Monday, November 2 - Into the Desert, Masada and the Dead Sea

It is so hard to believe that this is our last day of touring together.  We have experienced some amazing things over the last two weeks and today will be a wonderful way to end the trip.  First, we boarded our bus early in order to make the long drive through the Judean Desert into the Dead Sea Basin and ascended up to Masada, King Herod's mountain palace and the sight of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman legionnaires.

The view from atop Masada is not to be believed.  Pictures simply do not do it justice.

Looking across the Dead Sea you can barely make out the hills of Jordan.  On this trip we have seen Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.  Israel is really a small part of a volatile neighborhood.

 

 

We learned of two time periods for this incredible place.  First, we learned about King Herod and his desire to create a luxurious mountain retreat for himself.  Remember, he is also responsible for the building of the Second Temple, and Caesarea, as we marveled how in such a short time he could create such incredible structures.  

 

We learned how they got water up the mountain using the one or two flash floods that come through the desert every year and the enormous holding tanks built into the mountain that could hold enough water for 10 years.  We learned of the incredible Roman Bath (pictured below) and even saw the beautiful colors on the wall painted more than 2000 years ago.

We learned how there was a raised floor in the bath house where hot air could be pumped into the walls and floor to create a perfect sauna.  All of this done 2000 years ago!  Incredible.

We toured Herod's three leveled palace, built onto the side of the mountain with breathtaking views of the Dead Sea and with a cooling sea breeze that is constant there.

We also learned that some 70 years after Herod used this palace, it was used for a totally different reason.  During the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Jewish Zealots escaped Jerusalem and hid atop of Masada, where they found enough water and food to last for 10 years.  Their hope was that the Romans would just forget about them, but that didn't happen.  Soon after their escape, Roman Encampments could be seen all around the mountain.  Here is the remains of one of 8 that existed that are now ruins.

We learned that the Romans had planned to simply wait until the zealots and their families (960 in total) would run out of food and they would have to descend down the mountain for supplies and they would enslave them or destroy them.  What the Romans didn't know was how well stocked the store houses and water tanks were.  Eventually, it was decided that Masada would only be taken by a fierce battle.

The Romans began to build an enormous ramp to get up the hill and force their way into Masada. 
Below is the remnants of the ramp that still exists today.  How incredible to see this with my own eyes!  Even though I have been here before, I am still in awe of this place.

There were about 15,000 troops there against only 300 fighters from the Zealots as well as their families numbering 660.  The Zealots new this would be a futile battle. Below is a picture of the Synagogue they created where perhaps the choices were laid out for them.  They could fight to the death, give themselves up or take their own lives and die on their own terms.  I can only imagine the discussion and the horrible choice they had to make.

After a heated discussion the decision was made that they would end their lives on their own terms.  They would not allow themselves to be enslaved, their wives to be raped at the hands of the Romans.  They each went and killed their families, and then they killed each other.  Lots were drawn as to who the last survivor would be who would fall upon his sword.  

When the Romans came up the ramp and broke into Masada, they were ready for a fierce fight.  Instead, they found bodies everywhere.  There was no battle.  Masada had fallen.

Now you need to know that there is absolutely no evidence that this really happened, short of the writings of one man who witnessed it from the Roman perspective.  It turns out all of the details in terms of how Masada was laid out in his writings fit exactly to the physical discovery of Masada, but we have no proof of any mass suicide atop the mountain.

I find it so interesting that we encountered so many examples of people who faced such terrible circumstances that they chose suicide as the only solution for the issues surrounding them.  We saw it in Poland, with the warriors who led the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising at Mila 18.  We saw it with the political leaders who tried desperately to get others to help the Jews and hoped that their suicide would lead to more knowledge and action, we saw it with the zealots atop Masada.  It is hard to imagine a circumstance where such an action would be one's only possible path.

The question is, if this story of Masada is possibly a myth, why is Masada such an important place for Jews?  Why does each and every person in the Israeli military come up to Masada as a symbol of strength?  It is a symbol of strength because the Zealots never gave in to the Romans.  Today, we all say that "Masada will never fall again."  That the strength of Israel will ensure Israeli survival long onto the future, even when surrounded by hostile neighbors.  There is a power to seeing the Israeli flag flying over Masada.  A pride in all Israel has accomplished, the beacon of light she represents.  While Masada may be a myth, she is another example of how Israel is here, today, standing tall and proudly.  It is a place where the Israeli military takes their vow to fight for Israel to the very end.  A powerful message for all of us.

As we descended the mountain, we were deep in thought.  If Masada is a place where the Israeli military expresses their vow to protect Israel at all costs, what are WE doing to protect her as well?  With the onslaught of negative and frankly untruthful press coverage of Israel that we all see happening today, are we doing all we can to ensure that Israel will never fall?  Could we be doing more?  We are all Israeli Ambassadors.  We represent her in the Diaspora, in our communities.  And we have to speak loudly with pride for all we have seen and experienced.  It is a huge responsibility.

Our final stop on our tour of Israel was one where no large battle happened, no site of an ancient Temple...  We would spend the afternoon at a resort floating on the Dead Sea.  

We enjoyed a delicious lunch before changing into our swimsuits and walking the short path down to the shore.

There is something about the water that takes all cares and washes them away.  We floated for what felt like hours as we recalled our trip and all we had experienced.  We were at a resort in the southern end of the Dead Sea, in the evaporating pools.  This is different than where we were back in June.  In these pools, the sea floor is sand made up entirely of salt.  I literally picked up handful after handful of the sea floor and it was pure, white salt crystals.  Incredible.

Another activity is to cover ourselves in the healing Dead Sea Mud, said to rejuvenate skin and make us feel younger.

I think we all felt younger mostly because of the silliness of the mud we had placed on ourselves.  The Dead Sea was the perfect way for us to end our tour of Israel.  We washed all of our cares and worries away and left feeling really terrific.

We shared in our final meal at Olive and Fish, a delicious restaurant near our hotel.  It was a beautiful meal as we all shared in the wonder of all we experienced.  It was so nice to sit back and watch as the new friendships were being solidified.  The connections we made with each other are something that will last a lifetime.

As I write this, the final post of this blog and trip, I sit on my Airbus A380 flying towards Los Angeles.  I have been trying to reflect on all this trip has meant to me, and to our group of travelers.  It has been a trips of ultimate highs and lows, from the darkness of Auschwitz to the light of Israeli Independence.  From the darkness of Majdanek, to the hope of Yemin Orde and the Yad b'Yad School.  From the hope of the JCC in Krakow to the reality of meeting with the soldiers.  From the beauty of the Baha'i' Gardens to the starkness of the Judean Desert.  From sharing Shabbat with reform Jews in Warsaw to sharing with Reform Jews in Jerusalem.  From holding a yellow star to feeling so proud to be a Jew,  everything we experienced has helped to transform us. 

I am exhausted.  And I cannot wait to be home and hugging Leasa, Carly and Hayley.  I am also very sad.  For the past 2.5 years I have been working so hard to craft the trip in June and this trip.  It is so bittersweet to be on the other side of these experiences.  I am sad to be leaving Israel, a place that I love deeply.  I cannot wait to start planning my return.  I am inspired by all we have seen, and I intend to work hard to share these experiences with our community upon my return and long into the future.  Israel is important for all of us.  She has her arms open to us all at any time, ready to be our refuge should we need her protection.  She is also challenged by many things, and she is counting on us to be her protection as well. 

I can only end this blog with one thought.  You must, and I mean MUST, travel here.  Once you have touched the Wall and seen the amazing and inspiring sites, you will understand how she can transform you.  I look forward to helping you to come here with your families, as a part of the incredible Adat Elohim Community.  It has been an honor and a privilege to lead these trips.  I feel so grateful for the opportunity and the relationships that have been built along the way.  I cannot wait to come back and feel Israel again.