FEATURED JOBS
Comments (2)By Micky Rubin
Baltimore Hebrew Institute
Although this was perhaps the most physically demanding day of our journey through the holy land thus far, I can honestly say that I felt as if I had accomplished something special by the time I had laid my head down to sleep in the evening. Our adventure began in the morning as we made our way to a yoga studio in Mitzpe Ramon. While I am a fitness enthusiast, I quickly realized that balance and overall flexibility are areas in which I need plenty if work. Still, like many of my classmates, I came to appreciate the calming effect that yoga can ultimately have on the mind and soul. I would be lying if I said I am not giving serious consideration to incorporating yoga into my regular exercise regimen.
We continued on our adventure, making our way towards Ein Gedi where we would have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Dead Sea. As we drove through the Negev desert, I took a moment to gaze into the wilderness and take in the hills, the valleys, the mountains and everything in between. It was probably the first time I stopped and began to wonder just how Moshe and the Hebrews wandered through this terrain for 40 years. Absolutely remarkable.
When we finally arrived in Ein Gedi, many of us immediately went to get changed and headed right for the salty body of water. The lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea is truly something at which to marvel—you just cannot sink! Laying there, floating and soaking in the absolutely gorgeous weather with the others is an experience truly unlike any other. If only we had something like it back in the U.S.!
Our final stop for the day was easily the most climactic—the climb up the mountain fortress of Masada. We were given two options to reach the top: either take the cable car or hike up the snake path, an estimated one-hour journey. While some students elected to ride the cable car to the top, many of my classmates and I accepted the challenge before us and began our hike to the top of the ancient fortress. On our way up, it was important to me to stop and make sure that everyone was doing alright and physically able to continue. After all, that is how the Jewish community remains so strong—through its commitment to helping one another and providing the support and encouragement to those who find themselves in challenging situations. THIS is why we succeed.
After we all had successfully hiked to the top, I took a minute to look out over the desert and realize just how far we had come. It was simply incredible and I know I would do it again in a heartbeat. We began to explore King Herod’s former mountain fortress, learning about how it came to be and the history behind the story of Masada.
Though I knew the basic details of the Masada story, it was not until I heard the complete version that I really began to understand why Israeli soldiers come to the mountain to swear allegiance to Israel. In a brief nutshell, the Jews had begun to rebel against the Romans following the death of King Herod. Ultimately, Masada was one of the last places that Jews were left (after the Romans had essentially quelled the rebellion). After several Roman attempts to reach the Jews on Masada, they eventually had the Jews in a situation in which there was no escape. The Jews faced the tough decision of either submitting to the Romans and perhaps become slaves or making the ultimate sacrifice and taking their one lives as free Jews, maintaining their identity and dignity. In a tragic ending to the story, the Jews chose the latter, drawing lots to decide who would kill everyone and then eventually taking their own lives.
By swearing allegiance to Israel and that Masada will never happen again, Israeli soldiers mean to say that they will do everything in their power to ensure that we, the Jewish people, will never have to face such a decision that the Jews of old had to face during that fateful day at the top of Masada. It is amazing that this story has had such a deep impact on the Jewish people, especially those living in the land of Israel. However, when you really think about it, it makes perfect sense. We are a people so committed to our faith and the livelihood of Judaism. Despite the level of commitment to the religion itself, we all can acknowledge that there is a common bond that is shared. This has been particularly evident on this trip; we have students of varying commitments to the religion itself, yet we all have a passion for the future and security of the Jewish community. It is this type of heart and soul that will, G-d willing, ensure that Masada will never happen again.
The Baltimore Hebrew Institute students are on their way back from Israel. You can read all of their previous blog entries and be a part of their journey here, on THE ASSOCIATED’s Global Impact blog.
