Busy Day

Ok, so here's how it all started. We began with 545am wake up call. Ouch. A quick breakfast on delicious Israeli breakfast goodies and then on the buses by 645. An hour later, we arrived at Ein Gedi Nature Preserve.





We hiked past the ibex who was hanging in the parking lot as if he were the unofficial greeter.





From there it was on to the waterfall.



Because the weather was so outrageously warm and wonderful, we had a good time splashing around and basking in sunshine. After an hour or so, we marched back to the buses and moved on to Masada.
Masada is a very personal and complex place. The story of the mass suicide, the message of Masada, to live free or die, and how the mythic story has inspired Israelis and Jews from all over. But we weren't looking to debate that mythic icon. We were looking to take in an ancient site and then take our place in it, and not get absorbed by it.
We did that by setting up an opportunity. All 83 of us gathered on a small platform and then split up according to when we became bnai mitzvah. It was glorious to see so many TBA kids, age 20 and younger, not to mention a few adults, stretching across the stage. In the next line were folks who had had their bnai mitzvah. And between them we passed a Torah. Every person held it briefly, and then on to the next. Finally the youngest kids got up, 6-12 yr olds. They each put a hand on the Torah and were told that one day soon, when they stood on the bimah for their big day, they might remember this moment. Then our "bookends" arose: Joe from the class of '45, and Abby, '07. We invited any adults who had not yet celebrated a Bar Mitzvah to stand and pledge at some point to throw their hats in the ring.
It was a moving ceremony, a Beth Avodah moment on Masada that emphasized our communal and spiritual commitment to Israel and to each other.

After our time touring and life cycling on Masada, we traveled on to the Dead Sea. Lots of the group made their way into the salty stuff, smearing some mud on themselves -- and each other.

Our last call of the day was to a cute, cheesy place called eretz Beresheet. It was a journey back in time to Abraham's period. Camel rides and dinner included. Abraham appeared: wearing traditional robes and boots... It was all in good fun and the food was good, too.

Tomorrow is Shabbat. The rest will be good, but it will mark our first week is over... and that is sad.