Kilimanjaro climb with UJIA raises over £90k for Israel - The Jewish Chronicle

Eighteen young British Jews have scaled Africa’s highest peak to raise money for a medical centre in northern Israel – pausing along the way for Shabbat, where they enjoying cholent at altitude.

The eight-day expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro, which began on July 8, has already raised over £90,000 for the Tzfat Medical Centre and aims to hit £100,000.

At the summit, the group waved an Israeli flag and held up a hostage poster of Avinatan Or, one of the Israelis kidnapped by Hamas at Nova music festivals on October 7, still held captive. A photograph of the group with the hostage poster was later shared with Or’s family.

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Organised by the Brondesbury Park Young Jewish Professionals Network in partnership with UJIA, the trek was led by the community’s Rabbi Meir Levin and his wife Libi Levin.

Rabbi Levin co-founded the network in 2024 with Johnny Rosen, with the aim of "bringing together the young Jewish community across north-west London through a series of events, Shabbat dinners and social gatherings, which cater inclusively to all Jews across the religious spectrum.”

Kosher meals for the climbers – including full Shabbat catering and cholent – were provided by Sam Bray over the six-day ascent of the world’s tallest free-standing mountain.

Levin said the trip “was created to help young Jews connect more deeply with Israel and to truly live their Judaism. It was incredible to see young Jewish adults forming real connections and building a strong sense of community.”
He said the experience was “magical – from the ruach on Friday night to the group spirit that pushed everyone to reach the top.

“Today, more than ever, young Jews are searching for something deeper. They’re craving a real spiritual and social connection that gives meaning and direction.”

Rosen said he wanted the expedition to help young people form “lifelong connections and memories”.

He added: “I am so proud of all 18 of us as we achieved a 100 per cent summit success rate - which we were told is rare for a group of our size.

“Now, we’re excited to build on the momentum of this expedition - and other recent successes - to continue to provide young Jewish professionals across London with highly demanded events, dinners, trips and more.”

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Edward Isaacs, a former president of the Union of Jewish Students, was among the participants. He said he was grateful for the opportunity to “meaningfully support rebuilding Israel while unapologetically being proud Jews every step of the way to the summit.”

Another participant, Sophie Engler, said: “It’s hard to describe how special it was to connect with 17 other like-minded individuals — not just through hiking and camping, but through conversations about life, Judaism, community, and everything in between.”

“I don’t think I could’ve reached the summit without the support of these new friends – the hike wasn’t just physically demanding – it tested our mental resilience too, and I was so grateful for the special bonds that I had made so quickly with the people around me.”

Engler added: “Shabbat on the mountain was one of the most spiritual and meaningful experiences I’ve ever had.”

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