Rabbi Ben David safe after Boston Marathon; describes aftermath of bombing

Published: April 16, 2013, 9:47 p.m.

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Shortly before 3 p.m. Monday, Mt. Laurel Rabbi Ben David, senior rabbi of Adath Emanu-El and an avid marathon runner, had just checked off his \\u201clifelong dream\\u201d of competing in--and completing--the Boston Marathon.

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His official time of three hours, 21 minutes and 37 seconds--a personal best--put \\u201cthe running rabbi\\u201d across the finish line as the 6,245th finisher.

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Then, as he approached his hotel near the marathon\\u2019s finish line, the lifelong dream took a darker turn. Two bombs exploded on Boylston Street a few blocks apart, killing at least three people, including an eight-year-old boy, and severely injuring scores of race spectators.

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For David, it was a replay of the nightmare of September 11, 2001, which he witnessed firsthand from lower Manhattan.

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In this podcast, Jewish Community Voice correspondent Steve Lubetkin talks with Rabbi David about his experience at the marathon.

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