Given the historical associations of the project's name ("see Masada"), the Hebrew titles of the compositions, the melodic themes and musical structures reminiscent of klezmer music, and the Jewish imagery on the covers of the associated albums, Zorn was clearly exploring his Jewish roots with the Masada songbook and groups. He stated: "The idea with Masada is to produce a sort of radical Jewish music, a new Jewish music which is not the traditional one in a different arrangement, but music for the Jews of today. The idea is to put Ornette Coleman and the Jewish scales together."