Jewish Acts of Valor on Everest

Printing the Tanya on Everest

Photographer Meir Alfasi has reached many fascinating places worldwide, leaving his unique mark wherever he goes. In 2016, Alfasi embarked on a journey to Everest, with the mission of printing the Tanya and laying tefillin, both for himself and for other Jewish travelers he encountered there.

Alfasi and a fellow traveler who joined him on the two-week trek up the world's highest mountain were in touch with Chabad emissary to Nepal, Chabad's Hezki Lifshiz, through a satellite phone.

After a long and arduous journey, upon reaching Everest's base camp at 5,362 meters, they achieved their mission and printed the Tanya. "We asked for electricity to print the Tanya. We told them we wanted to print an ancient and sacred book, and they agreed and helped us print the Tanya on the world's mightiest mountain for the first time," Alfasi said.

He also had the privilege of helping Jewish and Israeli travelers put on tefillin.

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Saved a Turkish Climber on Everest

In 2012, at just 24 years old, Nadav Ben-Yehuda planned to become the youngest Israeli climber to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain.

But suddenly, he noticed Aydin Irmak from Turkey laying unconscious on the ground. The weather conditions were harsher than usual, and four climbers had already lost their lives before him on this ascent.

It's unclear why the Turkish climber was left alone, but Ben-Yehuda did not waste time pondering the situation, even though it was puzzling to him. "I didn't realize he had been there all along. Everyone thought he had already descended," he recounted.

Despite the severe cold, Ben-Yehuda took off his warm gloves, lifted Irmak onto his back, and stayed with him for ten hours. This feat was ultimately taxing, as Ben-Yehuda suffered from oxygen deprivation and severe frostbite on his hand, to the point where he feared he might lose his fingers.

Both Ben-Yehuda and Irmak sustained severe frostbite and faced the possibility of amputation. "Initially, they thought they would have to amputate my fingers, but now the doctors are more optimistic, believing they can save them. All my fingers are still intact, though they don't look too good," Ben-Yehuda said. Despite not reaching his Everest summit dream, Ben-Yehuda doesn't regret his decision. "I don't wrestle with whether it was worth it. During the rescue, I knew I might lose my fingers, but that's not something you dwell on because it's not moral. A person's life, any person, is worth more than anything," he concluded.

Nadav Ben-Yehuda returning from his Everest climb

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Put on Tefillin at the Top of Everest and Shared It Online

In 2019, after completing his military service, officer Yakir Asraf decided to embark on a journey around the world.

What makes this trip different is Yakir's decision to document himself putting on tefillin wherever he traveled and share it on social media.

It all started when Yakir took his first photo for his family while in Mongolia. "I've been traveling the world for a year now, and eight months ago, I was in Mongolia," he said. "After the morning prayers, I took a picture for my family showing my hand with the tefillin against the landscape. When I saw the picture, I realized it had a different kind of power, and since then, in every country I've visited, whenever reaching special places, I took a picture while praying with tefillin."

"It looks like you're reaching out to Hashem," the morning show host commented to Yakir during an interview.

"Exactly," Yakir replied. "It's a connection that we're not usually accustomed to seeing. Something physical and spiritual together in nature. It's something that catches the eye, baruch Hashem."