Today we will leave the magnificient city of Jerusalem and descend down to the Dead Sea and the wilderness of Judah. Our first stop will be Masada where we will ascend high upon the wilderness mountain by way of the cable car to the fortress built by King Herod. Here we will survey the ruins of the fortifications, waterworks, synagogue, temples and palaces. This is the place where a group of Jews committed suicide rather than surrender to the invading Romans. Following the road North along the western shore of the Dead Sea, we will stop at En Gedi where David hid from King Saul. Continuing north we will stop at Qumran and the possible settlement of the first centruy sect known as the Essenes who were the authors of the Dead Se Scrolls. From there we will go to Jericho, the city of the Palms, which is the oldest existing city on earth. Here we will see Tel Jericho and the Mount of Temptation where Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. On the way back to Jerusalem we will stop at the Wadi Qelt which is the Biblical Valley of the Shadow of Death spoken of by David in Psalm 23 and Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
