Masada is deemed with the highest historical and archeological importance. On a steep cliff in the Judean Desert, 450 meters above the Dead Sea, Herod the Great built a glorious palace and refuge for himself in case of revolt. The massive system of Roman fortifications surrounding the site is the most intact of all remnants of its kind.
Masada serves as a symbol of the love of freedom and the willingness to fight, even until death. The last fighters with their families, a group of 960, who refused to surrender to the overwhelming might of the Roman Empire remained under siege for three years in an awe-inspiring display of valor. These bold and daring Jews preferred death to surrender and pledged "to remain free men". The fall of Masada denoted the end of the Great Revolt against Rome. With the establishment of the State of Israel, Masada became a symbol of heroism and bravery on which the Zionist ethos and the identity of the new generation of Israeli youth were built. "Masada s
