Climbing Masada has a kind of glory about it
that makes it something one has to do,
a challenge one has to overcome.
My father tells us nostalgically
about the time he climbed Masada as a boy.
It is evidently something one doesn’t forget…
The way I see it, climbing Masada on foot, on the snake path, at dawn
includes a number of challenges which, if overcome successfully
will transform it into a very significant experience.
1. You know how it is,
when you really want to do something,
but then at the moment of truth, you feel discomfort, difficulty
and then you may persuade yourself that it really isn’t worth the effort?
That’s how it is climbing Masada-
The night before, you are excited,
sure that you will wake up rearing to go
but at 3 am you really don’t feel like getting up
and why would you? For a mountain…
2. You stand at the foot of the mountain,
surrounded by darkness,
and you look up and say to yourself:
“It’ll take me a year to climb up…
No way I am going to make it”…
And then you start to climb.
About a third of the way up you are really tired.
You look down and it feels as if you have made no progress.
The further up you get,
the higher and steeper and more threatening the mountain looks.
3. And you know what?
In many instances the clouds hide the sun
and you might not even see the sunrise…
How disappointing,
So why did we get up so early?
What did we make such an effort for?
But yes,
We overcame our will to stay in our warm and pleasant comfort zone
(the sleeping bag)
because we understood that anyone who stays in their comfort zone
never gets anywhere
and misses out on the experience.
We hiked slowly and surely towards the summit,
and now and then we looked back to see how far we had come
because the pace doesn’t matter.
What’s important is moving forward.
And even if you don’t see the sunrise – so what?
Once you get to the top
the feeling of achievement and satisfaction is so great
that the sun feels as if it is rising from inside you!
This achievement is etched in our cells as an empowering memory!
It is proof that when we want something
we absolutely can get it.
And the next time we encounter an obstacle on our way to our goal,
we will remember that feeling of satisfaction
and it will give us the strength to keep going.
I am inviting you to join us
on a journey that is made up of empowering challenges,
during which, amongst other things, we will climb the Masada at dawn.
The journey is designated for parents and children from 6th grade and up,
and it certainly is also appropriate for those
who have already passed their Mitzvah year.
It really is a once in a lifetime journey.
An empowering journey for parents, for children and the connection between them.