As Israel started its new work week on Sunday July 2, Mother Nature added a wrinkle to all Maccabiah outdoor practices with stifling heatwave even by Israel standards. Hitting the lowest spot on Earth, the Dead Sea first cooled us down for the 110+ heat of Masada.
There has been much written about the shrinkage of the Dead Sea in recent years and with the high salt content nothing lives there. We were warned about 20 minute limits but nobody heeded the warnings. The water was refreshing and only about 26 c. I accidentally got a little salt in my mouth but it tasted no different than the ocean. I couldn't leave the water until we had to. I covered myself in mud because it looked so much like fun.
Of course all the people with Iphone 7's had to prove they were waterproof by taking selfies in the water. Next it was on to the historic plateau Masada, which has impressive military history attached to it. We were only to talk down the side of it after being air lifted to the top. I somehow lost contact with my group and got out of the lift to not know which way my group had gone. There were numerous places for a group to go. I texted one of the coaches and he told me the group was at the northern palace one of many areas. I eventually found them and took the long and tiring walk down the hill with the group. We each downed at least 1.2 liters of water.
Now it was on to the final stop of the day at a bedouin tent,which is more accurately a big commercial area of many tents with various types of food. This was always one of the more confusing stops on birthright. Our delegation is too large and the logistics too difficult to have us sleep in the tents as birthright does.
Before we enter, Rabbi Dan (pictured with me) grabs a bunch of us for a minion. It is not difficult to face Jerusalem.
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