A bicycle is so much more than just a means of transportation.
So says Adva Sharvit, who co-founded the not-for-profit organization Hamaslul with her husband, Karmy Shirby, in 2015—with two groups, 20 youth, 15 pairs of bicycles and two counselors—to use the bicycle as an educational vehicle and explore the land of Israel.
Sharvit, who earned her Ph.D. in neuroscience, researching post-traumatic stress disorder, discovered that cycling is a cogent therapeutic and educational tool to enrich disadvantaged and behaviorally challenged youth with riding clubs across the country.
The group has been growing exponentially, conducting in-school programs, after-school programs, tourism treks and training older student participants to become paid instructors. They now operate nearly 30 groups with 10 to 15 youth in each one, providing them with bicycles, helmets, instructors and trail plans.
“Beyond letting children have fun on a bicycle, Hamaslul provides children an opportunity to learn how to behave in a community,” says Nir Armoni, a cycling instructor and coach with the organization, who has spent his career in high-tech. “While you might think of bicycling as a solitary sport, Hamaslul turns it into a group sport.”
He explains that each group assigns a leader who must communicate, using official bicycle hand signs, to guide the group through off-road trails and sometimes, even crowded streets.
The experience builds resilience and responsibility, especially among teens, says Armoni.
‘Take out the instructor bag’
Osher Tarkin, a shy, quiet-spoken young man who is now 18, joined Hamaslul through a youth group when he was 14 years old. The resident of Or Yehuda, a city in the Tel Aviv District, didn’t know anything about riding a bicycle. His first time out, he said that he really enjoyed it. His instructors taught him how to navigate routes and control the bicycle; before he knew it, he was a pretty good bike rider.
He liked it so much that when he turned 15, he decided to take a 140-hour course to become a junior instructor. After four months of coursework, he tested and did well.
“The course taught me how to administer first aid in case someone gets hurt, as well as how to instruct others, nutritional intake for bicyclists, how to create programmed activities, about preparing the equipment, communicating clearly to a group and how to trouble shoot if the bicycle breaks down at any time during a ride,” he said.
On his “maiden voyage” as an assistant instructor, one of the kids in Tarkin’s group punctured a tire. He followed the protocols he had studied and learned.
“First of all, do not leave the rider,” he recalled. He pulled the bicycle over to a grassy area and calmed the rider, using skills learned to communicate and get the child to trust him.
“Secondly, take out the instructor bag,” he continued. With its first-aid kit, temporary tire patches and bike pump, the bag is an essential utility for every instructor. As the main instructor went on with the rest of the group, Tarkin nimbly removed the wheel and the punctured tire, and fixed it.
He laughs now, thinking about that first time: “I must have fixed 40 or 50 roadside punctures by now, and I’ve gotten much faster at fixing them. I can usually get someone back on the road in five minutes or less.”
He realized that the course had benefited him. The entire experience gave him a sense of accomplishment.
“Overall, the ride went smoothly, and we were able to catch up with the group,” he recounted. “But mostly, I proved to myself that he could do it.”
‘It helps them develop self-esteem’
“Hamaslul offers the youth more than simply social skills,” explains Sharvit. “Bicycle-riding involves physical challenges, sports ability, mental challenges—and it teaches students to conquer their own fears, offering a group challenge of working with one another. It helps them develop self-esteem.”
Additionally, Hamaslul has begun creating corporate team building and fun days that include bike tours all over the country, as well as programs for tourists.
“Some of these children might have become dropouts,” attests Sharvit, “but instead, they develop independence. Many start at a young age and stay until they are 17 or 18. Through the program, they learn how to work and how to earn; it prepares them for their eventual army service.”
In 11th grade, Tarkin was facing his bagrut exams when the CEO of Hamaslul, Noga Hilo, invited him to take instructor courses to learn how to lead groups himself. At first, he hesitated, concerned about his grades, but with her encouragement, he decided to complete it.
On his first day in the course, he saw that the others were professional riders, and he began doubting he could do it. But in the end, he received a certificate as a professional trainer and says he is quite proud of it. His parents were also thrilled with his achievement.
‘I’ve got a real feel for it’
“Overall, the program has taught me to problem solve, look at things outside the box, approach situations differently, and it has taught me to become more responsible,” he adds. “Working with Hamaslul trained me to have a good work ethic, and has given me a lot more confidence. It also changed the way I speak to people.”
Now he is hoping that his certificate will help him advance in the army to an instructor or trainer position. He aims for a career in the military.
“While I am not sure what I will do after the army, I do know that no matter what career I choose, I can always work with bicycles somehow. It will always provide an avenue to go forward,” says Tarkin.
The organization’s clubs explore the Bnei Yehoshua Park in Tel Aviv, Park Darom, Jaffa Port, and ever since October 2023, added trails in the Otef communities of Sha’ar HaNegev. Participants include refugees from Ukraine, refugees from Africa, children of foreign workers and many from the Arab community in Jaffa.
Shelo Gevorgis and his family came to Israel from Eritrea. At 14, he began as a trainee in the educational cycling program titled “The Bicycle Path to the Goal” at the Kadima Youth Center in Pardes Katz. Since becoming acquainted with the activities of Hamaslul, he has also taken training courses at the association, received a certificate and started working for pay as a bicycle mechanic.
After discovering that he had charisma and an easy rapport with others, they asked him to join the training team.
“While the instructor is busy with the entire group, I have the opportunity to give personal attention to each trainee,” explains Shelo. “I am excited to meet trainees who are in the same place I was when I first started riding at Hamaslul. I know what they are going through, I understand them, and I know that I can help them.”
The clubs begin with a two-hour kickoff meeting. Buses bring the kids to the park, and they are accompanied by a teacher and a guide from the organization. The guides work with teachers from the participating schools to introduce math concepts like distance calculations and historical information about the area they are exploring.
While certain programs are paid for by school systems in place for particular students, after-school programs use fundraising methods to subsidize the program and pay for instructors, transportation and equipment maintenance.
Armoni said bicycling is the best way to tour a city: “When I visit places I’ve never been, the first thing I do is rent a bicycle and ride around the city. By the time I’m finished, I’ve got a real feel for it.”
Families, businesses and tourists can book tours through the organization directly from the website.