<script type="text/javascript" src="/js/jquery.js"></script>
<li class="item-i">I</li>
<li class="item-a">A</li>
<li class="item-1">1</li>
<li class="item-2">2</li>
<li class="item-3">3</li>
<li class="item-c">C</li>
<li class="item-iii">III</li>
$("li.item-a").parentsUntil(".level-1")
.css("background-color", "red");
$("li.item-2").parentsUntil( $("ul.level-1"), ".yes" )
.css("border", "3px solid blue");