Today was the second/last full day in the Negev. We woke up, once again, at 6:15 a.m. and we were given the option of either going to Masada or Ein Gedi. I chose to go to Masada. After arriving there, we hiked up the mountain and everyone was completely out of breath. Then, we gathered in the Bet Midrash and prayed as a kehila. During the Amida, there was a sudden feeling of spirituality and connection to God. Up until the silent Amida, there was a nearby tractor making distracting noise. Right when the Amida started, the noise stopped and there was utter silence. The only sound heard was the sound of pages turning. There was not even one person who rushed through the Tefilot. It was as if, all of the sudden, there was no longer a sense of tiredness and jet lag-- everyone wanted to relish the presence of God surrounding them. Midway through my personal Tefilah, I felt a gust of wind pass through the Bet Midrash and got the chills creep up my spine. I even observed my fellow classmate shed a tear. One of our chaperones commented that this was the most meaningful Tefilah she has ever experienced in all of her years working at schechter. The history of Masada affected all of us. It is important to know that in our past, there were Jews who fought for their freedom. After retreating from Masada we went to the Dead Sea and endured a fun, yet painful, trip. The salt water stung and made us aware of any tiny cuts on our bodies! However, despite this minor setback, everyone really enjoyed themselves and had an incredible journey at the Dead Sea. Overall, this day was very rewarding and spiritually fulfilling, and definitely a day I will always remember.
-Sarah
Today, I chose to go to Ein Gedi. At first, it was a very difficult hike with a lot of slipping and falling. We started off having a very spiritual Tefilah on sacred ground in the ancient synagogue. It was an amazing sight and I loved to learn about the history of King David, the water falls, and the water. It was the most unbelievable hike I had ever been on. I'm one of those people who is not a big fan of hikes but today I really enjoyed every part of Ein Gedi. After the hike, we moved our way to the Dead Sea. Although parts of it stung, I had a great time and also went in the hot springs which felt undescribable. The hot springs were so nice and stayed in there most of the time. In conclusion, I had an excellent time and got a lot out of this wonderful day.
- Robbie
No comments:
Post a Comment