In the hills surrounding Ramat Beit Shemesh, groups of teenagers and soldiers ride mountain bikes along narrow dirt trails, climbing steep ascents and navigating rocky descents. The activity looks recreational. But for the participants of Geerz, every ride carries a deeper purpose.

The program’s founder, Nachum Wasosky, never intended to build a typical sports club. A therapist and family counselor who has worked with youth for more than two decades, he created Geerz as a therapeutic framework — one that uses physical challenge, group responsibility and nature to help young people rebuild confidence and emotional stability.

After the Hamas attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, that mission expanded dramatically.

“Suddenly the need wasn’t only teens,” Wasosky said in an interview at the JNS Media Hub in Jerusalem on Feb. 15. “We began seeing soldiers coming back from combat who needed the same tools—structure, belonging and a way to process what they experienced.”

From the United States to Israel

Ohio-born and Pittsburgh-raised, Wasosky brings a blend of American informality and an educator’s discipline to his work with Israeli youth. A trained therapist and longtime youth mentor, he spent years building community frameworks even before Geerz, establishing a community center in Denver, Colorado, where he and his wife lived before making aliyah in 2008, and later opening a drop-in youth center for at-risk teens in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

An avid mountain biker, Wasosky eventually merged his passion for the trail with two decades of counseling experience, discovering that conversations flowed more naturally beside a climb than across a desk —an insight that ultimately evolved into the therapeutic model behind Geerz.

The idea for Geerz emerged organically in 2012. Wasosky began riding with several youths he was counseling. Their enthusiasm quickly grew, and he raised funds to purchase bicycles so more could participate. Weekly rides soon became a structured program.

He was struck by the change in behavior. “They began showing responsibility,” he said. “They had to maintain equipment, help each other, wait for the slowest rider. It created accountability and confidence without confrontation.”

The program developed into a full curriculum combining mental, emotional and spiritual growth. Rather than traditional lectures, lessons are embedded in the ride itself — patience during climbs, decision-making under pressure and trust within the group.

Today Geerz operates across Israel but remains headquartered in Ramat Beit Shemesh, where the surrounding Judean Hills provide immediate access to challenging terrain.

Following the war’s outbreak, families and commanders began contacting Wasosky about soldiers struggling with stress, isolation and transition back to routine life.

‘On a ride, nobody interrogates you’

The structure that helped teens proved relevant for combat veterans.

On the trails, rank disappears. Participants ride single file, rely on one another for safety and face shared obstacles. Conversations that might feel forced indoors arise naturally between climbs.

“On a ride, nobody interrogates you,” Wasosky explained. “You talk because you want to, not because someone asks.”

The program now runs dedicated groups for IDF soldiers, including religious and Haredi participants who often lack tailored frameworks for emotional support after service.

Today, Geerz serves roughly 550 boys and girls across Israel each week, from elementary school through high school, along with about 70 IDF veterans coping with the aftereffects of prolonged combat service.

Demand continues to surge, with hundreds more youth and reservists on waiting lists. Sustaining the program requires significant funding, drawn from corporate donors in Israel and the United States as well as the organization’s flagship annual charity ride.

Wasosky hopes his next two-day mountain-biking fundraiser, scheduled for March 2026, will generate about $800,000 toward expanding programming and meeting the growing need.

Leadership through movement

Geerz emphasizes leadership development as much as therapy. Riders rotate responsibilities—navigation, pace-setting and assisting weaker riders—reinforcing independence and empathy.

Wasosky believes the outdoor environment accelerates growth.

“A classroom talks about challenges,” he said. “A trail gives you one immediately.”

Parents of teenagers report improved behavior and communication at home, while soldiers describe a rare space where experiences are understood without explanation.

As the war continues to affect Israeli society, demand for such programs has increased. Geerz has expanded groups and fundraising efforts to provide equipment and trained instructors for new participants.

Wasosky views the initiative less as recreation and more as preventative care.

“We’re not waiting for a crisis,” he said. “We’re building resilience before it breaks.”

He reflected on the unexpected evolution of the organization, which today operates through a nationwide network of more than 50 trained instructors and therapeutic staff in some 15 locations.

“It began with a few kids who wanted to ride bikes,” he said. “Now it’s a way for people to find direction again.”

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