Editor’s note: I’ve been lucky enough to spend a decent amount of time in Israel, and to have visited the Dead Sea on three different occasions. It is truly a remarkable place. In this piece, Sam does an incredible job narrating why this entire region is so special. For more of his writing, click here to visit his index page.

My second home is Israel; it is a place where I have lived and where, as a Jew, my heart always lies. Though the country is slightly smaller than New Jersey, there is so much to see and do there, that it can be hard to choose what to do in a single trip. However, make sure that when you go to Israel, you visit Mount Masada and the Dead Sea.

The Arava, a desert region along Israel’s eastern border, is where you will find these destinations. It is hot year round, and in the summer, it is unbearably hot, so much so that when I was last at the Dead Sea in the middle of summer, my flip flop started to melt and if you stepped into small puddles of water or onto the sand with your bare feet, you could get serious burns. On many organized tours, the night prior to going to these spots, you will stay at Kfar HaNokdim. This encampment is a Bedouin tent hotel meant for tourists (though there are also private rooms that one can stay in if the communal tent experience is not for you). The Bedouins are a group of Arab Muslims who live throughout the Middle East and North Africa and are nomadic, even to this day. They are masters of hospitality, and at Kfar HaNokdim they will put that on full display with traditional Bedouin coffee, tea, meals, and music, as well as talks about their culture. A typical thing to do at Kfar HaNokdim also is to go on a camel ride; for me, I have done this enough that sitting on an uncomfortable camel is no longer appealing, but for first-timers, it is a thrill! At night, make sure to walk around and stare up at the countless stars overhead.

The next morning, you will get up super early if you want to hike Masada. Hiking the 1424-foot climb up the mountain is a grueling task that will need to begin before the sun rises; otherwise it will be too hot and dangerous, especially as there is no shade on the flattop mesa-style mountain. There are two pathways up the mountain: the Roman ramp and the snake path. To understand Masada, it is important to share the history of this remarkable place and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Masada was constructed in the 1st century BCE by Herod the Great as his winter palace. On top of the fortress, you can still go through his sauna, various rooms, the synagogue, and mikveh (ritual bath). You will see the remains of pigeon coops and a grain storage facility, and also a fascinating cistern where you can see a demonstration of how the Israelites collected rain water to be able to store a supply of water in this arid place. Black lines reveal a bit of history too, as construction underneath a black paint line shows what is original, while above the line was restored by archaeologists. And in the parts of the mountain that are not hit directly by the sun, you can still see the red paint and frescos from the original palace art from two millennia ago.

What makes Masada so important though is not that it was Herod’s palace, but what occurred there in the years of 72 and 73 CE. The Romans were conquering and destroying the Kingdom of Judea, and a group of 960 Jewish zealots took refuge on top of the mountain. While the legend is that the Romans laid a three year siege in which they were repelled, it was more likely a few weeks. From the top of Masada, you can still easily see the ruins of the Roman military positions where they set up siege weaponry. Each time the Romans tried to scale the mountain via the snake path, the Jews would hurl stones on them and force their retreat. Towards the end of the siege, the Romans built what is now known as the Roman ramp, using dirt, rocks, and garbage. They actually forced Jewish slaves who they had captured to build this ramp. As the ramp got closer to the top of the mountain, the Jews on top decided not to hurt their fellow Jews. The night before the Roman ramp was completed, the Jews on top died by mass suicide of all 960 men, women, and children. It was a controversial act, but seen as a heroic act of resistance, robbing the Romans of the satisfaction of killing the Jewish men, while enslaving the women and children.

Today, Masada is seen as one of the most important places in the Zionist narrative of reclaiming a land that belonged to the Jewish people and resisting efforts to destroy it. Commonly, b’nai mitzvah (plural of bar/bat mitzvah) will be held on top of the mountain, and there is also a sofer, a Jewish scribe, who sits in the synagogue writing Torah scrolls at the top of Masada. Regularly, when Israeli soldiers complete their training and are about to be initiated into the army, they will run up the mountain, and when they arrive at the summit, turn and face the Roman positions and scream at the top of their lungs, “Masada will not fall again!”; it is a solemn vow that reinforces the importance of their mission. At the top of Masada, you will be treated to beautiful views of the nearby mountains, some of which were where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and you will be able to see many caves that were once home to a Jewish group called the Essenes thousands of years ago. If you are on top of the mountain for sunrise, you will be rewarded watching the sun rise above the mountains of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Dead Sea. In case hiking up and down the mountain is not for you, there is also a gondola from the great visitor center that has a theater where you can watch a powerful film about the history of Masada.

Following your time at Masada, it is ideal to relax in the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth, at 1,410 feet BELOW sea level. If you take the bus from Jerusalem and you have a partially filled plastic water bottle, the bottle will start to crumble under the pressure. The Dead Sea, which is actually a lake, borders Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian West Bank. The Dead Sea is called such because it is so salty that no fish or animals live in it, as the salinity level is 34.2%, approximately ten times saltier than the ocean. Due to the saltiness of the Dead Sea, you will experience a marvel of the world, being able to float without effort. There are great pictures of a Japanese sumo wrestling team all floating in the water, and my grandmother, who could not swim, went and floated in the Dead Sea. Commonly, you will spot locals lying in the sea and reading their books and newspapers as they do not have to tread to stay above water. However, be careful as if you get the water in your eyes, it will temporarily blind you and hurt terribly, and if you shave the night before going to the Dead Sea, you will also be in a world of hurt. A traditional thing to do at the Dead Sea is to rub the dark blue-grey mud that is found at the sea all over your body, which does wonders for your skin. The minerals used for skincare that are harvested from the Dead Sea are sold throughout the entire world, but they are coming at a significant ecological price, as their harvesting is contributing to the rapid depletion of the sea. For locals and foreigners alike, this is a top destination as it truly is one of the natural wonders of the world.

In case you want something refreshing and to get rid of the saltiness of the Dead Sea, go to Ein Gedi, which is nearby. This park has beautiful hikes and freshwater waterfalls and pools where you can swim and cool off. In addition to its gorgeous scenery, there is another natural gift at this place, and that is that you are almost guaranteed to see the Nubian ibex. These gentle creatures are typically found in herds of 20-30, and the males have long, curved dark horns that stretch several feet. While they look like deer, they are actually a type of wild goat. Having them lounge around you at Ein Gedi makes the experience all the better.

While there is so much to see and do in Israel, a day trip to Masada and the Dead Sea is a must-do for any tourist, as you will see one of the most important places to the Jewish narrative, coupled with one of the most extraordinary natural wonders on our entire planet.

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