Very few climbers have reached the summit of Mt. Everest in the last two years, due to deadly avalanches and a huge earthquake. The 2016 season has just begun, with 9 Sherpas reaching the summit on May 11; however, four climbers have already died this month, with numerous others taking ill near the summit. In 2012, what made the Mt. Everest ascent by Israeli Nadav Ben Yehuda unusual?
Mt. Everest by Kirsten is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
A. Ben Yehuda, who was 24 at the time, would have been the youngest Israeli ever to reach the top of Mt. Everest. However, he abandoned his effort just 300 meters from the summit because he chose to assist a Turkish climber who was suffering from serious frostbite. Ben Yehuda carried the stricken climber down the mountain to the base camp, where they were then helicoptered to safety.
B. Ben Yehuda was making final preparations for his ascent to the top of the mountain when he received an e-mail announcing that his military reserve unit was being called to active duty. He was only 300 meters from the top, but because of his dedication to the Israeli Defense Forces, he immediately turned around in order to be able to report for duty on time.
C. Ben Yehuda had emigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union, where he had not had a religious upbringing or celebrated a bar mitzvah. As he approached the summit of Mt. Everest with Israeli friends, they recognized the unique possibility for this moment. Transforming the meaning of Aliyah, or the going up to bless the Torah, one of his friends chanted, “Ya’amod, Nadav ben Mordechai, la’aliyah Ha-Everestit,” as Ben Yehuda went up to the summit of Mt. Everest. His friends then joined him while singing “Siman Tov u’Mazel Tov” as they shared some Manischewitz and rugelach.
D. Ben Yehuda was climbing in late August. An Orthodox Jew, he found himself in a dilemma as his climb took much longer than anticipated. By the time he reached the summit, Rosh Hashanah was only a few days away. He radioed to other groups that were climbing at that time, and managed to locate nine other Jewish climbers in the area. The resulting Rosh Hashanah services at the North Base Camp set the record for the highest altitude minyan ever held, at over 17,000 feet.
E. Ben Yehuda carried two stone tablets with him on his climb, and when he reached the summit of Mt. Everest, he carved the 10 Commandments into the stone. He carried the tablets back down the mountain, and they are now on permanent exhibit at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem.