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The climb has become both a fundraising success and a rallying point for young Jews seeking connection, reflection, and solidarity with Israel.
By Shula Rosen
A group of 18 young Jewish professionals from North West London has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in a charity effort that blended physical endurance with a strong expression of Jewish identity and solidarity with Israel, Jewish News Reported.
The climbers, all in their 20s and 30s, set out on an eight-day trek on July 7 and successfully reached the 5,895-meter summit.
The initiative, organized by Brondesbury Park Young Jewish Professionals (BPark YJP) and led by Rabbi Meir Levin and his wife, Libi, has so far raised more than £90,000 of a £100,000 goal to support the construction of a new medical center in Tzfat through a partnership with UJIA.
At the peak, participants held up an Israeli flag and left a poster of Avinatan Or, one of the hostages taken on October 7.
A photograph of the gesture was later shared with Or’s family. Rabbi Levin said the project was meant “to help young Jews connect more deeply with Israel and to truly live their Judaism,” adding that the spirit of the group “was genuinely magical.”
The group also observed Shabbat on the mountain, ate kosher meals prepared at altitude, and bonded across different levels of religious observance.
“Since 7 October, so many young Jews have been searching for ways to connect with Israel and other like-minded young Jews,” said participant Edward Isaacs. “I’m so grateful to have been part of something that allowed us to do that – while proudly being Jewish every step of the way.”
The idea for the challenge was first conceived in late 2024 by Rabbi Levin and Johnny Rosen, co-founder of BPark YJP.
Rosen called the trek a success on every front, noting the group achieved a rare 100 percent summit rate. Participant Sophie Engler said the Shabbat experience on the mountain was “one of the most spiritual and meaningful” of her life.
The climb has become both a fundraising success and a rallying point for young Jews seeking connection, reflection, and solidarity with Israel.
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