In Conversation with the 2025 Walk with Israel Chairs
UJA’s annual Walk with Israel is just over a week away, and the energy is already palpable. Chairing this important community event are two couples: Erica and Noah Godfrey, and Kailee and Shawn Mecklinger. The four of them chatted with UJA’s Kara Segal to discuss expectations, allies, and not getting complacent.
How did you feel when you were asked to chair this year’s Walk with Israel?
Noah:
I was incredibly flattered. To be thought of as someone who could take on that title was an honour. I was also a little scared. It’s a huge responsibility because the Walk and Israel are so important to our community.
Shawn:
I’ve always wanted to be more involved in the community, but to jump this high this quickly felt a bit stressful. Then it turned to gratification—as Noah said, it’s a true honour. And we’re excited for the challenge of making this year’s Walk an amazing event.
Erica:
Another important reason we said yes is because of our kids. Both families have daughters who are going to university in the fall, so we wanted to celebrate at the Walk with our family while we’re all still under the same roof.
Kailee:
What makes this journey even more special is co-chairing alongside our amazing friends. It is deeply meaningful for us to all be so involved with our families, especially because of how powerful the Walk is in bringing our entire community together. We are truly grateful for this opportunity and excited to make a lasting impact together!
We’re anticipating another incredible turnout. What can people expect this year?
Erica:
Last year was so successful—we wanted to play on that and the enjoyment everyone felt being there. Our goal is to keep the momentum going. From when that horn sounds at the start to when the last hot dog is eaten, the 2025 Walk with Israel will be absolutely unforgettable!
Kailee:
We also want people to know that the Walk is not just an event for young families. There are elements for teens, young adults, seniors—it really is designed to be for everyone. We need older generations to show their children and grandchildren how important it is to show up for each other, and the Walk is the perfect place to do that.
What about reaching those beyond the Jewish community?
Noah:
This is so important to the four of us. Given the state of the world, it feels more important than ever to bring non-Jewish friends and neighbours to the Walk. We really hope people reach out beyond our community to stress the importance of events like this to our allies who really care and understand that what’s been going on is awful.
Shawn:
Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem. The more people who can come together in support of our community, the better. We’ve seen the beauty of allyship at past Walks and post-October 7th rallies—we’d love to see that again this year.
If you can leave one final message about the Walk, what would it be?
Kailee:
This is such a pivotal moment. Uniting our community in support of Israel and raising funds as they continue to recover has never been more important.
Erica:
We can’t get complacent. We can’t lose our drive to keep standing up for what’s right. We need to physically show up and show the world our community will not be defeated.
Shawn:
Exactly. While more hostages have been released since last year’s Walk, there are still 58 remaining. We need to keep coming together in support of Israel, our Israeli family, and those still to be reunited with their loved ones.
Noah:
To me, the biggest donation is your presence. Yes, we need to send the message to those against us that we won’t back down, but it’s also for our friends and allies who might be afraid. No one is alone in this fight—whether you’re Jewish or not. We all need to show up to represent peace, love, and community.
Haven’t registered for the Walk with Israel on May 25th yet? Sign up now!