Grandmother's Second Charity Swim of the Kinneret

All the 85 women who swam the Kinneret today for the First Annual All-Women's Kinneret Swim were unique, and each had her story.

When grandmother, Chana Loecher of Jerusalem, swam the Kinneret today, it was her second swim here to raise money for charity.

Fourteen years ago, Chana Loecher completed a ten kilometer swim in the Kinneret to benefit the ALUT (Israeli Society for Autistic Children) Children's Hostel. Her grueling solo swim from Tiberius to Ein Gev took the mother of eight, more than five hours against a treacherous current in the chilly autumn weather.

Today, Chana Loecher, aged 66, swam the 1.5 kilometer course from Maagan to Tzemach Beach, for the benefit of Rosh Tzurim's Sadnat Shiluv, which helps special needs young adults integrate into the community and contribute as best they can to community life. Unlike Chana's first Kinneret swim, today the water was calm and magnificent. Encouraged by this ideal swim, Chana, a former swimming coach, exclaimed that next year, IY"H, she plans to swim the 3.5 kilometer route.

An enthusiastic "tzedakah athlete", Chana also rides in the yearly Bike-athon to benefit the Alyn Children's Hospital. Today Chana was reunited with former Alyn Bike-athon organizer Nina Alon, who was instrumental in organizing today's All-Women Kinneret Swim.