During the time of the Great Rebellion, Jewish rebels occupied the Masada fortress. The Roman Legion launched a siege against them, and when they lost all hope of being victorious, the Jewish rebels chose mass suicide over ending their lives as slaves. The Zionist movement adopted the story of Masada as a symbol for the Jewish struggle for freedom even at the threat of death.
Today, this is one of the most popular tourist sites in Israel. About 750,000 people visit the site annually. The educators climbed the mountain to hear the site’s story, which was told while wandering around the archaeological remains, accompanied by actors dressed as historical figures.
A meeting with a traditional scribe in Masada’s ancient synagogue was especially moving. The visitors observed Rabbi
Shimshon Israeli at work, and he even dedicated a few words that he wrote in the Torah scroll to the group. He told them that writing a Torah scroll takes about nine months (“like the nine months of pregnancy”, said one of the educators). As to the Jewish people’s ability to endure, the Rabbi said: “Look where the people of Israel are today, and where are the Romans? In Wikipedia.”
“This is an
amazing conference that creates connections between people,” said
Reuven Haccoun from Switzerland. “We exchange opinions, ideas and telephone numbers, and in the future we will build partnerships from the friendships that were formed here.”
At noon, the educators heard a lecture on the subject of the Dead Sea from photojournalist
Noam Bedein, who heads the Dead Sea Revival Project, and viewed a photography exhibition that documented the decline in the Dead Sea’s state over the years. “As teachers, it’s important that you understand that the water is disappearing, and that the next generation will no longer be able to enjoy the Dead Sea,” Bedein said.
The Israeli teachers participated in educational activities that were led by KKL-JNF Youth and Education Division guides. The activities covered green ODT, Israeli inventions and other subjects.
The day ended with a gala evening at Kfar Hanokdim, a Bedouin-style guest center.
Haled greeted the guests and told them about Bedouin life in the past and present. In conclusion, he said with a smile: “Come visit me at my house in Rahat, I’ll receive you in finest Bedouin tradition, but don’t forget to bring a voucher.”
The event was in celebration of Israel’s 70th anniversary, KKL-JNF’s 117 years of activity and, of course, all the educators who help mold the face and character of the future generation of the Jewish people.
“Every time that we assemble such a wonderful group of educators is a real holiday for us,” said Fino Edri, KKL-JNF emissary to France. His colleague Haim Cohen added: “KKL-JNF is active in many diverse fields, from
afforestation to
water, but there’s one thing that the organization does best, and that is
education.”
The evening’s artistic program included musical performances from Shulamit Aharon and the Tenors, the international vocal artist Ilana Yahav, and the Jaman Drummers duet. The evening was emceed by Maya Yohana.
“This week has been a huge event for me,” said
Emmy Atlas from New Jersey, USA. “It was really fun, but first and foremost it was a journey of professional development. It was wonderful to meet teachers from different places and to discuss matters that concern us all.”