Located along the rift that extends from Mt. Hermon though two thirds of the continent ofAfrica, the Judean desert receives little direct rainfall and formed by earthquakes, floods, and the other elements of erosion. Throughout the turbulent history of the Land of Israel, whenever people fled civilization, the wilderness of the Judean desert became the ideal place to hide. It's no accident that many of the events recorded in the Bible take place in this relatively desolate, but uniquely beautiful region. Here David fled the wrath of Saul, Elijah the Prophet found refuge in its caves, and the Essenes escaped Hellenistic domination of Jerusalem. Here the Zealots made their final, desperate last stand against the might of Rome.

In later generations, after the growth of Christianity, hermits began to inhabit the caves of the Judean wilderness and build many monasteries there, clinging to stark desert cliffs.

The fresh water floods of the desert all flow into the Dead Sea, 400 meters below Sea Level (the lowest point on the earth’s surface). As evaporation is the only form of exit for the waters of the Dead Sea, a salt and mineral content of over 30% has accumulated there. Israel extracts these minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and bromides for export throughout the world. The waters of the Dead Sea are also utilized for medicinal purposes, and people from all over the world frequent the Dead Sea spas for treatment. Often they come simply to relax at the luxurious hotels on the shores of the Dead Sea.