Islington Rabbi’s Arctic Run for Passover Seder 2026

Key points

• Islington‑based Chabad rabbi Mendy Korer completed a 21km half‑marathon inside the Arctic Circle in Levi, northern Finland, on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
• The race took place in temperatures well below freezing, with the route crossing the frozen Immeljärvi lake and climbing Katkankaturi (Kätkätunturi) Mountain.​
• Rabbi Korer is raising funds for Chabad Islington’s annual communal Passover (Pesach) seder in north London, aiming to cover costs so that local and visiting Jews can attend without financial barriers.
• Organisers expect about 200 guests at the seder, which will feature traditional Jewish food, speeches in up to 20 different languages, and reading of core Passover texts.​
• As of early reporting, Rabbi Korer had raised “over £2,000” for the seder via the run, with donations streamed through community and synagogue channels.​
• He described the Arctic experience as “the most incredible” of his life, saying the run through frozen lakes and snow‑covered plains helped him reflect on the values of community and inclusion.​
• Rabbi Korer and his wife have run Chabad Islington since opening the borough’s only synagogue in 2011, focusing on outreach, education and large‑scale communal events.​
• The rabbi has a history of using endurance sport for Jewish‑community causes, including a Thames‑side ultramarathon to promote the idea of becoming an “Ultra Jew”.​

Islington ( North London News) – March 24 , 2026 – A North London rabbi has jogged 21km through the Arctic Circle in northern Finland to raise money for a communal Passover seder in Islington, drawing praise from local Jewish groups and online supporters. Rabbi Mendy Korer, who has led Chabad Islington for 15 years, completed the half‑marathon‑distance race in Levi on Wednesday, 11 March 2026, with temperatures far below freezing and the route crossing the frozen Immeljärvi lake and ascending Katkankaturi Mountain.

As reported by Finn Logue of the Islington Tribune, the effort raised “over £2,000” for Chabad Islington’s annual Passover celebration, which the rabbi says should be open to all. Jewish‑community outlets such as The Jewish Chronicle and Jewish News have also highlighted the run as a fundraiser for a large north London seder open to both residents and visitors.

Organisers stress that the goal is to ensure “no one is turned away” and that food and participation are accessible regardless of income.

What did the rabbi achieve in the Arctic run?

Rabbi Korer’s race was a 21km half‑marathon‑distance event in Levi, a Lapland town in northern Finland close to the Arctic Circle boundary. According to the Islington Tribune report, his course took him across the frozen Immeljärvi lake and up the slopes of Katkankaturi (also written Kätkätunturi), a fell in the Pallas‑Yllästunturi National Park.

Logue writes that Rabbi Korer described the landscape as

“the most incredible experience, just being in the vastness of nature of the Arctic Circle”,

noting “frozen lakes, endless planes of snow and” the mountain climb. Social‑media posts promoting the challenge, shared by Chabad Islington and partner groups, spoke of

“endless pine forests, vast open skies, and the haunting stillness of the Arctic”

as backdrops to the race. Outside outlets such as Jewish News and The Jewish Chronicle summarised the distance as a “half‑marathon inside the Arctic Circle”, consistently crediting Mendy Korer as the Islington‑based rabbi behind the fundraiser.

Why is this run tied to a Passover seder?

Rabbi Korer told the Islington Tribune that the entire purpose of the run was to raise funds for Chabad Islington’s annual Passover (Pesach) seder. He explained that the seder is

“a big celebration of Jewish values and our community in Islington”,

combining a communal dinner with traditional food, speeches, and readings of classic texts.​

According to the same report, the congregation expects around 200 guests at this year’s gathering, with participants joining from across London and beyond. As quoted by Logue, Rabbi Korer said:

“We want to make sure local and travelling Jews can celebrate Pesach seder and that no one should be turned away. Everyone is welcome, everyone is family.”

Additional coverage notes that the seder will feature speakers in approximately 20 languages, reflecting the diverse, international makeup of the Islington and wider London Jewish community. Organisers emphasise that raised funds will cover food, Kosher‑for‑Passover supplies, venue costs and other logistical expenses, so that financial constraints do not prevent attendance.

How much money has been raised so far?

The Islington Tribune reports that, as of early coverage, Rabbi Korer had pulled in “over £2,000” from the Arctic half‑marathon fundraiser. That figure is presented as a starting point, with the synagogue encouraging further donations and community‑sponsored runs in the lead‑up to Passover.

In a Facebook fundraising post attributed to Chabad Islington, supporters were invited to sponsor the rabbi’s run or to “run a marathon” themselves for the cause, with the group noting that all proceeds would go toward the seder.

Wider coverage in the Jewish‑press sphere similarly frames the Arctic race as one of several endurance‑sport‑linked initiatives that Rabbi Korer has used to channel energy into communal events.

How does this fit into the rabbi’s wider community work?

Rabbi Mendy Korer and his wife opened Chabad Islington in 2011, establishing it as the borough’s only synagogue and a hub for Jewish education, outreach and social events. The Islington Tribune describes the couple as long‑standing residents of the borough who have grown the congregation from a small presence into a well‑attended community centre.​

As reported by The Jewish Chronicle in September 2024, Rabbi Korer previously took part in an ultramarathon along the River Thames, running for more than 15 hours to encourage others to become “Ultra Jews” and to deepen commitment to Jewish life.

That event, like the Arctic run, was framed as a personal challenge used to model dedication and resilience for the wider community.​

In the context of the Arctic fundraiser, Logue notes that Rabbi Korer positions himself almost as a “multi‑disciplinary” member of the community, not only leading religious services but also coaching would‑be runners in “one‑to‑one running training” for future events.

This dual role—as spiritual leader and endurance athlete—has helped generate both media attention and grassroots engagement around the seder campaign.

What does this mean for the local Jewish community in Islington?

The Arctic‑run fundraiser has become a focal point for discussion about access and inclusion within the Islington Jewish community. Coverage in the Islington Tribune stresses that Passover is “an annual major Jewish holiday” expected that year between 1 and 9 April, and that the seder is one of the most important communal meals of the year.

By publicly linking a demanding physical challenge to the seder’s funding, Rabbi Korer is signalling that no one should be excluded because of cost. In his quoted remarks, he adds that the £2,000

“will go a long way to helping us run this community holiday”

and that

“people have been incredibly supportive.”

Community members and donors interviewed or quoted in social‑media and synagogue posts frame the event as a chance to strengthen local ties, especially for those who might otherwise feel isolated or unable to afford a full‑service seder. The emphasis on

“everyone is welcome, everyone is family”

appears designed to appeal across denominational and socio‑economic lines within London’s Jewish population.

What comes next for the rabbi and the seder planning?

With the Arctic half‑marathon completed, attention is now shifting back to north London and the final preparations for the seder. The Islington Tribune reports that any remaining funds will be used to cover Kosher‑for‑Passover ingredients, tableware, and speaker coordination, as well as to subsidise tickets or waive them for those in need.​

Rabbi Korer told the Tribune that the synagogue welcomes anyone interested in sponsoring additional runners or events linked to the seder, underlining that the community model is “multi‑disciplinary” and open to different forms of participation. Separate coverage in the Jewish‑press and social‑media ecosystem notes that the temple is also using the Arctic run as a promotional hook to draw in new attendees and to highlight the scale of its communal programming.