Refreshed by our Shabbat together and reminded of the wide-reaching and powerful impact of Ramah’s programs, we started our day of hiking at 5 a.m. to ensure that the heat of the day didn’t get the better of us! The bus descended from the top of Mitzpe Ramon to Ein Saharonim (the lowest point in the crater), and then we hiked from the inside of the machtesh (crater) to the outer sides along the Parsat Nekarot trail, marveling at the incredible, awe-inspiring mountainsides. Every few minutes, the formations of limestone and sandstone changed in both color and structure, and the shifting landscape mesmerized us.

We managed to experience the wonder of wildlife in the desert, spotting a family of ibex and a few magnificent birds as well as beetles and lizards. We learned about the billion-year history of how these craters have formed and were humbled by the sheer beauty that only the desert can evoke. Joe Freedman shared a poem about the desert that captured man’s humble relationship with God and nature. Mindful of the desert’s power and the sharav (heat wave) conditions, we completed our hike by eleven and picnicked on shakshuka in the shade at the Khan Be’erot camping site before boarding the bus for Kibbutz Ketura and more Lag B’Omer celebration.

Layla tov from Kibbutz Ketura,

Sheila Yossem