The 13th Jerusalem Marathon saw a record participation of 40,000 runners this year, making it one of the Jewish capital’s largest annual events.
This year’s marathon was dedicated to honoring the Israel Defense Forces, security forces, and rescue teams, while also spotlighting the ongoing plight of 132 Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Commencing early Friday morning, the event drew nearly 100,000 spectators to Gan Sacker Park, where attendees enjoyed a variety of attractions including a children’s trampoline, food kiosks, and numerous small vendors.
The day’s schedule featured a diverse lineup of races to accommodate all levels of runners, including a Full Marathon (42 km), a Half Marathon (21.1 km), a 10-km Race, a 5-km Race, and a Family Race (1.7 km). The route passes through areas filled with religious and historic landmarks, including the Knesset, the walls of the Old City, David’s Tower, Mount Zion, the German Colony, and the Mount of Olives.
In attendance were DJ Yarin Ilovitz, a survivor of the Hamas massacre at the Nova musical festival, and Mia Leimberg, a Jerusalem resident who was held hostage for two months. The event also saw significant participation from the military, with 15,000 IDF soldiers from both reserve and active duty, alongside approximately 1,800 international runners.
