I thought I would start an occasional series of posts in which I write about memories of various places in Israel. It will be lovely if you want to some of your own experiences of each place in the comments.
I’ll start with Masada, partly because it was the first landmark of significance I visited in Israel. It was the beginning of September 2006, the Hezbollah war had just ended and I was in Israel for the first time.
The itinerary for our tour had, strangely, scheduled a crack-of-dawn visit to Masada the morning after a late-night, open-air party that included a free bar and a dance-floor. It’s fair to say that I took enthusiastic, thirsty advantage of the free drinks. How lashed did I get? Put it this way, I attempted to dance at one point – always a bad sign.
I was already well lubricated at this point:
When we staggered back to the hotel just after midnight, a tour guide reminded me that she would be knocking on my door around 4am so we could get to Masada before sun-rise. Brimful of drunken optimism, I told her this would not be a problem. I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.
As I became aware of a the sound of someone knocking on my door what felt like just moments later, I cursed to myself and thought: this Masada place had better be good. We took the cable car up to the top. Many of us were so tired and hungover that the significance of the place rather passed us all by. As we stood waiting for the sun to rise over Jordan, one magnificent but exhausted Russian Jewess whispered in my ear: “No wonder they all killed themselves.” That evening over dinner, my friend Justin – a lovely Aussie Israeli – said to me in his best sardonic tone: “I’m, like, totally defeated by this morning.”
I returned to Masada in 2007. This time I arrived at a more sensible hour, and I was entirely bright and healthy. Ali, a wonderful Bedouin tour guide who I’d booked to show Chris and I round the country for a few days, gave us an informative tour of the place. Though it was almost unbearably hot, I felt so moved to be amid such rich Jewish history.
As we drove towards Jerusalem afterwards, Ali and I discussed Masada and the present day politics of Israel. At one point he said to me: “You’re more Israeli than most Israelis, my friend!” It was my birthday and it really felt like it, too.
The third time I went to Masada was in 2010, as part of the Once In A Lifetime trip. During this tour we were taken to one of the corners of the fortress where, if you shout, your voice will echo over and over around the hills nearby. We all chose different things to shout. I shouted: “Oy Va Goy!” I like to think it is still echoing around those sandy hills, mingling with the war cries of the Masada zealots, and entertaining the ibex goats.
Anyway, over to you. What are your memories of and thoughts about Masada? Before I close, here is a photo of some IDF planes flying over Masada, which must never fall again!
My main memory of Massada is from 25 years ago with my then 10 year old son painfully making his way up in roller skates, his latest present that he refused to remove. (Coming down was easier.)
Blimey – he must have really loved those skates!
Great stories, Chas. It’s an interesting site.
My memory is of shlepping up the snake path to Masada when I was 17. I was there with a bunch of kids from my school as a volunteer just after the YK war (oops, giving my age away). Either the IDF regularly flies low over Masada or I was in that photo, too small to see.
Keep up with these amazing post.
Thanks. It’s always nice to know which posts/post concepts people enjoy.
This is a lovely one Chassy, I didn’t know you had been to Israel so many times as I thought you lived in England?
I do live in England. I’ve flown to Israel four times.
enjoyed reading about trips to Israel, I am too old to get “lubricated” enjoyed myself immensely in Israel. you may want to try GooCha in Tel Aviv next time, great seafood, outdoor seating, gorgeous waitstaff (hey I’m not THAT old) thanks so much
I was on tour with Hanoar Hatzioni in 1966, the year England last won the World Cup [but being Welsh, who cares!!] In those days there were no cable cars and we had to make our way by foot at 5am and being young,fit and foolhardy I managed to run to the top. On arrival, I waited for the rest of the group, only to be informed that Linda, my somewhat overweight cousin was having difficulty reaching the summit.So being the gallant young man I have remained, I ran most of the way down and helped dear Linda all the way up. Sadly Linda passed away recently at an all too young age but she often reminded me of our Massada adventure. Beautiful memories of the now distant past.
First time was in ’71, while on a trip with my kibbutz. Somehow, I can remember almost nothing about that time.
Second trip was with my wife, son and daughter in 1994 and I remember that visit very clearly. I had done something to my back, so every uneven step was like a hot knife in the back and as the top of Masada comprised only uneven steps, it was torture.
Got an Israel trip booked for November – if we have time, maybe we’ll take another visit to Massada and get to see and enjoy it this time.
November ought to be a good time of year to be at the Dead Sea, with daytime temperatures down to 36 degrees!
Yes, my first time up Masada was a ’1970s 4:30 am up the snake path on a kibbutz trip’ affair too.
Took my sister & brother in law a couple of years ago on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year. I seriously thought my very ‘English rose’sister was going to pop her clogs; never seen such a bright shade of puce!
Brother in law, on the other hand, is a big fan of epic Hollywood movies and so swanned around in his Panama hat frightening a load of Argentinian evangelicals by pretending to be Peter O’Toole.
http://prayerfoundation.org/movies/movie_review_masada.htm
Having not been to Masada for many years, I decided to go again last year. I followed a group of Canadian Christian pilgrims who were being shown the sites by a delightful tour guide who was carrying Josephus’ The Jewish War, with him. At one point he opened it to the page to recite Eliezer’s stirring speech to the people facing imminent death or slavery, to a respectful and silent group. When the last words were uttered, one of the group offered an improvised spontaneous prayer to the martyrs.It was a very moving moment to watch them.
I’m loving these stories. Thank you.
I visited Israel for the first time, in March this year and Masada was definitely a highlight of the visit. It’s am amazing place with so much history
They now have a scribe, working on a Torah scroll, from whom you can have a blessing.
He blessed me and wrote a ‘get well’ blessing for my husband who is quite ill and was unable to accompany me.
It was so emotional that I broke down.
A few thoughts:
The Massada is a very powerful simbol for us here. The thing is I am not so sure I want to live by its lesson. Killing yourself is not the way we should live by. We have enough people in the regen who live by that. I prefer to look at it as a warning and as something to beware of.
As for the place itself – I believe it is the most impressive places in Israel indeed.
And a suggestion: next time you get there on a hot day, the place to be is the Northern Pallace, it is cool there all day long, due to it facing North.
Ah, and going up there liquered is highly dangerous. People have known to fall of the edge of the cliffs there. (and you also do not remember your visit afterward).
Cheers, Eyal
I remember hiking up there with a group from my school in 2005 – I was 13 at the time. We camped out at the foot of Masada the night before and climbed up at 4.30am for a spectacular sunrise. But perhaps the even more memorable part was racing down the mountain afterwards to the car park, where our breakfast awaited us. Mmmm. (I get the feeling that I didn’t fully appreciate the beauty and spiritual brilliance of the place, so I’m thinking of climbing it again soon, alone, perhaps for a more meaningful experience.)
Been to Masada many times but I always take the cable car up and down! Climbing is for goats!