Masada

You will see many beautiful and historic sites if you join me during a 14 day trip to the Holy Land in May 2018. One of the fascinating places we will visit is Masada, a location first fortified by Hasmonean Alexander Jannaeus. The fortress was captured by Herod the Great and greatly expanded. We will see Herod’s fortress as we visit the top of Masada.

Masada is a geological formation called a horst, or a raised area which sits between two faults. Masada reaches more than a thousand feet above the Dead Sea of the Great Rift Valley fault zone. The top is a large mesa like plateau which contains palaces and housing for soldiers and staff. A large cistern system is contained within the mountain to collect and conserve water for the people who reside there.

We will approach Masada on our  14 day trip to the Holy Land from the east along the Roman siege ramp. We will see a Roman campground, catapult and a memorial to the Zealots who died in 73 AD.

At the top of the siege ramp we will enter through a gate, observing along the way guard walkways which were outside the walls. The gate is near the Western Palace, which we will tour and see the section of wall which was breached by Rome. Further south is a swimming pool, a southern fort and a mikvah pool.

Further north we will visit a barracks and the Synagogue which was used for worship. From this spot we will have an excellent view of the Dead Sea and the far shoreline. We will stop along the Northeastern side of the wall and hear a speech given to the Zealots in 73 AD just before the Romans breached the wall into Masada.

Beyond the Synagogue are storage areas, a bath house, the northern palace and administrative areas. We will have plenty of time to walk around Masada before descending either by the snake path or on a cable car. We will end up in the visitor center near the Dead Sea.

From Masada we will drive north along the Dead Sea to En Gedi, Qumran, and a beach where we will float on top of the water. The Dead Sea is lowest habitable place on earth. The air is very dry and oxygen rich. The water is mineral heavy which enables swimmers to float.

To sign up for the 14 day trip to the Holy Land in May 2018 use the link provided. Visit the Travel Brochure to see our schedule, then visit the registration page to claim a trip discount your initial deposit (details in the travel brochure).