Riverdale Temple hosts first annual 5K run, fostering inclusivity and community

I walked away feeling like people made new friends, people met their goals, people exceeded their expectations.”

Lisa Bruskin, executive director of Riverdale Temple

On Sunday, Sept. 22, with a slight chill in the air, people gathered at the start line to participate in the Riverdale Temple’s first annual 5-kilometer race. 

Lisa Bruskin, executive director of Riverdale Temple, has been a runner for most of her life and enjoys the chance to introduce anyone and everyone to the activity. 

In her previous work with the Riverdale Y, Bruskin established its 5K run and walk that endures today. Almost immediately after starting her role with the temple, Bruskin said she knew she would bring the same concept to her new audience, just with some reworking.

This race marked her 10th year organizing a run. 

Bruskin’s background before the Riverdale Y is in the fitness world, and she said she never plans to leave that part of her behind. 

“I never want to leave the wellness world and this is an easy way, everyone can walk and run,” Bruskin said. 

Her goal wasn’t just to bring the idea to life for the temple’s congregants, but to include the greater Riverdale community and beyond. Bruskin said she wants the work she does with the temple to focus on inclusivity, showing the public the temple is a community place, inviting for everyone regardless of denomination or belief system.

Part of the invitation also specified everyone of all abilities and ages was welcome to join the 5K. Bruskin said opting to walk still creates a meaningful experience. 

While Bruskin has not run in the last several years, thanks to a knee injury, running still matters deeply to her. The day of the temple race, she sat at the signup table handing out packets so she could have the chance to meet and greet every participant. 

“As the race director, I want to be out there shaking hands and hearing stories,” she said. “I wanted to meet everyone who signed up.”

Meeting everyone also gave her the opportunity to make introductions. One woman who came to participate in the run said she had been running in the mornings alone and Bruskin was able to introduce her to another group of women who run together.

Out of the 180 people who pre-registered for the event, 149 signed up to run, including Denis Haxhija, who admits he isn’t an avid runner but he consistently participates in local runs and walks as a big fan of community events. 

“I love how you can say that you’re never bored. There’s always something to do,” Haxhija said. 

Although he isn’t a member of the temple, Haxhija saw the race advertised and he knows a number of people who worship there, work there, and even send their kids to the nursery, making his participation in the event a logical decision. 

Haxhija serves as secretary on the board of Riverdale Main Street Alliance and, after learning about the race, he reached out on behalf of the alliance in the hopes of a collaboration. 

“It’s all for a good cause, of course, to get people out there. A united community is a strong community,” Haxhija said. 

Bruskin plans for this first temple 5K to be the first of many and is already planning next year’s event, which will include a 10-kilometer race that came highly requested at this year’s kickoff. 

The plan was thoroughly crafted, even down to the minute the race started. The date, Sept. 22, was selected as it is the first day of fall, and the race began promptly at 8:43 a.m. in accordance with the equinox time change, having the race begin at the literal beginning of fall. 

The run’s theme was Fall of Happiness and Bruskin intends to keep the theme for all of the runs that follow. She already has next year’s theme picked out, Fall of Life, and the years after will continue in her tradition. 

After the race, everyone received a medal and the top finishers received trophies. Food was served and laughs were shared. Bruskin said, after the event, people lingered to chat and enjoy the beautiful weather. For her, life is all about staying healthy, having fun and making friends. The countless races she’s helped organize are meant to spread her outlook on life with others. 

“I walked away feeling like people made new friends, people met their goals, people exceeded their expectations,” she said.