Negev Desert

The Negev desert makes up over half of the land mass of Israel; it covers the southern region of the country. The Negev has been revered since ancient times; even mentioned by the great king David of ancient times. Although it is a desert, the beauty has been proclaimed and honored in the Psalms. The former glory of the Negev desert is once again beginning to shine as one of the top tourist destinations in the area. This historic and beautiful land is a wonderful place to visit for an enriching and unique experience.

There are many interesting things to see and do in the Negev desert. One of the most famous historical sites in the Negev desert is Masada. Masada tells a sad, yet heroic tale of the last stand of a people who would not be conquered. It is said that atop Masada a person can actually feel the melancholy of that fateful day so long ago.



While you are in the desert, you can stay the night in a real Bedouin tent, and even ride camels. You can experience how the Bedouins live today; and you will actually be experiencing the way that people have lived in the region for thousands of years. The Jewish patriarchs were all tent dwellers who wandered the desert, just as the Bedouins do today.

The famous Dead Sea is located in the Negev desert. The Dead Sea is a top tourist attraction. This sea has the highest salt content of any body of saltwater in the world. When a person wades or swims in the water of the sea, it is easy to float on top of the water due to the density of the salt. It is believed that the minerals contained in the waters of the Dead Sea have beneficial skin and health properties.

A popular attraction in the Negev is the Negev Museum of Art. This museum is a historic building that was once home to this is a wonderful place to enjoy some of the live performances that take place in the courtyard of the museum every summer.

With so many sites to see, and even guided tours; the Negev desert is the perfect place for a family vacation. If you have an upcoming Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah, it is the perfect place to celebrate it. What better way to give the young man or young woman the true experience of the Jewish homeland. The Negev holds many memories waiting to be made.