A friend asked me to see some more photos from my climb up Kilimanjaro with the Everest Peace Project in 2005.

It was an awesome experience and an interesting challenge of keeping Kosher and Shabbat. I’m writing about it in a travel book that, please G-d, will soon be published.

For now here are some photos I’d like to share.

Me, climbing on the rocks in Ein Bokek. We hiked while still following the Jewish religious modesty code, which requires women to wear skirts and longer sleeves. Check out how the other girls behind me are also wearing skirts and sleeves!

A lot of people I’ve spoken with who don’t know anything about the life of a Rabbi or Rebbetzin are really surprised to hear about our adventures.  Yet, there is one group that never seems surprised: Israelis.  That’s because in Israel everyone, even the most religious Rabbis, will go on outings, at least for a day, into the wilderness of Israel.  These day-hikes, famously called tiyulim, are an indispensable part of Israeli life.

Last summer while I was studying at a popular Jerusalem seminary, I had the opportunity to join a group of girls of various levels of religious observance, on a tiyul to Ein Bokek.  I had never been to either the famous Ein Gedi or its smaller nearby cousin Ein Bokek before and I was really excited to go.

One of the most amazing things about Israel is its incredible terrain.  It changes constantly as you travel through it – from mountains and swamps in the north, to beaches, to the cliffs and arid sand of the Negev Desert.  Ein Bokek is located in the desert near the Dead Sea. After a long drive through the desert, it appeared before us like a mirage: a desert oasis so lush and beautiful we could hardly believe our eyes.

A pretty little waterfall in Ein Bokek

The hike through Ein Bokek is unique because you basically hike the entire time through water.  There is a stream running the entire length of the hike and your job is to walk and wade through it almost the entire way.  The water is crystal clear and cold as ice, which was awesome for us because we were hiking in the middle of the hot, dry Israeli summer, which is not a thing to be trifled with.  But the Ein Bokek hike is incredible for another reason: the things you see as you walk.  We saw birds and bugs, water and rocks, lush green foliage and dusty desert cliffs.  You can hardly walk a few steps without seeing something that exemplifies the land of amazing contrasts that is Israel.  There are not many places on earth where you can hike through the water while peering out from behind trees and reeds to get a big, beautiful eyeful of desert!

Another thing that made our hike unique was that it was a hike of mostly religious girls.  We were hiking in skirts and dresses!  As we climbed straight up waterfalls, jumped into rocky pools, and splashed through streams, we were doing so while following the Jewish religious code of modesty, or tzniut.  It was easier, when climbing up rocks and swimming in pools, if we had on shorts or pants under our skirts.

We rounded out the day after the hike by taking a dip in the nearby Dead Sea.  There are Dead Sea facilities for men only, women only (which we used), and mixed.  We packed a yummy (and kosher!) lunch of bread, hummus, and vegetables.  Hiking in Ein Bokek was a great experience, but only one of my very many in the diverse land of Israel!

Five pounds heavier, passion and excitement oozing through my being, I stuff everything into my backpack. Eight hours later, I get off the bus and smile. Fresh air, snow-capped mountains, and total chaos…I’m back in my element.

Sore calf muscles are a good sign. Sore forearms can mean poor technique. I’ve got both, but then again every fiber in my body is sore. My lips are slightly cracked from the blazing sun that beats down without mercy. My breath is shallow and rapid from the lack of oxygen at 4.600m. I need to stop. Not from the fatigue, but from fear that is getting the better of me.  Fear is dangerous. It robs the concentration. I’ve secured myself at 30m and need to set up a belay system. I’m with to others and we’ve just done a multi-pitch climb. What I am doing is not very dangerous, but it takes serious concentration to check and double check every note, anchor, and quick draw.

Challenge seems to be my prime motivator in life and these three days climbing have given me a deeper insight. There is challenge where we know we can achieve if we apply ourselves, be it spiritual, mental or physical. But then there is challenge where we seriously doubt our ability. This sort of challenge provides the most reward.

At 6.400 meters I stop. My head aches, I can’t breathe and my toes are cold. It is still another 596 meters to the summit of Aconcagua, the highest point in South America.

I brace my back to the wind and try together my thoughts. The lack of oxygen in the very thin air makes thinking difficult, and the wind chill cutting through my five layers of clothing is not helping. The past weeks on the Mountain have been severe: ferocious winds, extreme cold, and loads of snow. in the past few days, one Japanese died of edema, and one Polish man froze to death on the glacier. The handful who did manage to summit, had frostbitten toes, fingers, and faces to prove it.

I decided to turn back. I had a warm drink from my thermos, tightened the straps on my crampons, and took one last look around, at a beautiful but most inhospitable place. I arrived back at base camp, more exhausted then I have ever been in my life.

Many come to Aconcagua as part of an organized expedition, or with one or two climbing partners. I climbed solo. This meant carrying everything up and down the mountain, including a tent just for myself, all my food and fuel, and doing all the cooking and snow melting.

The only help I received, was from a mule that carried 30kl of gear to the base camp.

The hardest part for me climbing solo was making all decisions, and the knowledge that I am one hundred percent responsible for them.