Survey Says: Masada!

 

In our end of trip survey we asked our participants the following question: What was your favorite activity and why? Over the next few weeks we’ll be spotlighting a few of the different activities and places that meant the most to participants.  First up, Masada!

Masada is an ancient fortification at the top of a mountain in the Judaean Desert. The site has a romantic history as a Jewish fortification during the Roman-Jewish war in approximately 37 B.C.E. Each of our groups wakes up early in the morning and climbs up Masada to watch the sun rise over the Dead Sea nearby.

“Watching the sunrise at Masada was… sublime is probably the only word that comes close to the experience.”

“My favorite activity would have to be our hike up and down the snake-path of Masada. I have never done anything like that before. I will never forget the memory as I sat, drenched in sweat, on a wall at the highest point of Masada, as the sun rose over the Dead Sea. It was epic!”

“Watching the sunrise at the top of Masada with everyone was one moment I’ll never forget.”

“My favorite day was when we awoke at 4:30 AM to climb atop Masada and watch the sunrise. Seeing 38 22-26 year olds sit and look out onto the desert and watch the sun rise before their eyes in complete stillness and silence was so peaceful.  It was as though you could reach up and touch the sky. The atmosphere seemed so surreal and to sit and reflect in the very spot where so many Jews before us have fought for to keep our religion alive and to have a Jewish country continue to grow strong is astonishing!”

“Wow.  It is tough to say what was my favorite activity! So much of it was amazing. I loved everything but hiking Messada was breath-taking.”

“I loved the day where we hiked Masada. The Snake Trail to the top was a great challenge, and it had a purpose when we saw the ruins at the top.”