Thursday Itinerary

Hiking the Snake Path

Busy does not even begin to describe our Thursday!


The group has really bonded, and also looks out for one another. This was most evident on Thursday, on our tiyul (trip) South to Masada, Ein Gedi, the Dead Sea, and to camel rides in the desert.  After a nap (uhh, drive...) down the Jericho road, the group hiked the snake path up Masada--and the kids were really looking out for one another.

View of Desert from the top of Masada

On the plateau of Masada, looking out at the desert landscape, our kids learned of King Herod's secluded palaces, and the later use of the site by the Zealots for their last stand against the Romans. As we thought about the meaning of zealotry and the power of charismatic leaders, we also asked ourselves: are there things worth dying for? Are there things that I would fight to the death to protect and honor? Each participant had a different answer: some said for freedom of religion, for tolerance, and/or for freedom from persecution.  Others said that they did not think there were things worth dying for as life is more precious than anything else that they can imagine at this time.

Riding Camels at Eretz Bereishit

After Masada, we hiked Nahal David at Ein Gedi (the site where David had the chance to kill King Saul but chose not to), and went swimming in the natural pools of the oasis. It was a 75 degree day in February, so half of the population of Israel, particularly those in grades 2-10, and particularly large groups of Orthodox middle school boys and elementary school kids in general) were at Ein Gedi.

We saw people from every possible sector of Israeli society-- Askenazi, Sephardi, Mizrachi (Eastern Jewish), Ethiopian, Israeli Arab, secular, modern Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox...the list goes on, and all of them jumped into the pools!

"Avraham, Avinu" from Drew's Hipstamatic!

Then, we went to the Dead Sea where everyone had the chance to float and cover him or herself in the rich mineral mud. That photo is in another post.

After showers, we went to Eretz Bereishit, an experience in the desert where we rode camels to a tent.  There, "Abraham, our father," greeted all of his guests nicely, brought us into his tent where he washed his hands, and then proceeded to feed us until were stuffed!

What a day!
Shira