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Masada |
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The Kibbutz Experience |
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Float in the Dead Sea – You
don’t need to check into a spa to take advantage of the big draw: just a
quick swim in the waters of the Dead Sea is said to be restorative for the
weary (tired parents?), and a source of great amusement for kids. |
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Tips for enjoying the
Dead Sea: |
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 Float
on your back
Don't put your
head in the water
Don't drink this
water, good for your skin, not your insides
Bring plenty
of fresh drinking water |
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Once you’ve been "cured" in the Sea, you’ll want to visit
the wonderful variety of sites in the region. Some have great religious
importance for Jews and Christians, and some are just plain fun: a water
park, a mini-race car track, a petting zoo, a ride on horseback or camel,
a boat cruise around the Sea. |
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Ein Bokek – If you’re staying at a hotel in the region,
it will probably be here, a small city on the shores of the Dead Sea. Ein
Bokek claims to be built on the spot where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood
– so tell the kids to watch their manners. Besides all the usual amenities
you'd expect in a tourist town, don't miss the Sulfur Springs which
have been famous forever – both Cleopatra and Aristotle made the trek to
soak in these hot springs. |
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Ein Feshcha Beach – There are plenty of beaches around
the Dead Sea, but don’t miss these five kilometers of lush nature reserve on the north shore. What makes it really special are the gushing sweet
waters that run into artificial pools big enough to swim in – a wonderful
contrast from the heavy salt water of the Sea. |
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Desert Tours – Take a camel ride and relax in Bedouin
tents! Can it get more Biblical than this? It may be a little scary
for small children to climb up onto those strange beasts – but if they’re
game, how can you miss? |
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Qumran National Park – In ancient times this was the
site of a Jewish monastic community of the Essenes, and modern excavations
have revealed the ruins of an Essene Monastery worth exploring. There
is a visitor center (with cafeteria!) in the park that can tell you all
about the Caves of the Dead Sea Scrolls. |
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Caves
of the Dead Sea Scrolls – While it’s unlikely you’ll stumble
across another pot filled with ancient writings, it was just a few decades
ago that the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in these caves. Actually, it wasn’t
one find, but several – some found by monks, others by Bedouins, and some
by archaeologists. Visit the Shrine of the Book in the Israel Museum in
Jerusalem to see the Dead Sea Scrolls displayed. |
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Tip: As with Masada, it’s not so much what you can
see here as what was once here that makes the place interesting. Visit the
Almog Kibbutz' Beit Hasofer Museum before coming to make this place really
come to life. Get one of the books for kids about the discovery, significance,
even the "look" of the Scrolls, made of animal skin "sheets" tied together
in rolls up to 25 feet long. The Scrolls dealt with poetry, warfare, architecture,
rituals – virtually every aspect of life. |
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Deir
Mar Jeris Monastery – Don’t pass up the chance to see this spectacular
monastery, built impossibly into the cliff face on three levels that seem
to hang in air. The highest level holds the Cave Church, the middle
contains the main buildings, and in the lowest level are the tombs
of monks going back centuries. About five kilometers from Jericho, make
sure you have your camera and really secure shoes. |
