Gateway to the Desert

En route to our overnight in the desert, we stopped at an overlook outside Arad with sweeping, awe-inspiring views of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. The stark change from the green, mountainous urban landscape made it feel almost as if we landed on the moon with giant craters and breathtaking ridges. It was a surprise addition to the itinerary (thanks, Tomer!) and much appreciated by everyone!

Bedouin-Style Experience

At last we traveled to Kfar Hanokdim for everyone’s favorite CDS 8th Grade Israel Trip tradition … camel riding! As we boarded our camels, the setting sun was breathtaking over the dramatic mountain landscape, and the evening desert breeze was a welcome respite from the heat of the day.

We were then invited us to relax on floor mats in a goat-hair tent and sip hot spiced tea and Turkish coffee while learning about Bedouin life and culture. After a bonfire where we shared what has been most challenging and what we’ve appreciated most about this trip (our “reds” and “greens”), it was off to sleep in tents to rest up for Masada.

Climbing Masada

Just after 5 a.m. today, we began our ascent up the Roman Path to the ancient citadel of Masada. It was here in the Judean Desert that King Herod the Great erected his luxurious fortress. It is believed that a group of desperate Jews fought the Romans here and then committed mass suicide so they could die free rather than face capture and slavery by their pagan conquerors.

We made the steep climb in the pre-dawn hours, just barely making it in time to a stone platform in the ruins to watch the unforgettable sunrise projecting a haze across the receding blue waters of the Dead Sea. Our Class of 2023 thespians reenacted the story of Masada, and then we explored the fortress. We learned about the life and times of King Herod and how fresh water was carried to the fortress and stored in cisterns.

We then held our morning tefillah together in one of the oldest synagogues in Israel—a long way from the Ulam Sport at CDS, but the connection was palpable. In the “synagogue” at Masada, there is a glass-enclosed office where a Sofer (“scribe”) works to write a Torah, writing letter by sacred letter, day in, day out. We had the beautiful privilege of being invited to each share our Hebrew names with the Sofer, and he dedicated a letter in the Torah with each name recited. He then spoke to us about his work and his interpretations of the history of Masada. What an unexpected gift! 

We were spared (denied?) the long hike down the Snake Path due to recent flooding that made the trail unsafe, and instead we took a quick, but dizzying cable car ride down the mountain.

Then it was off to a nearby resort for a float in the Dead Sea, some fun in the mineral-rich black mud, and a dip in the pool afterward. Now we head north for our second Shabbat and week of adventures!

Just Keep Floating