The Country’s Ultimate Sunrise

The Country’s Ultimate Sunrise

In ancient times several cultures worshipped the sun. Egypt is a renowned example in our region. Among the various forms of idolatry, worshipping the sun is perhaps the easiest to understand since the sun continues to influence us strongly, from framing our moods to growing our crops. Its impact is so encompassing that a common phrase promises that

“sunshine is good for all that ails you.”

Twice a day the sun is known for its particular impact on us: sunrise and sunset. These two unique moments in time have occurred ever since the sun’s appearance in the world. We as humans, and I’m certain I’ve seen it also in animals and plants, are filled with a sense of tranquility and affection whenever we watch a sunset, and infused by a surge of spiritual uplift when we watch a sunrise.

In Israel, sunrise at the Dead Sea is the most remarkable you’ll find throughout the country, and some even say worldwide. At the right angle, the sun peeks out from behind the Edom Mountains and looks as though it’s literally rising from within the Dead Sea’s turquoise water, spread like a regal cloak. The sun’s rays cascade gracefully around the water’s sparkling edges.

That the sight of a sunrise at the Dead Sea is considered majestic is supported by testimony over 2000 years old. We can only imagine how that daily event must have looked when the Dead Sea had a much higher waterline. But even now the sight of the sun rising over the Dead Sea, and all the more so from the heights of Masada, have become a national asset engraved deeply in the Israeli psyche. Visits to Masada coordinated with sunrise have long become an essential Israeli cultural experience. In fact, the IDF has also instilled the sense of majesty that a Masada sunrise offers by having its soldiers trek to the peak, reaching it in time to catch the sunrise. It is an event which symbolizes the belief and aspiration for continued, empowered independence.

Our current times are typified by a flood of new technologies, some of which have begun to serve in unexpected roles when it comes to nature. One example relates to the stunning lenses and technological capabilities that open new vistas previously inaccessible to us by allowing us to observe the tiniest objects or objects at increasingly greater distances and heights. One of the most amazing technologies captured images of the ultimate sunrise at the Dead Sea by sending a drone to photograph the sunrise from angles that humans had not yet seen. Drone photography allows us to find the optimal location for viewing the perfect, ultimate sunrise.

Seeking the perfect spot for viewing the sunrise brought us to Har HaKanaim (Zealots’ Mountain). Its exposed east-facing peak is free of any obstructions along the line of vision. The only thing between the peak and the sunrise is the Dead Sea down below. The resulting view is almost mystical, and the presence of Masada in the region merely makes the event more powerful and more spiritually uplifting as the sunrise seeps into our being.

For hunters of sunrise perfection, we recommend arriving at Masada from the direction of Arad. Some 10 kilometers out of Arad, signs will direct you to leave the road for the night parking area adjacent to the path leading to Har HaKannaim. We recommend doing what we did: spending the night in the parking lot, and as sunrise approaches, heading to the mountain top to watch the sunrise. The incline is a little steep and may be difficult if you have knee problems, but the experience is so totally worth the effort. Sunrise from above the Moab Mountains, offering a vista that cannot be seen from Masada, regally crowns the entire Dead Sea.

Interestingly, it’s difficult to see Masada from Har HaKannim. One theory suggests that because Masada is hidden from view, Bar Kochva’s soldiers were able to sneak into Masada on hidden paths through the Kannaim Valley without being noticed by the Romans during the revolt he led in 132 CE against the invading Roman Empire. And the rest is history.

We strongly recommend that you take plenty of water with you, especially in summer when even the nights are warm. Take a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and be sure to follow desert safety rules for your own wellbeing. When setting out at night to catch the sunrise, it may seem reasonably cool, but don’t take any risks. Remember: in the desert the sun rises extremely quickly and extremely hotly.