The saga of Sunday November 24, 2024 to Monday November 25, 2024 in transit from Mitzpeh Ramon, Israel to Masada, Israel
Mount Masada is a famous ancient fortress in Israel, built by King Herod in 30 B.C.E. It gained popularity as a symbol of strength and resilience in the 1960s when archaeological findings indicated it was the last stronghold of Jews who tried to rebel against the Romans in 72CE. Although recent historical evidence suggests some of the Masada story might be different than previously thought, the prevailing story is that fewer than 1,000 Jews were able to withstand the Roman army’s siege for several years before opting to commit suicide rather than be conquered by the Romans. These Jews served as heroes, defending our faith and way of life against the Romans. Masada was excavated after the Holocaust, bringing much needed images of a strong, brave, and heroic Jew to the community after years of horrific tragedy. The largest Israeli flag can be seen at the top of Masada.
One of the quintessential experiences in Israel is climbing the winding and steep Snake Path to the top of Masada. The climb is about 350m (1,148ft) from start to finish. Since it can get very hot during the day, it is tradition to start the climb before dawn to make it to the top in time for sunrise. I’ve done this climb multiple times over the years, most recently in June with my siblings, several grandchildren (including Amichai), and my father to mark his 80th birthday. (Yes, you read that correctly.) It is a completely worthwhile challenge and watching the sunrise from the top can be especially rewarding.
We had just finished our visit to the Makhtesh Ramon Visitor Center when it began to pour. We made a mad dash to the car. Rain or shine, we were scheduled to drive to Mount Masada. About a two-hour drive on a clear day. Our goal was to arrive with enough time for dinner and a very early bedtime. Though the rain let up once we were out of the Makhtesh Ramon area, the wind was no joke. It felt like driving through a snowstorm, except instead of snow there were dust storms swirling around us. At times, we could barely see Jordan across the Dead Sea. When I pointed that out, the boys were shocked to hear that Jordan was so close. In their minds it was a land, far, far away. I hoped they would be able to see it better the next day during our climb.
We arrived at Masada Hostel around 5:00PM. Dinner wasn’t scheduled there for another ninety minutes. I had completely forgotten that there are absolutely no kosher restaurants in Masada. The only kosher options are at the hostel and nearby hotels. We decided to try our luck and headed out to a nearby center. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. We spent exactly ten minutes walking through the “mall”. When we returned, we had a 100 NIS parking ticket on our car because the Pango App everyone uses to park wasn’t working for us! Thoroughly annoyed, and very hungry, we returned to the hostel.
Dinner turned out to be delicious with a large variety of options for everyone. Each boy tried so many options. I was floored when Eitan tried the kebab and Matanel ate the schnitzel with sesame seeds on it. What was happening to our picky eaters!?! I could only hope their open-mindedness would continue. Bellies full, we were all in bed by 8:30PM. I was so tired because I had stayed up the night before reading a great book that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.
Before I knew it, my alarm went off at 4:55AM. Poor Shai and Matanel were so surprised by it they thought it was a siren and jumped out of bed ready to head to a miklat/bunker. It took a few minutes to assure them that it was just my alarm, which I felt kind of badly about while appreciating that they were now very awake. We began our ascent by 5:30AM in pitch black. The boys whined a little bit at the start of the hike, wondering why we would do this. Also, it was hard to see the path and they wondered if we knew what we were doing. (Honestly, who could blame them!) Once we got moving and dawn started breaking, they got into it. Amichai, who had just climbed Masada in June played the role of expert and group motivator – giving his brothers tips, forging ahead at breakneck speed, encouraging his brothers, and teaching them about Masada. Shai and Eitan stayed right with him the whole time.
As we ascended higher, Matanel’s fear of heights kicked in. We reminded him to pull out his “claws” that he used during our hike at Makhtesh Ramon and to climb slowly and steadily. Every time we reached a steeper part or an area without a guardrail he would say, “No, I am not doing that!” Then, we would remind him of how brave he is and that he has claws. Just like that, he would move forward. Thank goodness he has an incredible imagination. His ability to think creatively and use imaginative play to overcome his fears has really made a difference for him. A beautiful lesson in mind over matter for a seven-year-old. Eitan, on the other hand, climbed easily and then was HANGRY at the top. No food is allowed at the site; I had nothing to give him but water.
We made a few rest stops along the way and caught sunrise about two-thirds of the way up. The boys were a bit disappointed they hadn’t reached the top in time, but we told them it was fine because it turned out to be such a cloudy day we couldn’t even see the sun. Still, we appreciated the beauty of the moment and the fact that our children were able to climb Masada in under an hour.
After a few minutes’ rest, we explored the top of Masada, pointing out all of the archeological sites we could recognize because of our visit to Herodian with my cousin Shelley. We were so impressed with their ability to remember what she had taught them and apply that information to a new site. We did not spend as much time as we could have exploring the site, since the boys clearly needed to eat. I wasn’t too concerned knowing that they will likely climb Masada again in their lifetime, perhaps for my dad’s 90th birthday!
We began our descent at about 7:00AM. Amichai and Eitan practically ran down. Later, Eitan told me he slipped at one point and almost fell off the edge. Chaim, Matanel, Shai, and I were so far behind, I cannot describe how glad I was to not know that until we were all safely at the bottom of the mountain. Going down, Matanel came up with a strategy to help him feel comfortable. I don’t even know if he was aware he was doing it. He would hold a parent’s hand and always stand on the interior of the path. He switched sides with each switchback, changing hands and checking his positioning. About midway down (where there are fewer stairs built in), he felt much more comfortable and was able to walk independently without issue. When we reached the bottom, Amichai and Eitan had been sitting on a bench waiting for us for at least fifteen minutes. When they asked why it took us so long, I gave the “we needed to move at a slower pace for everyone to feel comfortable” speech. Little did they know how grateful I was to move slowly. My knees are not what they used to be! We walked back to the hostel for breakfast. The food was delicious with many options for the boys to eat.
Per cousin Shelley’s advice we visited the adjacent museum before heading home to learn more about the story of Masada. The boys said they enjoyed it so much they wanted to watch it again. I’ll be honest. The movie was interesting but not exhilarating. More likely, they were just happy to be sitting watching a screen. After exploring the rest of the museum, we packed up and headed back to Caesarea.
The boys fell asleep in the car, making it hard for them to fall asleep that night. Shai and Matanel had finally fallen asleep around 10:00PM. A few minutes later there was a siren. The jarring sound really startled Matanel. Chaim and I carried them to the mamad/bunker where they fell right back to sleep. We left them there for the night in case there was another siren. Thankfully, the rest of the night was quiet and everyone slept soundly.
