Dear all,
Eli doesn’t just like to climb walls – he engages them!
For a long time now, Eli’s been charging upward, refusing to be intimidated by height, by gravity, by the quiet voice that tells most of us to stay safely on the ground.
(And yes—for those wondering—the entire space is padded, and helmets aren’t required!)
I’ll admit it: my heart stopped for a moment in time watching him up there. But what stayed with me wasn’t the fear—it was the clarity.
Suspended by a rope, guided by an instructor, powered by his own determination, Eli went up—and then did it again. And again.
Watching him, I thought of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, who taught that when we truly look inward, we don’t just find ourselves—we find God. And in doing so, we come to understand others more deeply as well.
Climbing a wall is never just about co-ach/ strength. It’s about mo-ach, mind-set.
The moment when we decide to reach higher than feels comfortable.
The moment when we trust the rope, the guide, the people holding us steady.
The moment when we realize we cannot do it alone—and that we were never meant to.
Eli’s climb is a reminder:
We all face walls. Real ones. Emotional ones. Spiritual ones.
And the path upward is always the same—
Look within.
Reach beyond.
Hold on to those who steady you.
And keep climbing!
With love and Shalom,
Rabbi Zachary R. Shapiro
