1981, A tall order at stunning Nachi Falls Shinto priests fix a new sacred rope to the summit of Nachi Falls, 133 meters up in Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan.

I went to Yakir’s shiva house on Rosh Chodesh. We davened mincha before I left. We said Yaaleh V’yavo as rain pounded the roof of the shiva tent. I will never forget the absurdity of it. A shiva house ...