photos: 1. Herod’s bathhouse/area where the “lots” were found - 2. bathhouse interior caldarium (hot room--the floor stood on the brick and stone columns; hot air flowed under the floor and rose through clay pipes, still to be seen on the back wall!) - 3. storerooms complex (29 long rooms built by Herod to hold food, liquids, and weapons) - 4. wall of a storeroom (the rocks below the black line were still standing; above the line were reconstructed by the archeologists) - 5. the siege ramp (view from the top of Masada)

MASADA: The huge, rocky mountaintop fortress of Masada is located in the Judean desert next to the western shore of the Dead Sea, south of Qumran and En Gedi. According to the historian, Josephus, the first fortress was built by Jonathan the High Priest sometime between 103 and 76 B.C. Herod, who ruled from 37 B.C. to 4 A.D. was well aware of the strategic advantages of Masada, and he therefore chose the site as a refuge against his enemies and as a winter palace. During his reign, luxurious palaces were built here in addition to well-stocked storerooms, water cisterns, defence towers, barracks, and a casement wall. After Herod’s death, the Romans stationed a garrison at Masada.

Josephus relates that one of the first events of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans, which broke out in 66 A.D., was the conquest of Masada. Eleazar ben Yair became commander of the rebel community on the mountain. It was a varied group, which apparently included Essenes and Samaritans. The last of the rebels fled to Masada after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. and joined those already at the fortress. The rebels lived in rooms in the casement wall around the top of the mountain and in some of Herod’s palaces. They also constructed a synagogue and mikvehs (Jewish ritual baths). They left behind numerous material vestiges that attest to their community life.

According to Josephus, Masada was the last rebel stronghold in Judea. For two years, these Jewish rebels harried the Romans until Flavius Silva, the Roman Governor, resolved to crush this outpost of resistance in 72 A.D. He marched on Masada with his 10th Legion, consisting of 8000 troops, auxiliary forces, and thousands of prisoners of war carrying water, timber, and provisions. They built eight camps around the base of the mountain, built a circumvallation (siege wall) all the way around it (allegedly to keep the Jews from getting away!), and constructed a ramp of earth, wooden supports, and large stones on a natural slope near the western approach to Masada. The siege lasted for months. During this time, the Romans built a tower with a battering ram. In 73 A.D. they moved the tower up the ramp and began to batter the wall. They finally succeeded in making a breach and setting ablaze an inner support wall the rebels had constructed.

That night, the first of Passover, Eleazar ben Yair reviewed the fateful position. The Romans would overrun them in the morning. There was no hope of relief, and none of escape. Only two alternatives were open: surrender or death. He resolved “that a death of glory was preferable to a life of infamy, and that the most magnanimous resolution would be to disdain the idea of surviving the loss of their liberty.” Rather than become slaves to their conquerors, the defenders--960 men, women, and children--ended their lives at their own hands. When the Romans reached the summit the next morning, they were met with silence.

In Josephus’ own words: “Then, having chosen by lot ten of their number to dispatch the rest, they laid themselves down each beside his prostrate wife and children and, flinging their arms around them, offered their throats in readiness for the executants of the melancholy office. These, having unswervingly slaughtered all, ordained the same rule of the lot for one another, that he on whom it fell should slay first the nine and then himself last of all;...They died in the belief that they had left not a soul of them alive to fall into Roman hands; The Romans advanced to the assault...seeing none of the enemy but on all sides an awful solitude, and flames within and silence, they were at a loss to conjecture what had happened. And so met (the Romans) with the multitude of the slain, but could take no pleasure in the fact, though it were done to their enemies. Nor could they do other than wonder at the courage of their resolution, and at the immovable contempt of death which so great a number of them had shown, when they went through with such an action as this.”

Two women and five children who had been hiding in the cisterns on the mountaintop told the Romans what had happened that night. The fall of Masada was the final act in the Roman conquest of Judea.

photos: Masada from a distance - the Judean desert (very stark!) - Snake Path/two Roman camps (diamond-shaped outlines of rocks)/part of siege wall - Michelle on the Snake Path with cable car overhead - Dead Sea--south end

Masada! Such an amazing and powerful event in history! Such an incredible and dramatic place to visit! It is my most favorite site in all of Israel, Every time I have been on a tour of the Holy Land, I’ve waited impatiently for the day when our group ascends this huge rocky fortress by the Dead Sea and I can walk among the ruins where this moving event occurred.

This is where I spent last Saturday, March 18th. And it was the most fantastic and fulfilling time there ever--because I was able to take all the time I wanted without being rushed about by a tour schedule. I wandered wherever I chose, read all the descriptions of the various ruins, pondered the history, imagined who had walked here, considered the events of that night long ago, was awed by the beautiful clear views and vistas of the bleach-brown Judean desert, the blue-green Dead Sea, and the mountains of Moab beyond, took in the remains of the Roman camps, the circumvallation wall, and the siege ramp itself, and took photo after photo of everything that interested me, confident that I had plenty of space with 1 gig of memory in my camera!

I went to Masada with my home repair team supervisor, James (from South Africa) and his wife, Michelle, and Larry and Mary Bennett (from Great Falls, Montana). It was a perfectly beautiful sunny morning when we took off at 7:00 a.m. on our adventure. James drove the van we use for work, and headed east, out of Jerusalem, into the bleak desert hills of the desert, descending down down down into the Jordan Valley, past bedouin tents, Jewish settlements, and the city of Jericho (which was blocked off because of last week’s confrontation with the Palestinians at the prison). From there, the highway turns south, along the Dead Sea--where, at 1200 feet below sea level you are at the lowest point on earth! We traveled past huge date palm orchards, produce hot houses, the Ahava Dead Sea cosmetics factory, Qumran (where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered), En Gedi (where David hid from Saul), always surrounded by the stark Judean desert.

Finally, just an hour and 15 minutes from home, we saw it: the flat-topped mountain fortress of Masada coming at us in the distance! James stopped and let me get some photos as we approached, and I could feel my excitement building. Driving up to the entrance, I saw that much had changed since my last visit in 1997: new parking garage, ticket windows, huge visitor center, hotel, and displays. It’s much more “tourist friendly,” but also more commercialized.

photos: me on my hike up the Snake Path to Masada’s summit - also James and Michelle, with outline of one of the Roman camps in the background

But we weren’t going to be spending time here! We got our backpacks on, sunscreen applied, purchased our entrance tickets, and we were off. Larry and Mary took the cable car to the top, but I was finally able to do one of the things I’ve dreamed of doing since my first time at Masada in 1989: hike up the “Snake Path” to the top of Masada! The one narrow route that is the only access to the fortress. James and Michelle hiked it with me, and it was a total thrill. The path winds back and forth over the eastern face of Masada, with gorgeous views of the rough terrain surrounding the mountain. Very few hikers were on the path, and we stopped often to enjoy the atmosphere, take pictures, and soak up the experience. It’s only a 45 minute hike. Then, just before the gate at the summit, we had our first look at one of the huge water cisterns and part of the channel system that collected water for Masada’s residents. It is so large that it’s easy to understand how possible it was for the rebels to live up here for three years, much to the chagrin of the Romans!

photos: 1. Herod’s Northern Palace, built on three rock terraces (view down from top terrace) - 2. me on the stairway to the middle terrace - 3. columns on the lower terrace - 4. the three terraces from below (view up from lower terrace--see the tourists on top!) - 5. Masada’s western face, with the Northern Palace outline and columns on the left

Once we got on top of Masada, we just roamed and wandered all over the site, with no agenda or pressure to do anything except make the most of our time there. The three of us headed to Herod’s three-tiered palace on the north face first, and climbed down to explore the middle and lower terraces of this immense facility. It is an engineering marvel, but all that is left now are the pillars, supports, and several baths of the immense palace. Soon I was left alone, and I explored the gatehouse, the storerooms, the place where the lots were found, the amazing bathhouse complex (with cold, lukewarm, and hot bathing tubs), the rooms around the casement wall, and other structures. As I went along, I continually turned to gaze down on the Roman ramp, to see what it looked like from different vantage points, but especially from the spot where the breach occurred that fateful night nearly 2000 years ago. Even more than the Snake Path, I have wanted to touch that mighty ramp; to stand on it, walk on it, catch the same view the Romans had when they started to storm Masada with their siege tower and battering ram. However, Gabi always implied that the only way to do this is to drive some distance around to the western side of Masada, and James had already told me that this would be too much to do today.

Then I saw it: another exit and path I’d never noticed before that seemed to lead off of the western edge of Masada. I watched some people start walking in this direction--and minutes later I saw them on the path that runs along the ramp! YOU CAN GET TO THE RAMP FROM THE TOP OF MASADA! I was excited beyond measure, and went running to find the rest of the group. James was willing to climb down with me, and so...

photos: siege ramp and cistern path (view from Northern Palace) - deep canyons and Roman camp on western side of Masada - the 5 of us sitting on ammunition balls - me on my way to the ramp (behind me) - me on the ramp! the rocky side of it

photos: me on top of the ramp, with sign! - path to the lower cisterns - me in a cistern! - me on the other rocky side of the ramp

We did. We exited Masada through the western “Byzantine” gate and down a path I’d never used before. 10 minutes later, I was right next to it: the Roman siege ramp! I took photo after photo, and then farther down, James shot one after another of me, right on the ramp! I could hardly believe it, after 17 years of waiting, that I was finally touching this incredible historic place that was so crucial to the events of Masada. I couldn’t get enough of it, and I kept walking next to it, on it, taking pictures of it from every angle possible, fully absorbing the experience.

After awhile, we noticed a trail off to the north, and some large cave-like holes in the lower face of the mountain. These are the other huge cisterns that I’ve read about, which captured any run-off of water during the rainy season and stored it for later use. James and I headed off to see them--and found that we could actually descend some stairs into one of them, and stand on its deep floor! Another special thrill, plus unique views up the face of Masada to Herod’s palace, down into the deep canyons at the base of Masada, across to the outlines of the Roman camps and wall, and back to the ramp itself, which now towered above us from the cistern vantage point.

photos: 1. Masada and siege ramp from far away - 2. siege machine, from “Masada” miniseries - 3. north face of Masada (see palace again!), Dead Sea, mountains of Moab in the distance - 4. graves of rebels, interred in 1969 - 5. Masada synagogue

James returned to the top of Masada, but I knew I had to see the rest of the things that are on this western side of the mountain. I ran down the steps that continued from the end of the ramp, across to where a siege machine stands. According to Gabi, it is a left-over prop from the miniseries, “Masada,” which was filmed over 20 years ago. It was fun to see this up close. On the way back to the ramp and the path up the mountain, I noticed another stairway going up to a small mound next to the ramp. I followed it, and came upon a grave and marker, stating that here the remains of the last Jewish defenders of Masada were put to rest for the final time in 1969. A very fitting conclusion to my special day of new experiences and sights at my most favorite location in all of Israel: Masada!

I literally ran up the path and steps to the top of the fortress and found James and Michelle and the Bennetts resting in the shade of an awning. I still hadn’t gotten pictures of the synagogue, so James and I walked over to it and spent some time there. Then I was ready to leave. It was after 1:00 p.m. and we had started up the Snake Path at 9:00 a.m. We decided wwe would all ride the tram down Masada, and back at the visitor center we shopped for some things to remember our day here. I was delighted to find a book by the chief archeologist, Yigael Yadin, who led the expedition to excavate Masada, filled with the details of the project and original pictures of the two year effort.

photos: En Gedi falls - me beside one of the falls - ibex family - cross in the Judean desert above Jericho - St. George’s Monastery

Michelle had packed a picnic lunch for us, so we decided to enjoy it up the road a ways at En Gedi. This is the place where a small stream runs out of the desert, over a series of waterfalls, and where David hid from Saul (see I Samuel 24). We were very hungry after our long day at Masada and the fresh Israeli food tasted especially delicious. Feeling better, and ready for more walking, we entered the En Gedi Nature Reserve and headed for the falls. We saw numerous caves in the cliffs around us--also mentioned in the Bible and in history--as we walked along the rushing stream and first few sets of falls. Just before we got to the last one (“David’s Fall”) we hit a barracade in the path with a notice that a landslide blocked the rest of the trail and was off limits to hikers. This was very disappointing to us. However, we did stop at the other falls on our way back down the wadi--and were delighted to come across a herd of ibex, the mountain goats that thrive in this desert environment. Several tiny babies followed their parents, jumping from rock to rock, and it was amazing to see how sure-footed they are.

We left En Gedi and headed for home. It had gotten even clearer as the day went on, and I continued taking pictures of the Dead Sea and mountains of Moab because the colors were so strong and beautiful. As we passed Jericho, we talked about Israel’s security concerns and of last week’s events that closed down the “City of Palms” (Deut. 34:3). Suddenly, at the turn-off to the Wadi Kelt (the steep, narrow backroad to Jericho), James pulled off and down this winding road to show us where the hike would’ve started today, if it hadn’t been for the Palestinian unrest in Jericho. He took us to a parking area where we hiked a short distance and caught a stunning view of St. George’s Monastery, nestled into the deep gorge of the Wadi Kelt, where an aqueduct carries water to the Jordan Valley. I’ve seen this monastery before, but never quite so close, and it made me hope more than ever that the hike from here to Jericho will be able to happen soon.

After filling the van with gas, we drove straight home to Jerusalem. I was exhausted, but I also felt completely happy after the exciting adventures of our day. I had fulfilled two dreams (hiking the Snake Path and standing on the Roman ramp), seen a new part of En Gedi, and enjoyed four new friendships that are quickly becoming rich and meaningful to me.

I look forward to spending more time at Masada and En Gedi with those of you from Hilmar who are coming to the Holy Land in June. Maybe this account of my experiences will help to get you even more excited about the incredible adventures that await you here in Israel!

Until next time, Erev tov (good evening) from Jerusalem!

Dan

Photos: "Shaul Adler Street"--my street! (looks kinda scary, I know...) The entrance to BFP headquarters at the end of Shaul Adler (my apartment is in the building behind the trees). My apartment living room/kitchen and bedroom.

Photos: Larry and I finishing intstalling the shelf units in storage room. Purim celebrants on Ben Yehuda Street.

Photos: working in the Jewish apartments, installing handrails. Larry, James, and I at work. The daughter of one of the residents--a Christian Jew from Sri Lanka! Me drinking tea and eating cookies provided by one of the elderly. The old neighborhood where we worked; Larry and I in the foreground.

It’s Friday night, and shabbat has begun. Jerusalem is quiet, because all Jews (secular and religious alike) observe the sabbath, completely refraining from work, travel, and activity. People stay at home, relaxing with family and friends, enjoying food and rest, avoiding regular, everyday life and routine, only going out for worship. I’m spending the evening reflecting on the incredible sabbatical experience I’m having here in Israel. Let me share with you what my week has been like, and what has become my routine as I share in the ministry of Bridges For Peace.

We start each day together at the Distribution Center with devotions, led by different volunteers and staff members, at 8:30 a.m. This means I have to be up at 6:00 every morning so I can be ready to catch my ride to the Center at 7:15. It has been tough waking up this early every day--not at all what I’m used to in Hilmar! Fortunately it’s getting light by 5:30 so this helps me get up and into the shower! My home repair team supervisor, James (a South African), picks me up along with Larry and Mary Bennett (from Great Falls, Montana) so we don’t have to take the bus from where we live at BFP headquarters the 5 miles to the Center. James always has paper work to catch up on, or project details to organize, so that’s why we go so early. Larry and Mary and I get coffee going, set up chairs for devotions, chat with people as they arrive, go shopping for our groceries and supplies at a large supermarket behind the Center, and help get food ready for the day’s deliveries when extra assistance is needed.

It is wonderful to begin our day together as a staff worshiping the Lord, praying, and being challenged by the person offering devotions for the day. Everyone who works here is deeply committed to Christ, and to the ministry of BFP, and the strength of our community can be felt as we prepare to serve the Lord for the day by focusing on Him during this devotional time.

However, at 9:00 a.m., every day is different for those of us on the home repair team! And I love it, being out at different locations, doing different projects, learning new skills, and enjoying the comradery of my team friends.

Monday: Larry and I finished installing a laarge shelving unit in the storage room, then cleaned up everything we’d worked on in the new kitchen so it would leave a good impression when the BFP international board (who met here all week) toured headquarters. I also helped Bob (our electrician, from South Africa) repair a washing machine for an Ethiopian priest who lives by the Bridges office.

Tuesday: I painted windows in the teaching room to match the ones I painted with Dave (from Florida) during my first week of home repair work. At lunch time, I went for my first run in Jerusalem with Barry (a Messianic Jew from Brooklyn who moved to Israel some years ago) and I had a marvelous time jogging along the Old City wall and through different neighborhoods--as Barry boldly prayed out loud as we passed Jews, Palestinians, soldiers, police, and people dressed up in all kinds of crazy costumes for Purim (more on this holiday later).

Wednesday: Our entire team worked at headquarters, and I spent the morning painting the window frames in the teaching room so everything will match inside. I am getting real good at painting! I can now do a decent straight line with a good bead of paint on the edge of my brush, and no guide to help me. In the afternnoon, we drove to En Karem, the birthplace of John the Baptist on the edge of the city, where BFP has had their “Land of the Bible” education center. They have to close up this very impressive facility and dismantle all of the teaching aids (threshing floor, wine press, pulley system to hoist huge blocks of stone, bedouin tent, biblical dinner table, olive oil press, crucifixion “trees,” first century tomb, etc.). The plan is to scale it down and move it to headquarters, instead of paying extra rent at this location which is miles away from BFP. Our team looked over everything and made some preliminary plans on how to proceed with the job, which is certainly going to be a huge project.

Thursday: The day began with an hour-long “praise and worship” gathering and a meditation by the BFP board chairman. This brought the headquarters staff and Center workers together for morning devotions. It was the second time that we were together this week, and it gave me another opportunity to meet more of these gifted and committed people. Then James and Larry and I spent the day (finally!) in the homes of Jewish people, helping them with their needs. Larry had welded a bunch of handrails to install in the dingy stairways of some elderly Jews, so this is what we did all day. We drove to an older, dilapidated section of Jerusalem which has some of the original apartments that were quickly built in 1948 when Israel first became a nation and the new immigrants were young and excited about the future--but now these Israelis are old, living in poverty, and unable to maintain their poorly constructed dwellings. It was a privilege to serve them in this very simple way--basic handrails to help them walk up the stairs to their homes--and to see how grateful they were for even this little gesture of care and concern.

Fridays are only half days of work, because shabbat begins at sundown and the buses, which most BFP people take to work, stop running in the afternoon. I returned to painting today, cleaning and coating a large cupboard unit that needs to be mounted in the Center’s food bank. I was glad to be indoors working on this project because it turned cold again this morning! Fridays are also more casual and laid back at the Distribution Center. Fewer people are served (they are busy at home getting ready for shabbat) and often the week’s deliveries are completed. Volunteers and staff talk together, drink more tea and coffee, and do clean-up and organizing until we head for home to prepare for shabbat ourselves.

I headed to the “shuk” as soon as I got off the bus (a 10 minute walk from my apartment) to do my own shopping. It’s always kind of crazy here, but even moreso on Friday afternoon! People are rushing and scrambling to get everything they need for shabbat and vendors are shouting and pushing their fresh goods and merchandise to get rid of all they can before sundown. There is a lot of jostling, shoving, bumping, and human gridlock, as carts of supplies push people to the sides of the narrow streets, shoppers stop all of a sudden to buy something, children squeeze through people to find candy and toys, and all the loaded shopping carts, bags,sacks, and backpacks generally get in everyone’s way. It’s a blast! I’d love to take all of you to the shuk for the experience. I bought 5 fresh pitas, still hot from the oven (5 shekels), hummus and a red pepper/onion/cumin dip that is fantastic (10 shekels), over one pound of beautiful dried apricots (12 shekels), more fresh strawberries (12 shekels for more than one kilo--almost 3 pounds), and I splurged and bought three sweet phyllo dough pastries (chocolate, almond, cinnamon) for just 2 shekels. These are wonderful to indulge in with a good cup of coffee as shabbat begins.

Most days after work, I wash up, change clothes, and walk to Ben Yehuda Mall and Jaffa Street, just two blocks from where I live, to get some exercise, watch people, shop, and stop for a mocha or latte at “Cafe Hillel,” a Starbuck’s-like coffeehouse that is comfortable and filled with young people speaking all kinds of languages. I take something to read, postcards to write, or just sit and enjoy the milieu of the cafe. This is a wonderful way to relax, unwind from the day, experience a unique part of Jerusalem life, and get ready for my evening, which I usually spend alone at home. I usually have prayer time when I get back to my apartment, make dinner, then write in my journal, my blog, work with my digital pictures, read, do emails--and before I know it, it’s time for bed!

During the week, it is rather nice to have quiet nights by myself because I spend every day at lunch socializing with other BFP people. This is always a fun time of conversation, learning about people’s lives and weekend adventures, sharing food, and hearing news. It is especially nice to eat lunch in the headquarters kitchen with the staff because otherwise I don’t get much of a chance to be with them. Because we come from all over the world--South Africa, England, New Guinea, Japan, Korea, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Canada, and the USA--it is very interesting to share together about where we come from and our experiences of life.

On Tuesday night though, we had a huge potluck/celebration evening together to honor and say farewell to Carol Carlson, the receptionist secretary who has been with Bridges For Peace for 18 years. The Israeli government won’t renew her visa anymore and so she has to leave the organization and return to Minnesota. It was very touching to hear the stories and warm testimonies from various BFP staff and volunteers about Carol. She has mentored many of the women, handled every kind of emergency and difficulty imaginable (including two volunteers who died while they were serving here--Carol had to buy their coffins and store them in the office until they could be buried!), and made Jerusalem “home” in every way. I met many family members of BFP workers at this event, and I ate a great variety of dishes, because of the fantastic potluck meal (I brought “Ginger Carrot Soup,” and it was a huge hit).

Then again at lunch on Wednesday, we said goodbye to Dave (home repair guy from Florida) who finished up his year of volunteer service this week. Staff and volunteers came together again for this occasion and honored Dave for all that he did this year, primarily carpentry work, which is his specialty skill. I’m a little nervous about our team, with Robbie (from New Zealand) away now for six weeks of vacation and Dave (from Florida) gone for good! Home repair is down to James, Larry, Bob--and me! Not a whole lot to draw on...

Let me close this blog post by telling you more about Purim, which was celebrated on Tuesday of this week. This Jewish holiday recalls the story of Esther, and the triumph of the Jews over evil Haman, who tried to have them wiped off the face of the earth when Xerxes, the Persian king, ruled most of the world. Traditionally, people dress up like characters from the biblical story, reenact it, eat special foods (like “Haman’s Ears”), and give gifts to one another. However, with the secularization of Israeli society, this holiday has become one big excuse to party. Purim is like a combination Halloween/4th of July celebration, with people dressed up in all kinds of costumes (including the devil, witches, movie stars, etc.), eating and drinking to excess, driving around with loudspeakers blaring and horns blowing, and worst of all, fireworks going off continuously, day and night, for over 24 hours. Not a single minute went by all of Tuesday night without a “BANG” somewhere in the neighborhood, along with lots of loud music and car noises. I hardly slept, so I was quite exhausted when I got up for work on Wednesday morning! I hope that Passover next month hasn’t been compromised like Purim!

There you have it, in more than a nutshell, perhaps: my life and routine with BFP here in Jerusalem. It is a wondeful experience, doing practical, helpful work each day and not even thinking about what has to happen in the future--so different from my music and worship ministry, where I’m always planning and working toward things in the future and constantly handling details of every kind. Thanks again to all of you who contributed to my sabbatical fund, making this time possible for me. It is already refreshing, renewing, and re-energizing me!

Stay tuned for my next blog: my trip to MASADA!

Shabbat shalom, from Jerusalem.