By Jackson Strauss
I stared in awe at the view that surrounded me; standing atop mighty Masada, I could see the massive mountains of the Negev Desert to the west and the blue shimmering waters of the Dead Sea in the east. Looking down from Masada, I could spot the outlines of the ruins of the Roman camps. And finally, looking directly around me I could see the ruins of a once majestic fortress. But how did I end up in this spot in the first place? The day began at around 4:00 am when we woke up, got dressed, and had a small breakfast of tea and crackers before heading onto the bus for Masada. The sun had not yet dawned as we approached the intimidating steps, referred to as the Roman Ramp, leading to the top of Masada. Our group climbed the steps and we stood at a vantage point where we could watch the sun rise. I admired the beautiful landscape that surrounded the fortress and it really did feel like I was on another planet.
As we started to walk through the ruins of the ancient fortress, we learned the history behind the people who lived at Masada so many years ago. King Herod originally built Masada as a palace but was eventually captured by the Romans. The Zealots seized Masada in 66 CE and then used it as a fortress in the First Jewish-Roman War. Masada sits atop a massive mountain and was essentially invulnerable to attack. The Zealots lived in Masada for several years as the Romans attempted to starve them out but the Jews living there had sufficient stores of food and water. The Romans eventually scaled Masada in 74 CE and rather than being captured and becoming slaves, the Jews at Masada committed mass suicide. Only 7 out of 967 Jews were believed to have not committed suicide.
After learning about the grim fate of the Zealots, we ventured to the edge of the mountain where we could scream a name or a word and it would echo hundreds of yards away. Not long after, I heard a loud rumbling noise coming from the sky and turned around to see several Israeli fighter jets cruising through the valleys of the surrounding desert. The sun was now pretty high in the sky and the day was becoming hotter. We then started the descent down Masada along the Snake Path as the sun beat down on us. We eventually made it to the bottom and I took a couple of moments to just appreciate and reflect on the amazing experience I had. Masada really is a unique and magnificent landmark and I wish I could experience it all over again for the first time.
