

Thank you letters. Make sure to send a short, personal thank you to each sponsor. Your sponsors will also receive an official thank you and receipt from ALYN, but they will appreciate the personal outreach and the sincere gratitude. OTHER FUNDRAISING IDEAS Corporate sponsorships. Wheels of Love offers public relations opportunities in exchange for corporate sponsorships. There are a number of underwriting opportunities. Please contact the office with questions. Fundraising events. Fundraising doesn’t only have to include sending emails and letters. A number of our riders have come up with creative ways to engage their friends, family members and community to help raise funds for their ride. Things that have been done in the past:

• Spin class held at a local gym
• Bowl-a-thon
• Trampoline park outing
• Team gear (hats, training jerseys) created with corporate sponsorships
• Wine and cheese reception

If there is an event you would like to hold, the office would be happy to help in any way we can, including sending ALYN swag. We are here to support you in your fundraising. Please contact us at any time for ideas or to edit your fundraising page online. Good luck with this important task and we can’t wait to see you!

New to fundraising? Looking for a few tips to help you collect sponsorships? A few Wheels of Love veteran riders explain how they have raised way beyond the minimum for ALYN.

If you use the letters below, make sure to personalize it with your name and the link to your fundraising page. To send these letters automatically, just go to your funraising page, log in, and select the sponsors you wish to send the letter to.

Dear This November I will be participating in the Wheels of Love Israel bike ride for my XX year. Wheels of Love is a 4-day ride to benefits ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem. ALYN is Israel’s only pediatric and adolescent rehabilitation hospital and a global leader in pediatric rehabilitation. Every year, over 3,300 children come to ALYN for multidisciplinary, innovative – medical and therapeutic care. Money raised through Wheels of Love is critical to ensuring that ALYN can continue to do amazing work – turning disabilities into abilities! The financial toll of the global pandemic means that we need your support now more than ever. This year’s fundraising goal for Wheels of Love is to raise $3 million. This will help bridge the financial gap between the actual cost of the state-of-the-art rehabilitation services provided to the children and the reimbursements received. My personal fundraising goal is $XXXX. Please contribute generously to this import cause by donating using a credit card on my rider’s page at xxxxx or send a check to: United States American Friends of ALYN Hospital 122 E. 42nd Street, Suite 1519, New York, NY  10168. The American Friends of ALYN is a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization, and your contribution is tax deductible in the US. If you work for a company with a matching gifts program, you may be able to multiply the effect of your gift. Israel ALYN Hospital 84 Shmaryahu Levin Street Kiryat Yovel, P.O.B. 9117 Jerusalem, 91090 Friends of ALYN Hospital has a contribution certificate from the tax authorities according to section #46 of the Income Tax regulation. Donations are tax deductible under Israeli law. Thank you, in advance, for changing the lives of the children at ALYN!