Exploring Masada

I loved exploring Masada. As someone who has visited Masada before, I loved the unique perspective and depth we went into for our Masada trip. We learned things I had never known and visited parts of Masada I never knew existed. I learned that Masada used to be a winter palace for King Herod. We explored the Northern Palace and saw the three-tiered palace, which was one of the coolest things I have ever seen. We also had a few shortened Bnai Mitzvahs that were fun to be a part of, no matter how small they were, along with dancing to celebrate them.

We talked about the history of Masada and the sacrifice made by the people who lived there who made it such an influential site in Jewish history. We also explored the southern tip of Masada and screamed into the distance, to hear the voices of our ancestors echo back to us. This helped us understand how their choices impact us today, and how ours will impact future generations.

My favorite part was exploring with new friends, and on my way up the Snake Path chatting and connecting with one of my friends, as we took it slow due to the hike being so challenging. We loved talking and getting to know each other better, and doing it while we completed such a huge accomplishment. Even with it being such a difficult hike, I would do it a million times over as it was so rewarding and precious to talk with friends and build an even closer friendship.

About Me:

I'm Nolan, I'm a junior I'm from Boulder County, Colorado. I came to AMHSI because I wanted to connect more with my Judaism and Jewish identity. I got a taste of Israel this summer, but I wanted to really dive in on a deeper level.