A Day of Variety

On Saturday morning 2/3 of the group boarded a bus early to head down to the Dead Sea and Masada.  Of course at Masada Uri provided a great deal of context beyond seeing this magnificent desert mountaintop fortress and palace.  It was another of King Herod’s great building projects.  The cable car took the group up from the area of the visitors’ center.  No one had to make the difficult trek up the Snake Path.  Ultimately the question placed before the group was in regards to the mass suicide pact of martyrdom rather than being taken as slaves by the Roman armies.  Was this the right course of action?  Can we even make a fair judgment?

            Today Masada stands as a major tourist site and somewhat of a symbol for modern Israel.  The phrase Masada shall never fall again permeates the core of Israel’s survival.  It has become the place of many military ceremonies.  On its own it is a magnificent site to behold.

Thank goodness we took the cable car to the top of Masada...that winding path to the top sure looked long and tiring!  Uri definitely helped us see in our mind's eye the lavishness of Herod's fortress, but the monotone view that stretched endlessly in every direction made us wonder how anyone could tolerate living there.  We left Masada challenged to consider for ourselves whether the choice the Zealots made to end their lives rather than be captured was the correct one. (Thanks to Alice Rudolph and Masada pictures from Marcia Elwitt)

 

            The second stop was at the Dead Sea itself.  This natural phenomenon of the lowest salt water sea in the world has been shrinking due to a lack of water.  Years ago one simply went out of the public facility and walked into the water.  Today the walk is much longer and some even take a tram to the shore line.  Some of the group slathered the mineral rich mud on themselves.  The standard picture of sitting in the water reading a newspaper was taken. 

(Sorry no pictures available to protect the innocent)

            Those who remained in Jerusalem spent the morning enjoying Shabbat either by resting, visiting the renovated and updated Israel Museum or strolling around the Old City. 

 Those who visited the museum raved about it and wished they had a day or two to do it justice.  A few of us enjoyed a lunch of the best hummus (according to Rabbi Katz) in the city at Abu Shukri.  In the midafternoon we were treated to a wonderful tour of the Christian Quarter by Hana Bendcowsky

 

 

from the JCJCR (Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations).  Her extensive knowledge and wonderful teaching style enthralled the group.  We learned of the many different communities.  Unlike the U.S. the Protestants have very little presence in this locale.  She spoke of the different groups breaking off from each other and forming their own approaches.  Our visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was enriched because we are in the period of Lent before Easter. We witnessed processions of Copts,

Greek Orthodox

 and Syrian Orthodox as they left the Church.  We heard beautiful chanting and saw a variety of rituals.  Our final visit was to through the Ethiopian Church from the rooftop area where ancient living quarters remain in disrepair because it requires cooperation of more than one sect to make any changes.  The Ethiopians and the Copts won’t consider this path. Under Ottoman rule the church has 6 different sects that have a stake, The Roman Catholics (Latin), Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, the Copts and the Ethiopians.  To make changes in shared areas not controlled by a single group there must be complete agreement.  This can often be difficult if not impossible. Hana provided incite and history that gave a more in depth picture to this quarter of the city but as usual left us with more questions than answers.

            Back at the hotel the group gathered for havdalah in a room usually used as a prayer room.  The mechitza was removed and we sat in a circle separating from the glorious Shabbat we had just spent.