On their first run Monday, about six people came to join Anan Abu-Taleb and Richard Goldwasser on their run along Chicago’s lakefront planned for every morning of the Democratic National Convention.
A small crowd. But, they hope, a powerful one that only grows.
Abu-Taleb, a former Oak Park mayor, was born in Gaza. Goldwasser, a Highland Park attorney, is a Jewish American. Together, they are calling on people to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and to stop funding the Israel-Hamas war.
Abu-Taleb, who served as mayor from 2013 to 2021 and owns the restaurant Maya del Sol, said the group creates connection during a devastating conflict.
Goldwasser agreed.
“Until you actually have a meaningful relationship or connection with someone outside your community, your ability to empathize with them, for some people, is very limited,” Goldwasser said.
“I feel like we have more in common than some of the people I grew up with,” Abu-Taleb said. “This world needs more Richards.”
The runs start at Buckingham Fountain at 7:30 a.m. from Monday through Thursday, traveling south along the lakefront path to McCormick Place. Some who gathered wore shirts reading “Ceasefire now. Hostage/prisoner release” and “All power to the people of Palestine.”
Part of the duo’s efforts include advocating for the United States to stop funding the conflict.
The U.S. gives about $3 billion in military aid annually to Israel and tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons. The U.S. has also funneled nearly $700 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war started last October.
“This war is supported by the United States’ taxpayer dollars,” Abu-Taleb said. “If a fraction of what’s been spent on this war had been spent on peace building, thousands of lives on both sides would have been spared.”
“At the heart of it, when we stop dehumanizing one another and [start] seeing each other as people who have similar aspirations — when you strip away the politics, labels, religion — we’re all the same. Peace starts with seeing the other as a human. Once you get there, once you invest in those relationships, it’s hard to continue thinking of one another as enemies.”
Calling for a ceasefire
Abu-Taleb and Goldwasser were introduced to each other by a mutual friend nearly five years ago. They quickly discovered they both love running, and have strong personal feelings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that has been damaging their countries for decades.
After learning more about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in high school and college, after law school, Goldwasser clerked for the Supreme Court of Israel. He said he’s supported a two-state solution since.
“Either you have to allow the people within the territory you control equal rights, that includes voting rights and other rights, or they have to have their own state,” Goldwasser said.
Abu-Taleb said Goldwasser suggested running during the DNC as a way to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Neither Anan or myself think that President Biden or [U.S. Secretary of State] Antony Blinken are going to hear about our run and decide, ‘We’re going to withhold funding,’” Goldwasser said. “You can either sit there and accept it or take whatever small steps you can.”
The two expect their numbers to increase throughout the week as more people hear about the call for a ceasefire. It’s a way for people to express themselves during a dark moment, Goldwasser said.
“This isn’t just kumbaya stuff,” he said. “There’s a real message behind what we’re presenting.”
“The cycle of violence only breeds more violence and more suffering for both people,” Abu-Taleb said. “Deep down, I believe that when the Palestinians and the Israelis live side-by-side with the same rights, with dignity and justice, peace will naturally follow.”
Abu Taleb and Goldwasser encourage runners who want a ceasefire in Gaza to join them and run, walk or rollerblade at Buckingham Fountain at 7:30 a.m. through Thursday, Aug. 22. For more information, email DNCceasefirerun@gmail.com.