As soon as we knew it, we were at the top of the desert mountain, where every thing stood still. A breeze ran past our group as we looked over the edge and took in all the beauty. It was truly something.

Starting on a trek through a canyon in Israel's southern district, we hiked from the bottom of the formation to the very tippy top. We were met with ancient lava marking from millions of years ago coupled with small caverns - one of which a monk lived - as well as a small river, pond, and steep stone stairs.

We woke up in the still-dark desert, barely able to make out the shadow of the mountain above us. After a sleepy breakfast, we began to climb the winding Snake Path of Mount Masada. We reached the summit of Masada just in time to watch the sunrise over the Dead Sea, which was an absolutely unforgettable sight. 

So for now I will just lay here and enjoy all that I am sure of, proud of, and grateful for: that I am alive, that I am healthy,  that I am happy, and that I am blessed. 

Our Shabbat service this evening was very pretty. It was nice to sing prayers I hadn't sang in years and to find that I still remembered them. After the service and the lovely kibbutz dinner, we split into groups and learned about each other's backgrounds, then played a game based on remembering people's names that had me paralyzed with laughter. 

We ended the night by walking out in the desert and looking at the stars. Too often in our lives are we surrounded by buildings, lights, etc. that obstruct our view of the night sky. We all appreciated being in the desert for a night