Cross Country Team Supports Alum Running NYC Marathon

by Gideon Levenson, SSLI '29 

Schechter alum Zachary Herzog (SSLI ‘19) is running the 2025 NYC Marathon this weekend on November 2 in memory of Captain Omer Neutra HY"D, a long-time friend and classmate of his. Herzog will be running 26.2 miles through all five boroughs, crossing the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to begin in Staten Island before heading through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and ending in Central Park.

When applying for a running bib, Herzog was asked if there was anyone he would want to honor. He said Omer was the first person that came to mind. He added, “I knew that I wanted to dedicate this run to Omer's memory. He was in my graduating class. I went to school with him here for 12 years.”

Herzog is also raising money for Commonpoint Queens, an organization that, as he explained, supports “mental health services, food pantries, clothing drives, and college assistance.”

To help Herzog raise money, the cross country team held a fundraiser.

Herzog, Connelly, and members of the cross country team sell donuts! (SSLI Instagram)

Sophomore Eitan Guy, who helped run the fundraiser and sold food during lunch, noted that the donuts for sale "were very good" and that he purchased one for himself. Freshman Zachary Bazini said that the fundraiser “showed that a community can all work together with one big goal.”

Cross Country coach and Herzog's former math teacher Mr. Connelly said, “I had Zach in the 10th grade, which was my first year of teaching here. I wanted to put together a fundraiser to help him accomplish his goal.” Mr. Connelly expressed his delight about fundraising for the marathon: “It's incredibly meaningful for me, combining my favorite city, New York City, with running the marathon, [which] are two of my favorite things. And to see one of my former students, former athletes, participate in it is a huge moment of pride for me.”

If you’d like to support Zach's fundraiser, here is the link: https://commonpoint.givecloud.co/fundraisers/zachary-w-herzog-nyc-marathon-2025

We wish Zach Herzog good luck at the marathon this weekend!

 

Gideon Levenson is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since October 2025. Gideon is currently a freshman at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: glevenson29@schechterli.org.