For the second consecutive year, a delegation from the Israeli NGO, Jeremy's Circle, joined as an integral part of the Accessibility Accelerator #AccessibleTogether initiative, promoting accessibility and inclusion. Thirty-four Israelis, including victims of terror, soldiers, people with different abilities and teenagers from Jeremy's Circle, made it to the top of Africa's highest mountain.
Last year, an Israeli delegation reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro for the first time as part of an international initiative promoting accessibility and inclusion. For many of the participants, the journey did not end when they came down from the mountain. The experience stayed with them for months afterward, changing the way they viewed themselves and strengthening their belief that even goals that seem impossible can become reality.
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Israelis with disabilities, terror survivors and teens conquer Kilimanjaro together
(Photo: Courtesy)
The #AccessibleTogether initiative, led by Accessibility Accelerator, a collaborative partner of Negishut Yisrael, l, set out last Thursday on the seven-day expedition to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain, the world's tallest free-standing mountain, rising 5,895 meters above sea level.
For the members of the delegation, the summit is not only a geographical destination. They demonstrated that accessibility, inclusion, and teamwork can overcome even the barriers that appear impossible to cross.
The Israeli delegation brings together a diverse group representing Israeli society. Participants include teenagers from Jeremy's Circle, which supports children and teens growing up alongside a parent or sibling coping with cancer, or after the loss of a family member to the disease; pre-army youth from Tzevet Ran, an organization that prepares teenagers for meaningful military service, who were evacuated from their homes in northern Israel during the war; survivors of terror; soldiers who were injured in defense of their homelandand others coping with post-traumatic stress and other disabilities.
(Photo: Courtesy)
Among the delegation are two participants who use wheelchairs. One of them was a team leader in the Purple Vest Mission that helped and continues to help in the evacuation and well-being of people with disabilities during this crisis.
Unlike competitive mountain expeditions, this journey is built on collaboration. Participants with different abilities climb side by side, supporting one another along the way and demonstrating that accessibility is not only about physical accommodations, but also about shared responsibility that enables everyone to take part. Some participants will make the ascent using Paratrek Trekkers, specialized off-road mobility chairs. The Trekkers make it possible to navigate Kilimanjaro's steep slopes and rocky terrain, allowing people to take part in the climb through teamwork, trust, and determination.
Pamela Becker, Co-Founder and CEO of Jeremy's Circle, said: "When we returned from the first expedition, we realized that the real journey had not ended at the summit of Kilimanjaro. We saw teenagers return with self-confidence, a sense of capability, and resilience that will stay with them for years to come. They moved from being the ones receiving support to becoming the ones offering it to others, discovering that sometimes by helping someone else you discover your own strength. That is why it was clear to us that we wanted to give more teenagers the opportunity to experience this journey. For them, Kilimanjaro is not just a mountain; it is a lesson for life."
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Jamie Lassner, CEO of Accessibility Accelerator, said: "This is our fifth expedition. The expedition showed the world what happens when people from different backgrounds, with different life stories and different challenges, choose to climb together. This year we continue this journey with a new group, but with the same vision, to prove that true inclusion is not a slogan, but a daily action. With every step on the way to the summit, we show that when no one is left behind, everyone can go further."
Behind each of the 34 members of the delegation is a personal story of resilience, loss, recovery, giving, or hope. Together, they are embarking on a journey that seeks to show that the path to the summit does not begin on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, but at the moment people choose to believe in themselves and move forward together. Every step of the way, from the beginning of the expedition to the summit, participants do not ask whether something is possible, but how it can be done, how to help, how to overcome challenges, and how to keep moving forward together. Perhaps that is why Kilimanjaro is much more than an expedition. For the participants, it is a symbol of resilience, inclusion, and mutual responsibility.
About Jeremy's Circle
Jeremy's Circle was established approximately 18 years ago to support children and teenagers living with cancer in their immediate family by providing recreational activities and opportunities to meet other children facing similar circumstances. The organization holds events across Israel as well as online activities to ensure that no family has to cope with the impact of cancer alone.
(Photo: Courtesy)
(Photo: Courtesy)
Over the past year, Jeremy's Circle has held more than 20 events, with an average of about 300 children and parents attending each one. Today, the organization supports a community of more than 1,200 families across Israel.
Jeremy's Circle was founded in 2008 following the vision of Jeremy Coleman, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer the previous year. During his treatment, friends from the Zionist Youth Movement in London organised outings and activities for his three young children, then aged between six months and six years, supporting them during a difficult period. The idea for the organization grew from that experience and from his six-year-old daughter's wish to meet other children whose families were facing similar challenges.
Following Jeremy's death in July 2008, his wife Pamela, together with his sisters and close friends, established Jeremy's Circle in his memory. They continue to lead the organization as volunteers and board members. Since its founding, Jeremy's Circle has held hundreds of in-person and online activities for families across Israel.