Word: masada
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...skit, Labor chastised Likud for seeming to claim that nothing had been accomplished in Israel before Begin came to power in 1977. "Did you hear, the Likud built Masada?" a comedian asked in a reference to the fabled mountain fortress at which Jewish warriors held off the Romans in the 1st century A.D. The Likud gave as good as it got by poking fun at Peres' ambiguous views. Imitating the Labor leader's voice, the jester answered one question...
Israel's illegal pre-independence army, Yadin used his knowledge of biblical history and ancient fortifications to help construct modern battle plans. Two decades later, after gaining acclaim for obtaining the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient manuscripts, he led the excavations at the fortress of Masada, where he proved that nearly 1,000 Jewish defenders committed suicide in A.D. 73 rather than surrender to the Romans...
...parallels between the Zealots at Masada and the followers of Jim Jones in Guyana were rightly alluded to by Richard Corliss [April 6]. Either community could be considered martyrs or fanatics depending upon your point of view. Both groups tried to keep themselves pure and isolated from the dominant culture. Both committed suicide when that culture attempted to bind them to its laws...
...closing moments of the epic Masada were a startling reminder of the events in Guyana under the direction of another fanatic, James Jones. In both cases, the final action is an unacceptable alternative for either cause...
...Jews at Masada were not similar to the people at Guyana. Eleazar and his followers could see their enemy below. He made no pretense to be anything but a military leader. Eleazar was not followed as a Messiah; he did not prevent his people from leaving nor did he turn them into slaves...