Oh the places you'll go!

                                                                                          and [Sharon Wilensky]


Congratulations! Today is your day.  You're off to great places! You're off and away!

[Mazel Tov! Is it really? It will be! Wednesday, 8th August 2012. Calling Kenya Airlines flight KQ 765. All Kili girls board flight for Nairobi.]

You have brains in your head, You have feet in your shoes.

[Blame it on the brain - well what other option is there? Seriously, I know a lot of very clever people who won't /do not/will not do what we are doing. So how do you figure that it is the brain?! Oh! I have feet in my shoes alright! R900.00 boots. The most expensive pair of footwear I have ever purchased. My wedding dress didn't even cost that much!]

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
[There is only one direction - and that is UP]

You're on your own and you know what you know.
[Dr Seuss - on this one you're wrong - we are not on our own. This is a TEAM! The ORT "Kili" Girls team.]

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go
[Well actually Robyn Smookler decided that for us!]

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, 'I don't choose to go there.' With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

[At 5 am there are no cars, so you don't even even need to look  'em over or be careful when crossing a normally busy road. You just cross because you have no choice - you walk/run in the dark with one of the guys egging you on "Come on Shaz!" and you have the chutzpah to say that my head is full of brains! I was taught and now I teach my children not to go to dodgy places and yet, I am navigating a pitch dark passage, three to four times per week, with little more than a headlamp for protection and I am putting my life into the hands of a man called "Lance" whom I do not know and yet feel totally comfortable with, whipping me away to the highest point in some foreign country. A bit hypocritical don't you think?]

And you may not find any you'll want to go down. In that case of course, you'll head straight out of town. It's opener there in the wide open air

[So, we continue...., we hear about the other routes which are perhaps shorter but Hey! why would we do less exhrtive? when we can to the scenic route right? Repeat after me 20 times "I will never complain when driving through the Karoo! I will never complain when driving through the Karoo! I will never complain when driving through the Karoo!".......]

Out there things can happen and frequently do to people as brainy and footsy as you. And then things start to happen, don't worry, don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening too.  OH! The places you'll go! You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

[Am I right in assuming that people, whose feet fit comfortably in their shoes, are brainy! Because Dr. Seuss sure does make that partnership come to life. What sort of things start to happen that have not already started to happen! Like waking up before the crack of dawn and in fact on a walk the other morning, we were more than half-way through our session when we clearly heard "cock-a-doodle-dooooo" How many people do you know who can boast waking up long before the cock crows? I have been privileged to visit many places on most of the continents, in my life so far and to tell you the truth, I have always dreamt of going to Bali and Antigua. I don't even mind going to Madagascar to try help those animals find their way home or what about somewhere like that ice hotel in Sweden or to where my good friend, Sandra went, the Hotel Atlantis which is under water. For all those places you don't require a space and half rolls of toilet paper stuffed into a plastic container!]

You won't lag behind because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead. Wherever you walk, you'll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. Except when you don't. Because sometimes you won't. I'm sorry to say so but sadly it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch.'

[I will lag behind! and how do I know? Because on the many training sessions and hikes that I have been on, I have lagged behind and sorry to say but the only lead I take, was given to me when I delivered my first child and it is strictly, the lead role as a mother. A lead that I am proud of and cherish - not like taking the lead to arrive at an open space in the middle of desolation, only to be grossed out by a piece of blue canvas that is only approx. 4,x1.5m x1.5m and who knows what's inside. So please believe me - no running to camp for me - thanks! But I do like my tea not too hot. So whoever  does take the lead, please pour me a cuppa and let it cool so that it will just right when I arrive.]

NEVA

You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are then, that you'll be in a slump. And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lit, but mostly they're dark. A place  you could sprain both your ankle and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

[So I had never owned a proper pair of training shoes until the day before I joined the group and then because I had never done much exercise, my legs at the bottom, first the right and then the left got compartment syndrome which happens when muscles due to lack of use suddenly start developing due to a new found sense of action but have nowhere to go because the lining is like biltong sinew - dried up and thick from lack of use. Boy was it painful, but a few sessions at the physio some of Tshepo's Chinese spray which smells so disgusting and a trip to the podiatrist for new orthotics and problem solved. Then there has been the time when I trained on the steps at about 4 degrees t was -4 degrees - i don't remember because it was too cold. Anyway I felt my body cool down much too quickly and by the afternoon, my throat and ears were hollowing all the way to the Austrian Alps. A quick visit to the doctor and that was it for 8 days solid of training. So spare a thought for the poor body - that has had nothing then suddenly has a taste of something and then gets shoved back into the no-go zone and Oh Boy! the mind games lift you up and take you away to "What if Land" where so much takes place :"But mostly they're dark" Thankfully that has been it and apart from landing on the tushie on almost every hike. I cannot wait everyday to do something which propels me towards "OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO Mt Kilimanjaro-Tanzania.]

How much can you lose? How much can you win? And IF you go in, should you turn left or right... or right and three quarters? Or maybe not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from from behind? Simple it's not I'm afraid you will find for a mind-maker upper to make up his mind.

["How much can you lose? How much can you win?" This is a similar statement/question to Brad's "What is your Why? which I have not yet been able to answer but hopefully will have a far clearer understanding to when contemplating what I have just been through on the Thursday 16th August -0 Nairobi to Jhb. One thing I have learnt since I began training on the 2nd May - I am a member of a group of girls who have committed their time, energyand souls for a cause that has taken each one to another dimension - physically and spiritually and we cannot wait to achieve our personal and collective goals.]

You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles cross wierdish wild space, headed I fear toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place.... for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come or a plane to go or the mail to come or the rain to go or the phone to ring or the snow to snow or the waiting around for a Yes or a No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting. Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for the wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil or a Better Break or a string of pearls or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

[The only thing I wait for every day is the bbms that start around 4pm. Suddenly everyone's mind gets back into Kili mode after a hectic day with kids and work, because we all need to know what the exercise regime is for the nest day. Do you think Dr Seuss was Jewish cos he was also waiting around for Friday night which for me cannot come quick enough each week so that I can have a break. I used to think there was not enough time in the week to prepare for Shabbos - now I find extra time to make it happen and can't wait for it to start getting dark. I also laugh every motzei Shabbos when I put my phone on and someone has sent a very relevant message during the day and due to some of us "resting" because that is the only day that there is a day off from training no one has responded and then the beeping starts.....]

NO! That's not for you! Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying.  You'll find the bright places where boom bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping once more you'll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

[No! You are so right. That's not for me - the old me who was always involved in community projects and was a soccer mom and on the PTA. BUT I have never been a member of a gym or done anything remotely exercisey. I once walked very far to Central Park to meet my husband at the end of the New York Marathon but that was only because there were no tubes, buses or taxis and I had no other choice. Well I suppose I did have another choice!!!! So when I received a random sms from Robyn about a climb or something and a campaign of sorts, I was not really looking to be in the front of the queue, shouting "Pick me - Pick me" like I have done most of my life when challenges have presented themselves but something / someone made me go to that first meeting which was quite well attended and of all the interested girls that night Robyn, Kate, Daphna, Shira and myself (Oh! And Chev's husband) were the only fish biting and boy did we swallow the bait - hook-line-and-sinker!!

Oh the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all. Fame!You'll be as famous as famous can be, with the whole wide world watching you win on TV. Except when they don't because sometimes they won't. I'm afraid that sometimes you'll play lonely games too. Games you can't win 'cause you'll play against you.

[Not one of us is in it for the fame but it has been so amazing to see how it has evolved through the media and just this week, Kiki, Tali and myself were "picked-up" in the Old Eds Car Park by two men who asked us at 5.55 am if we were part of the Kili team. Everyone is talking about it. The "goldies" that I work with at Sandringham Gardens get so excited everytime there is an article in paper and all the features are plastered on the notice board in the centre where we meet - they are so proud of me and I have about 19 pairs of bed socks from various women who think I need to keep my feet warm, which is true, but I don't have the heart to tell them to stop knitting them for me because I won't be able to take any as they are all made of wool.]

All alone! Whether you like or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot. And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to do on. But on you will go though the weather be foul. On you will go, though your enemies prowl, On you will go through the Hakken-Kraks howl. Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore and  your sneakers may leak. On and on you will hike and I know you'll hike far  and face up to your problems whatever they are.  

[I am looking forward to the time alone - just me and my Maker. To be able to express how grateful I am for everything that I have in my life. I have been blessed with the most amazing upbringing thanks to my dearest parents to whom I owe everything. My sisters who I have shared my whole life with and who I trust and obey (except my youngest sister who has on many occasions said to me, 'Sharie are you sure you really want to/need to do this?)

I am looking forward to the time alone to say "thank you" for the most wonderful, caring and understanding husband that I have. Fred has supported me through may life changing experiences and although he is a man of very very  few words, he is an amazing father and the most unique individual that I have ever met and have had the privilege to share my life with so far.
Then I am looking forward to the time alone.... but truthfully how does a mother even begin to Thank G-d for her children? There is absolutely no way that I would ever be able to express what a fortunate mother I have been blessed to be. My three children are my whole life. They are individuals with such beautiful qualities that I sometimes wonder how it is possible for young people to think of and say and do some of the things that they do. And then I am looking forward to the time alone to be with myself. I am excited to see the landscape and how it will change as we climb higher and higher, knowing that Hashem is holding and always has been holding my hand.

How fortunate I am - I will be never be able to explain

You'll get mixed up of course as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step, step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft and never mix up your right foot with your left. And will you success? es! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)

[For all the tests that I have been able to pass thus far, not many have come with a rule book but I know that with this climb behind me,  will receive a new set of strengths that will guide me and show me the path to choose, hopefully long before the road even branches. The "steps" (which I think I am really going to miss!!!!) that I will take in the future, I know I have been guided to take and although B"H there have not been many times in my life that have been hectic balancing acts, I know and appreciate how lucky I am for the support, unconditional care and compassion from Almighty Gd. That is a 100% guarantee.]

So, be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your  way!

[WE WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS! We are a team of Amazing girls who are possessed with this climbing thing, passionate about a clump of stone, sand and ice and powerless when the alarm goes off at 4:04am BUT so strong and committed -

 friendly, caring and compassionate as was evident on Mandela day in Alex - funny and clever - big or small - young and old but mostly willing and able to empower, motivate ad inspire so many other women who we will mostly likely never meet or even begin to comprehend how "our climb" will alter and shape their lives and that of their families so that they too can obtain the skills to conquer their personal mountains, every day.]

[So... be your name ROBYN, DAPHNA, ANDY or KATE If you are KIKI the doctor or your name starts with A (AMANDA) Do you land from London (TAHLIA and TERRI) or cruise from PTA (RAHIMA, ESTELLE and SIOBHAN) You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Start at 5:00am with TALI, Tshepo and the boys, in the arvie is VERED to clear the work haze. NOELLA, CHEV and SHIRA kick it up i the gym. While a sister is a sister! And there's two of them! (JENA and GALIT) Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way! Onwards and Upwards THE ORT "KILI"GIRLS WAY!]

by Sharon Wilensky

Leaving everything I know behind...

With less than 2 weeks to go there are many things that I have to think about in preparation for my trip and there are many things I’m trying very hard not to think about. I’m sitting with emotions of apprehension, doubt and wondering “why am I doing this again?” together with emotions of excitement, enthusiasm and anticipation of “I just can’t wait to get there already.”

With every day that goes by, comes an increased appreciation of the simple pleasures of life, enhanced by the knowledge that I will not have these pleasures on Kili. On a regular day, the simple pleasure of ending a training session with a hot shower – allowing myself to rejuvenate in the flow of water – highlights the fact that after a long day of hiking, all I’ll get is a bowl of luke warm water to wash with and share with a friend. Ending a regular day by getting into a comfortable bed, electric blanket switched on and snuggling under the duvet, highlights the lack of these comforts at Kili. This creates a bit of a wobble inside me that begs the question – can I really go through with this?

But then… speaking to people who have summited Kili and seeing their pictures from the top of Africa makes me want the experience all the more. I believe that when life’s comforts are stripped away, when the distractions (and necessities) of every day life are removed – you get to meet the person that you truly are – no diversions, no masks. When the going gets tough, our authentic selves shine through and when we let our authentic selves shine, we get to experience the true beauty of our soul.

This is why I’m going… and I’m looking forward to spending quality time in the company of myself – all distractions, aka comforts, stripped away!

by Daphna Horowitz

In this high place
it is as simple as this,
leave everything you know behind.

Step toward the cold surface,
say the old prayer of rough love
and open both arms.

Those who come with empty hands
will stare into the lake astonished,
there, in the cold light
reflecting pure snow,

the true shape of your own face.

~ David Whyte ~

The Essential Gear List: Backpack

There are severe weight restrictions on the mountain. For a full week, your weight allowance is 15kg. All things considered, that's not a huge amount. It becomes really important therefore that you pack your duffel with extreme care. Our tour company "Tribe Safari" has been exceptionally good at guiding us through exactly what we'll need for each stage of the journey and how to prioritise our packing. I've discovered that when people find out that the porters actually carry the bulk of our gear on the mountain (one porter can carry two duffel bags) and all we carry is a day-pack, they are considerably less impressed with us. Still, we haul around 7-10 kg every day, all day and in order to do that, you have to choose the right backpack. There is absolutely no space for extra luggage, only essentials are allowed; which actually when you think about it, is a pretty good life lesson.

The climb has received a fair amount of media attention and within our own communities there’s been hype and commentary from all quarters. For the most part, people have been overwhelmingly supportive. Conversations are marked with shared enthusiasm and excitement. The questions we are asked reflect genuine interest in both the climb itself as well as the ORT project which inspired the expedition in the first place. Yet, I’ve had a fair share of criticism directed my way too. I’ve been told that the trip is completely crazy and that my place as a wife and mother should actually be at home, with my family as my priority. I’ve been told that my participation is self-serving and that while it’s ok to have projects that fill my time, perhaps they should be less extreme, less selfish and more family oriented.

While I appreciate that mountaineering is not for everyone (shoot, I didn’t even know it was for me until three months ago), I can’t help but wonder if the disapproval has more to do with the critic’s own fears, uncertainties and regrets. If I had taken the censure to heart, I could possibly have felt angry, demotivated, doubtful. But when I look at our beautiful group of women, each one a bright, bold statement of how life can and should be lived, climbing for a cause that resonates so deeply, I  know that to let in the pessimism is to invite unwanted baggage on a trip where defeatism and negativity have no place. Just like overstuffing your back-pack, the extra weight will only burden you, causing you discomfort or pain and will serve no useful purpose whatsoever. I guess in life, when it comes to choosing what to take to heart and what to dismiss, the guidelines we follow when choosing and packing our backpacks hold firm. Carry the essentials; ditch the baggage.

Top tips for choosing and packing your back pack:

1)   Choose a pack that has the correct capacity. 35 litres is a good size for a Kili climb.

2)   Your pack should have a pocket that allows you to fit a hydration system (like a water bladder) with a tube that fits through the top of the bag for easy access to your drinking water.

3)   Padded hip straps are essential to shift the bulk of the weight away from your shoulders.

4)   Compression straps need to be adjustable to suit your torso length so that you have a snug fit.

5)   Airflow backing systems are fabulous for dispersing heat and providing added ventilation

6)   Removable splash covers allow you to keep your pack dry in case of rainy weather

7)   Pack light gear at the bottom, heavy gear at the top, to facilitate a good walking stance and take strain off the back

8)   Ditch the extra luggage, you won’t need it.

By Tali Frankel

Chev's Kilimanjaro Climb: Some thoughts

Wow! In my life I never thought I’d attempt climbing any mountain, never mind the highest free standing mountain in the world. Truly-as a very blessedly busy mother of 6 fabulous children ranging from 20 to 4, I struggle in my life to find the time to exercise regularly, now I am training daily, hiking for hours, accumulating strange gear that I will most probably never wear again, all for the sake of this massive undertaking.

After all, I grew up in NYC...mountains were not exactly part of the agenda! There are so many

factors that would normally make me run a mile (ok-walk a mile!)... the bitterly cold weather (-20 degrees Celsius), the altitude story and all that comes with, no bathrooms, no showers for

a week, the intense training regime etc...WHY? What is compelling me?

For starters I feel I am being drawn to this climb, like I am being pulled towards this wonderful life- changing experience. Nothing in this world happens by accident and I believe there’s great divine intervention as to the timing this climb presented itself into my life. Over these past few years I have lost a few special beautiful young friends to terrible illness. I watched as they lost the capacity to look after themselves, the use of their bodies-once strong and healthy, dignity and pride, independence and all connection to physicality and materialism. Yet, I also was privileged to witness absolute beauty, courage, perspective, and spirit that I had never dreamed possible given such painful circumstances. I realized that the spirit has no limits, that the inner magnificence of the soul knows no boundaries. When all is stripped away, all that we are left with is our connection to ourselves- our real selves- our infinite spiritual selves. All that ultimately remains is the trust we form with our Creator and the knowledge of what is truly valuable in this world.

Fear? Yes, there are many things to fear in this challenging life. Do we ever really know what is

around the corner? So, we are given a choice, to live with fear or to let go and trust that we will be looked after and given absolutely everything we need, not always everything we like, but all

that we need to blossom into the people we are meant to be. This mountain represents for me the letting go of fear, the embracing of the difficult, the trusting in the unknown, the discovering courage and strength where we never imagined they existed. I am climbing this mountain largely because I CAN. I am so blessed with a healthy body, with eyes that see, with lungs that breath, with a family that loves and supports me. Many people in my world have not been given these privileges and blessings. I commit to using mine, with G-d’s help, to the best of my ability.

I can think of no greater cause to climb for than ORT SA/ORT JET. It is an organization that is very close to my heart as it has been my amazing husband Paul’s passion and dream for many years now. He has poured his heart and soul, time and effort into building such a fantastic place, where struggling businesses and individuals (in particular women who are in compromised financial situations) are given tremendous assistance to get back on their feet. It is all about empowerment and dignity and together with his wonderful team they strive to create a safe space where the utmost sensitivity, kindness and professionalism are upheld. They deserve our support, admiration and respect. They certainly have mine! Please join me in helping to ensure that they continue their very special and much needed services to the community.

I am no stranger to challenge and pain nor am I a stranger to joy and redemption, I cannot wait to stand on the peak of Africa just as the sun rises, overlooking the breathtaking snow capped glaciers, the magnificence of our beautiful world and to thank my G-d for every big and little blessing and opportunity in my life.

Here’s to a fabulous adventure, L’chaim!

by Chev Bacher

What's your why?

Last night, our fabulous friend and fellow climber Dr. Kiki Marx hosted a beautiful gathering for the Kili team. We had two of the "tribe" celebrating birthdays and in typically thoughtful Kiki fashion, she had bought Franjelica's cupcakes and lit birthday candles. As we relaxed and caught up over hot bowls of soup and bubbly glasses of wine, we were suffused with a sense of well-being, belonging and excitement.

Our intrepid tribe leader Robyn had another treat for us - she had invited Brad Shorkend founder of Urban Everest Lateral Thinking, a dynamic organisation defying simple characterisation to give us a presentation. Brad develops - people, ideas, corporations, organisations, communities. He sells dreams and his currency is something he calls "infectious action" transacted by acquiring and mastering thinking processes. We were lucky enough to have him share his experiences of his own Kilimanjaro climb in December 2010 for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation with tennis legend Martina Navratilova.  There isn't enough space to describe in detail how important Brad's time with us was. He gave us specific, practical advice from what and how to pack gear and snacks, to the mountain  - it's terrain and temperamental weather conditions. He gave us invaluable insight into the minutiae of camp life and the porters and guides who will be our support system and life line on the mountain. We were in turn amazed, terrified, inspired. We became emotional watching other people's successes and contemplating the disappointment of strangers. When Brad showed us a photograph of Stella point, a spectacular shot of the climbers resting in snow, against a backdrop of a blue sky with the light of day bursting in a star of promise around them, just 45 minutes from Uhuru peak and the summit, there was an audible collective intake of breath.

Stella Point

Brad ended his presentation with a challenge to each of us, to contemplate the personal whys of our journeys. Some of us have explored these to an extent and even written about them. For many of us, the why is a profound intangible, escaping neat definition.

Although I think I have many personal whys, I can certainly trace one of them back to a function I attended last year and as is so often the case with me - it all centred around food.

I am known amongst my friends and family as being a lover of food. I profess to love everything about it from buying new recipe books and reading them like eagerly awaited bed-time stories to planning menus and sourcing their ingredients. I frequently post my weekend menus onto my Facebook profile - purely for the joy of sharing the abundance that is the world of beautiful nourishment. Yet, I will admit to feeling that creeping dread when I am faced with the last chore of the day - packing my children's lunch boxes. One of the things I have told friends I love most about school holidays is that the monotonous burden - and it feels like a burden - of packing school snacks and lunches is temporarily lifted. A momentary reprieve which I relish in favour of haphazard and spontaneous nibbles when the mood moves and the appetite dictates that it is indeed feeding time.

Last year, my husband and I along with some of our friends and about 400 other members of our community attended a fundraiser for an organisation called Yad Aharon, in particular support of a project called Ohr Natanel. An outreach organisation dedicated to providing food for impoverished families, the Ohr Natanel project specifically raises funds for children's lunch boxes. The fundraiser involved a dinner - a three course affair replete with soup, perogen, salad, choices of chicken and beef and an array of seemingly never ending desserts and a talk by one of my favourite authors Joanne Fedler (more about her later).

At the start of the evening, the organisers screened a DVD compiled for the event. In it, an anonymous recipient of the charity spoke about how she would try and prioritise the payment of her bills over grocery shopping. Her rent was covered, sadly food was not. I thought back to just that morning when I had gone shopping at Woolworths. I had bought fruit: naartjies and bananas and paw paws and pineapples. I had bought lettuce: crisp cos; soft butter and an Italian mix with peppery arugula, mild red tip leaf, frilly endive, radicchio, curly leaf lettuce. I stocked up on cucumbers (English and Israeli) and tomatoes (baby rosa and heirloom). For my children's lunch boxes I made sure to pick up several packets of baby carrots, baby corn, sugar snap peas and mangetout. For my husband I picked up Fuerte avocados, bean sprouts, grated beetroot, baby spinach. We needed cheese - so I bought silky Danish feta and crumbly organic feta. I bought plain low fat cream cheese and plain low fat cottage cheese, and cream cheese rolled in tomato and herbs and cottage cheese with chives. The kids had eaten all the yogurts so naturally I stocked up on 6 packs of smooth fruit yogurt and plain Bulgarian and a couple of yogurts with stewed fruit or black cherries or shaved coconut or some other indulgence.

In planning dinners for the next few evenings I included potatoes (orange fleshed sweet potatoes, and Mediterranean and baby potatoes), a pack of plump baby marrows, round gem squash, vibrant pumpkin and for a new butternut laksa soup I wanted to try - the requisite butternut, lemon grass, fresh limes, curry leaves, coriander, coconut milk and a new bottle of Chinese 5 spice. For my morning toast I picked up an oat and honey loaf (delicious with unsalted butter - oh we needed more of that too), a soy and linseed loaf and a low GI brown health loaf. At the till, I handed over my credit card and didn't think twice - except perhaps to shake my head in vague annoyance that it would be me packing the damn lunch boxes AGAIN! And so, it was no surprise that when I heard a woman admit that she had to make a choice between providing the roof over her children's heads or the food in their school bags I was reduced to guilty and not very lady-like tears.

Later when Joanne Fedler spoke a little about her journey with food, which prompted her to write "When Hungry, Eat", although I had read and loved the book, I appreciated both her and the writing on a whole new level. Hunger is not always about food. It is also about spiritual and emotional need. It is about being able to reach out to someone else, recognise another's emptiness and be willing to sit with your own sense of "less" in the pursuit of creating "more" for someone else. Sometimes G-d teaches us our lessons in gentle ways and sometimes we require a harsher hand. There are times when G-d makes us lose that which we take for granted in order to make us see what is really important and sometimes he allows us the far lesser task of watching someone else's brave struggle, while having the honour of filling out a debit order. That night I sat in a privileged chair, having paid for my dinner (all 3 courses of it). I got to go home and with love and gratitude prepare a salad for my husband and pack 2 lunch boxes filled with nourishing, colourful food. I was allowed to plan a menu that involved basmati rice and filo pastry and the following  morning when both my boys asked for seconds at breakfast I got to thank G-d from the bottom of my heart that seconds was always an option.

Amit celebrates his 6th birthday with a
decadent chocolate pinata cake

My husband is a gifted teacher - a vocation he loves desperately in a tough school where he is highly respected, committed to a profession not widely acknowledged to be well remunerated. I am thankful every day that I have a qualification and a profession that allows me to run a busy private practise which while leaving me tired and often overstretched, allows me the luxury of never ever contemplating whether we can have electricity or food, school clothes or winter pyjamas, supper or breakfast, petrol or school fees. If G-d forbid, I was ever faced with the terrible situation of having to raise my children by myself, I would be lonely, but I would pay the bills. When Robyn talks about the women she works with, the long hours for inadequate pay, the daily grind of a day quagmired in thankless pettiness and the constant juggle of anxiety and despair, I know that I'm partly climbing to provide them with some of what I've been gifted with. Independence.

If even one woman is trained through the envisaged Skills Academy, provided with an education, which leads to marketable skills and those translate into sustainable independence, then that will be the success of this project. I dream of a phone call from a woman who has been a recipient of Yad Aharon to the organisers to ask them to remove her  and her children off their recipient list and put them instead onto the donors list. This is the dream for which we are climbing. If this were to become a reality would it be the only reason for the climb? No. Would it be enough? I think so.

Amali 2 years, enjoying an abundance of summer fruit

by Tali Frankel

Faith will move mountains

Whichever way you look at it, this is no simple saying .... as what started off as a group of women running (huffing and puffing) hills in the local suburb, we have taken on the highest peak in Africa.... through absolute faith in ourselves, our abilities, our strengths, our passion, our group commitment, we have turned into an emPOWERed team.....

.... and sometimes a crazed one too. As part of this journey we are on, I think I talk for most of the team, that we find ourselves unable to pass a Cape Union Mart, Drifters, Sportsman's Warehouse, or any other sport store in a mall....the last place I would have favoured only months ago....our obsession includes such names as First Ascent, Under Armour, Columbia, KWay, the latest style base layers, wicking shirts, trekking pants, trekking poles, bladders (the kind you carry in your backpack!!), 100, 200 or 300 fleece, thermal underwear and outer shell clothing, buffs ... and most important of all, no cotton!! The list is endless, and these all take on a new meaning in this exciting lead up to the actual climb.

My mind seems unable to complete a conversation without veering subconsciously towards that peak in Africa ... do I have enough gear, have I trained hard enough? will we be warm enough? are our boots going to be worn in enough to be comfortable to endure hiking 6-7 hours a day for seven days, covering a total of over 50km? what else is there that we haven't thought about..... totally consuming, but so exciting.

While there is so much physical preparation, throughout all of this is the constant awareness that we are doing something bigger than life, something beyond our comfort zones, and the lingering thought..... WHY ....... and as Brad Shorkend of Urban Everest ended his most amazing presentation to our group .... what is your purpose of doing this climb.... what is your W H Y ?

To be honest I still don't really know why this appealed to me so strongly, I just knew I had to do it, its like my soul needed it. My feeling is that I will really only have the true answer on the Umbwe trail ...at Stellar Point ... at the Summit ... or maybe even back in the comfort of home on our return.

But as a starting point of my own personal journey, mountains are a big part of life, both literally and figuratively. I have climbed a few emotional ones myself and I have been thinking long and hard as to who I am going to honor on my climb. As I have figured that for this to be worthwhile and to have an enduring outcome, I want it to be more about others than it is about me.

Firstly, having been affected by illness of those close to me, my mother succumbing far too young, my sister surviving a nasty brush with cancer, and so so many friends lives being cut short or radically changed by illness and disease, I feel that these women deserve to conquer Kili with us, to these women who wake up every morning with the weight of illness bearing down on them, to still have to get up and be wives, mothers, daughters, sisters. And I have seen so many take on their struggle with love, light and pure faith - often giving strength to those trying to help. To these special brave women I will walk with you in my heart and on my mind.

Secondly, in my life, I have loving role models in my late mother, my dear sisters and sister-in-law and my special friends, who have become family. These strong women, who are also all struggling with their own mountains, have been my shelter, my safe place. I am so grateful to each and every one of them for being in my life, and I will take every step filled with love for them and an inner strength in knowing that they are behind me.

And while they all hold special places in my heart and I will carry them all with me, my climb is ultimately to honour my four beautiful, special children of whom I am so proud, and love so deeply (and of course my husband who I adore and is most definitely a huge part of my climb!!).

In honouring them through this spiritual and physical climb I am undertaking, my blessing to them is :-

.....that they continue to grow in God's way, to be proud, honourable, compassionate and empowered members of the next generation, and that they climb their own personal mountains with grace and integrity.

.... that they always be proud and stand for their beliefs. Religion gives you spiritual ideals. Ideals are what make life meaningful. Ideals will bring happiness to you in your life. And religion translates these ideals into simple daily deeds. Life is made by what you live for. And I know that they will always find meaning and live a life of value.

.... that they always make space for G-d in their lives. To be the best that they can, and never be afraid to learn and grow. They are a blessing to me, may G-d help them to be a blessing to others.

I feel blessed to be able to go on this adventure. And I know that faith CAN move mountains (or at least get us up the mountain!!)   May many more blessings come from this incredible journey we have begun...

"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."
-- Sir Edmund Hillary

by Kate Gershuni

The Cause

I’ve written quite a bit about my personal journey so far – the training, my thinking and my fears. I think it is now time to take a look at the raison d’etre for this journey.

As my holiday in Mauritius comes to an end, it is a good time for me to express my gratitude for an amazing holiday that came at exactly the right time. When I arrived, I was feeling exhausted and in desperate need for some me time. As I leave, I feel blessed and rejuvenated. The resort we stayed in catered to our every whim and we all felt absolutely spoilt every minute of the day. We barely had to glance to the side and a waiter would be there to ask if there was anything we needed.

Resort life feels like a self-contained world where you can almost begin to believe that this is what the island is about. We took one day to tour some of the towns in the Island and were struck by the stark reality of island life. While we were rejuvenating ourselves and relaxing at the resort, there are people living in absolute poverty, desperate for a way to make a living and relying on us tourists to provide them with a way to earn some income. The contrast was thought provoking.

We see this dichotomy everywhere in the world. I believe that it is up to every one of us to make sure that we are grateful for what we have and that we contribute to others that are less fortunate than ourselves wherever we can. That is why I’m proud of the fact that while the Kilimanjaro trip is a personal journey of meaning and growth, it is also about a cause that is larger than myself. This trip is about inspiring women in challenging circumstances to know that anything is possible, one step at a time. The charity that we’re supporting is the Women’s Empowerment Division of ORTJET and the aim is to establish an Academy that will provide training of marketable skills, teach financial management and ensure sustainable independence.

This is a dream to raise hope and restore dignity.

As we go on in our daily lives, hundreds of women across our communities battle a never-ending onslaught of hunger, anxiety and self-doubt. Their decisions involve making choices between providing a roof over their children’s heads, or food in their lunch boxes. They rely on hand-outs, food parcels and the generosity of strangers. The purpose of the Kilimanjaro campaign is not only to raise awareness of the needs of these divorced, widowed, abused and vulnerable women but more importantly to raise enough money to establish the Academy.

The charity that is creating this Academy is ORT SA. Their motto is "Educating for Life". Giving skills, tools and education to South Africans from all backgrounds, cultures and education levels, helping all ages to ensure gainful employment and moulding people into contributing members of society.

If you believe as we do, that the best way to give to someone is to equip them not with a food parcel but with the ability to earn, not with a welfare cheque but with marketable skills, not with gratefulness but with dignity – then join us on our incredible journey.

If you would like to join us in championing this worthy cause, please  contribute via EFT.

Thank you all for your support!

Banking details:

Johannesburg Women’s ORT
Standard Bank Norwood Mall
Branch code: 004105
Account number: 001824538
SWIFT code IBAN : SBZAZAJJ
Ref: Your Name

by Daphna Horowitz with excerpts by Tali Frankel

Slow and Steady

Ok… so I was all gung-ho, motivated and determined to create the extra hours in the day and the extra energy it took to make time for the ambitious training programme for Kili and I did very well until… I got sick!

 It started with a simple cold and a few sniffles and I was still going strong. This will take a couple of days to clear and I’ll be back in training – can’t let anything hold me back at this stage – I told myself. And that’s exactly what I did… took 3 days off and was back in training quick as a flash until… I got sick!

As a quick aside here, I need to say that there was no easing in to the training for me. From the get go I was pushing myself to the limits – running that little bit faster, staying in core-building positions that little bit longer. In addition, there was no change to my already frenetic lifestyle – working till late at night (or the early hours of the morning) to make sure that everything was still getting the attention it needed. Everything except me of course! I was very proud of myself that I had actually created a couple of extra hours on training days and nothing needed to change. Aren’t we always saying we need a few extra hours in our days?

Well… then I got sick! This time it wasn’t a little sniffle that would take a couple of days to clear up. This time I was hit with a flu that every day I woke up feeling worse than the day before. For an A-type like me this is torture and all I do is continue to push through. After 5 days of this (and thankfully the arrival of the weekend and so no need to change any work commitments!) I finally succumbed – with no voice and a torturous sinus headache – I stayed in bed for 2 days. At this stage I thought, ok I’m getting to the worst of it and when Monday comes, I’ll be starting to get better. But alas, the sinus headaches continued and I finally admitted that I needed to go to the doctor. Armed with a host of medications (including antibiotics and cortisone sprays) that put paid to the training for yet another week.

At this point I started to reflect that maybe I needed to look at the bigger picture. Why did I get sick and for so long, battling to get back to feeling normal again? What is my body wanting to tell me?

After the usual denials and classic arguments that you get sick from bugs called viruses and bacteria and not for any other reason, the truth of the matter is that if your immune system is weakened enough, you’ll catch any bugs that are going around much more easily. And then comes the question that I didn’t really want to look at…

Why did I get to this point?

My critical learnings as I reflect on this time are (…and I am writing this blog as I sit on a lounger on the beach, taking a long awaited for holiday in Mauritius)

1.         Rest and relaxation

There are a critical number of hours of sleep and recovery that every person needs and I pushed myself beyond this point. Thinking that I had discovered 2 hours extra time per day without realising that it would need to eventually be made up somewhere was a critical mistake.

2.         Stretch but not stress

Even within the training programme, I stretched myself to the point of stress. It is important to stretch yourself to do more and achieve more but just like an elastic band, if you stretch it too much, it will break.  The balance between stretch and stress is a delicate one that needs to be maintained.

3.         Listen to your body

We all know how it feels good to have a great workout and feel that sense of achievement – especially for someone like me who is really not a sporty type. When embarking on a training programme, make sure to listen when your body says its enough. It takes time to build up the training and your body will tell you when its ok to stretch and when its time to take a break.

4.         There are no shortcuts

When you learn something new and want to build on it, it takes time and practice. There are no shortcuts. Just like you can’t take a pill to create more time in the day, you can’t build your strength overnight. Take the time to do it slowly, properly and in a way that will be lasting.

To use the words of a good friend of mine, “slow and steady wins the race”. As hard as it is for me to get my head around this concept – I delight in the fast pace, lots of projects to be involved in and keeping the string of achievements up – this is going to be my motto for Kilimanjaro.

There is no race here – there is a journey…

By Daphna Horowitz