Masada
Missing from the 1957 Tour – Masada
Notably missing from the sites visited during the 1957 trip to the Dead Sea is “Masada”, which today is one of the most iconic sites in Israel, and one of the favorite pilgrimage locations for Jewish youth groups.
Masada is an ancient fortress in southern Israel’s Judean Desert built around 30 B.C.E. It’s on a massive plateau overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great, King of Judea, originally built Masada as a castle complex. The large complex later served as the last Jewish stronghold in the Great Revolt against Rome. Even after the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE, the residents of Masada held out for another three years. When they saw that defeat was imminent, they committed mass suicide instead of surrendering.
While Masada is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel today, in 1957 Masada stood isolated with no paved roads. Access to sites like Masada was limited to jeeps and other off road vehicles. Certainly, there were no tour buses or commercial vehicles. After 1967, the road was paved making access to the area much easier from both northern and southern directions.
The Masada fortress has become an international tourist site.
Those who did visit Masada during these times were archaeologists who began light excavations. The only way up the mountain was via the “Snake Path”. In 1963, the excavations intensified, and in 1966, the site was declared a national park by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. A new cable car system scaling the mountain was built in 1977 and enabled many more people to visit Masada.
In 1957, the only way to ascend Masada was the long, steep and sometimes dangerous, “Snake Path”.
In 1977 a new cable car system made it much easier to ascend Masada.
After the 1967 Six-Day War, a road along the Dead Sea was paved making access to the area much easier. Once the roads were paved, the bus tours began. In time, large parking lots, public bathrooms and restaurants to accommodate the wave of visitors were established. By the 1970’s, luxurious hotels were built, along with a tourism complex that capitalized on the underlying attributes of the Dead Sea area.
Today, Masada is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Israel. Birthright groups as well as other youth groups regularly visit there. Many unaffiliated Jewish youth who never had a bar or bat mitzvah, enjoy the heartwarming experience of celebrating their bar or bat mitzvah in later years atop Masada.
Possible Changes and links
Add pictures of Birthright groups in Masada and Video