Jews revive ancient synagogue

The Australian ^ | May 25, 2004

[Alouette]

A GROUP of ultra-Orthodox Jews brought a Torah scroll to the mountain-top fortress of Masada today to rededicate one of the oldest synagogues in the world, which has been unused since the Romans destroyed it nearly 2000 years ago.

Almost 1000 religious Jews gathered at the foot of the fortress overnight before hiking up the steep path which leads to the top of the mountain that overlooks the Dead Sea.

The foreign-donated scroll was placed in a room of the partially renovated synagogue on the edge of the site which the Romans attacked from a sloping ramp in 73 AD

The Romans captured the fortress only after its 900 defenders committed mass suicide and Masada is now a major site of pilgrimage for Jews around the world.

The religious emergency volunteer organisation Zaka, which organised the event, explained an active synagogue on the site was needed for the thousands of Jewish visitors who until now needed to bring a scroll to pray.

In Jewish tradition, 10 people are needed as well as a Torah scroll to hold a collective prayer. Hundreds were gathered today at sunrise to inaugurate the synagogue by conducting morning prayers.

The site of Masada, one of the most visited in Israel, is at the heart of national mythology and has become a symbol of Jewish resistance to oppression.

[Alouette]

Mon May 24,11:36 AM ET
Ultra Orthodox Jews in prayer shawls pray as the sun rises behind the Jordan River, background, at Masada, Israel, a cliff overlooking the Jordan River where Jewish rebels defended a fortress from Roman soldiers in 73 A.D., early Monday May 24, 2004. Hundreds of Ultra Orthodox Zaka volunteers took part in an dedication ceremony of a Torah scroll in the ancient synagogue in Masada Monday. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

Mon May 24, 7:41 AM ET
Ultra Orthodox Jews in prayer shawls use a mobile phone and a camera to take pictures of the sunrise as it is seen from Masada, a cliff overlooking the Jordan River where Jewish rebels defended a fortress from Roman soldiers in 73 A.D., early Monday May 24, 2004. Hundreds of Ultra Orthodox Zaka volunteers took part in an dedication ceremony of a Torah scroll in the ancient synagogue in Masada. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

[Alouette]

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.

WARNING: This is a high volume ping list

[mvpel]

Tefillin and cellphone cameras - a delightful juxtaposition of the ancient and modern.

[Alouette]

IKEA parking lot ping

[Zionist Conspirator]

Barukh HaShem!

[Nachum]

A GROUP of ultra-Orthodox Jews

Of the super duper, neato keeno variety!

[Cinnamon Girl]

This is awesome. But who wrote this? 'Pilgrimage' to Masada? Part of our 'mythology'?

[Terabitten]

I'm a devout Protestant Christian and I get goosebumps seeing these brave men reestablishing a synagogue at Masada. HE will never leave the righteous forsaken, or HIS children begging for bread.

[RightWhale]

Ha! Who said all the Essenes were killed in the war?

[Ham Hock]

Anyone notice a geographical error?

Masada overlooks the Dead Sea, not the Jordan River.

[RightWhale]

That was an AP error. The article has it right.

[MarineDad]

I spotted that, too. I was there just two weeks ago. Saw a very *dead* sea, but no river.

[Ham Hock]

I noticed the article had it correct too.

I guess if we can have "new math" there is no reason we can't have "new geography."

[Ham Hock]

I noticed the article had it correct too.

I guess if we can have "new math" there is no reason we can't have "new geography."

[StoneColdGOP]

Bump.

[Straight Vermonter]

Probably because what most people "know" about Masada is mythology.

[hoosierham]

Somehow "ultra-orthodox" and cameraphones don't belong in the same sentence.

I can more easily understand the fight to the last breath at the Alamo than kill myself before the enemy can mentality.Didn't thousands of Nipponese leap to their deaths on an island rather than surrender in WW2 ?

I picture God shaking his head and saying"such devotion, but.."

[goldstategop]

Many ultra-orthodox Jews are at home with modern technology. They use cameras, have TV shows, radio broadcasts, use computers and drive cars and trucks. They even fly. The notion of observant Jews living like the Amish is an outdated notion.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[SJackson]

Cellphone cameras takingn pics of the Jordan River, love it. Only the "Ultra".

Tomorrow in Al Jezerra (sp) the tale of some Muslim dude (Minister Farrakhan?) who flew to outer space from Masada, it's really Islamic ground you know.