Finding Their Everest
Alan Hinkes OBE
Conquering Mountains... and My Dad's Fear of Heights!
Jake Saltman
Climbing for Kfir and Ariel
Ilan Garcia
Finding Their Everest
Alan Hinkes OBE
Mountaineer
Thirty years ago, for a few unforgettable minutes, no one on Earth was higher than me. In 1996, I stood on the summit of Mount Everest, 8848m, the highest point on the planet and as high as it is possible for a human being to climb.
Recently, I stood on the summits of Blencathra and Helvellyn in the UK’s Lake District with the B'nei Mitzvah Charity Challenge, a group of young people and their parents. For many of them, this was their own Mount Everest.
I have supported this challenge for several years and have become good friends with many of the organisers. The group travels to the northern fells in Cumbria on Friday before tackling the steep climb up Blencathra (868m) that afternoon. For most, it is well outside their comfort zone. Some take it all in their stride and seem to bimble effortlessly up and down. For others, it is a tough introduction to what lies ahead on Sunday. The demanding ascent of Helvellyn (950m).
On Saturday evening, before dinner, I give a talk about Everest, the Himalaya and the realities, dangers and risks of high-altitude mountaineering, without putting everyone off the next day's challenge! Most of the group are new to hill walking and the mountain environment. After all, there are no mountains in North London's neighbourhood of Golders Green, or even on Hampstead Heath.
Helvellyn demands determination, resilience and six or seven hours of sustained effort. The weather this year was far from kind, with rain and hill fog, we ascended in thick cloud cover, making the achievement even more demanding. By Sunday evening, the coach heading back to North London was full of tired but very happy people who had discovered they were capable of more than they had imagined.
Together, this year's B'nei Mitzvah Charity Challenge raised more than £90,000 for charity, an outstanding achievement by a remarkable group of young people. I'm already looking forward to joining next year's challenge.
Conquering Mountains... and My Dad's Fear of Heights!
Jake Saltman
The Bnei Mitzvah Charity Challenge trip was an unforgettable experience – full of laughter, incredible views, aching legs, and memories that will last a lifetime, as well as raising money for much needed charities.
Our adventure began bright and early on Friday morning with a 6-hour coach journey before reaching the first mountain. Armed with hiking boots, walking sticks, and plenty of enthusiasm, we set off. I'll admit, I thought the first climb would be easy. I was wrong. Very wrong.
To make things even more interesting, my dad came along. Now, his usual idea of adventure involves a nice whisky and a plate of meat – not climbing mountains! Add in a fear of heights, and you can imagine the challenge. But together, step by step, we made it to the top. The views were absolutely breathtaking... although my dad spent most of the time trying not to look down!
Friday evening was much more his style. After recovering (with what my dad insists was "medicinal" whisky), we enjoyed a lovely dinner before spending the evening chatting, laughing, and demolishing an impressive amount of snacks with friends. Somehow, despite the early start, bedtime didn't happen until around 1am.
Shabbat gave everyone a chance to recharge with football, stretching sessions, a stroll around the local town, and plenty of relaxation before Sunday's big challenge. We also enjoyed hearing Alan Hikes share stories from his many mountain adventures, followed by an inspiring talk from Orit about Israel Bonds that certainly gave me food for thought.
Then came Helvellyn.
We were up at 6am, fuelled by a hearty breakfast, and ready to tackle the biggest hike of the weekend. The weather quickly reminded us who was in charge. What started as cool and misty became cold, wet, and windy. By halfway up, I was wishing I'd packed gloves, while my mum and brother were apparently enjoying sunshine back in London!
Reaching the summit above the clouds made every step worthwhile. Watching the clouds drift beneath us was simply incredible. The best part? The walk back down... followed by an ice-cold beer for my dad, a can of Coke and a chocolate bar for me – the perfect finish.
This trip had everything: highs and lows, laughter (and a few tears from my dad!), teamwork, determination, and plenty of unforgettable moments. A huge thank you to everyone who made it such a fantastic weekend. Roll on the next adventure!
Climbing for Kfir and Ariel
Ilan Garcia
My name is Ilan Garcia and my Hebrew middle name is Kfir, which means "lion cub". I was named after my great-grandma Kitty, who was strong, brave and a bit fearless - like her name – a mini lion cub.
When I heard that a little nine month old boy called Kfir Bibas had been taken hostage on October 7, I felt connected to him straight away because we shared the same name. I really hoped one day he and his four year old brother Ariel and his parents would return home and, in the future, the two boys would celebrate their own Bar Mitzvahs, just like I would when I turned 13.
When I found out Kfir and Ariel had been murdered, I felt heartbroken. I kept thinking about how they will never get to grow up or celebrate their Bar Mitzvahs. It doesn’t feel fair that they won’t experience that milestone.
From that moment, I knew that I wanted to do something meaningful to honour their memory.
On 28-29 March this year, I twinned my Bar Mitzvah with Kfir and Ariel Bibas. I shared their story, said their names, and even though they weren’t here in person, I made sure they were part of one of the most important moments of my life.
But it wasn’t enough for me to just share that weekend with them. I wanted to do more in their memory. I took part in the incredible Bnei Mitzvah Charity Challenge from 3 – 5 July, trekking up and down two of the biggest mountains in the Lake District – Blencathra and Helvellyn, with my mum and other Bnei Mitzvah children and parents to raise money for charities close to each of us.
I chose to raise money for a very special project: The Orange Garden. Named in memory of the vibrant, orange-haired Bibas boys, The Orange Garden is a healing and memorial garden being created in the north of Israel in memory of Ariel, Kfir, and all the children of October 7th. Built in close collaboration with the Bibas family, it will be a place where children can run, laugh, play and heal and I can’t wait to spend time there with my family in the future when the project has been completed.
The trek was tough but I embraced the values I have been blessed with through my middle name, Kfir and I charged up those mountains with my mum lagging behind. Fuelled by chocolate, multiple sandwiches and lots of nutty energy snacks, I made it up to the top, through both the rain and sunshine, taking in the stunning views and making lots of new friends along the way.
The achievement of reaching the top of both mountains was bigger than anything else I have ever done in my life. More importantly, so far, I have raised almost £3000 for The Orange Tree charity and I have not stopped appealing for more people to donate, so I can help raise enough for the garden to finally open.
This Bar Mitzvah year has taught me that important milestones are not only about celebrating my own happy moments, they're also about using this time to give back, make a difference, and remember those who never got the chance to celebrate their own, while taking them along on my journey.
Kfir, like I said, means lion cub - and I like that it represents being brave and taking on tough challenges, even when things are scary or difficult – two emotions both Kfir and Ariel must have felt towards the end of their lives.
I think being brave comes in different forms, sometimes it's a huge physical challenge, like climbing two mountains, and sometimes it's quiet courage of not giving up on something that matters, even when the hardest part is over. Both take courage and I am planning to continue to raise money, whilst finding more ways to keep the Bibas boys’ memories alive.
The trek weekend also fell on the anniversary of losing my Grandpa Kenny, who was passionate about helping others and raising money for charitable causes, especially those connected to Israel. He never had the chance to celebrate my Bar Mitzvah with me, so it felt apt to mark that anniversary in the Lake District, during such a poignant weekend in my life. I hope this challenge honours his memory too, while helping carry forward the memory of Ariel and Kfir.
For me, my Bar Mitzvah year isn’t about one special weekend, it’s about using this time to do something meaningful, give back, make a difference and remember those who weren’t able to celebrate with us.
By raising money for The Orange Garden, I am hoping I can play a part in helping to turn something so painful into a place of hope, healing and joy for the Bibas family, the families affected by October 7 and for many other children and families for generations to come.