Ancient Synagogues In Israel

Transcription

1 Ancient Synagogues In Israel

2 Contents The Baram Synagogue The Synagogue at Korazim The Arbel Synagogue The Hamat Tiberias Synagogue The Beit Alfa Synagogue The Caesarea Synagogue The Tzippori Synagogue The Ein Gedi Synagogue The Synagogue at Masada Photographs: Dr. Tsvika Tsuk, Itamar Greenberg, INPA archive disigen: GRIZIM STUDIO/5783

3 The Baram Synagogue The ancient synagogue of the village of Baram is a magnificent structure made of large and beautiful dressed stones. It is located near the Lebanese border between Kibbutz Sasa and Moshav Dovev, far from central Israel. The impressive structure attests to the existence of a prosperous Jewish community in the area in the fourth and fifth centuries CE. The building s façade, which is almost completely intact, is particularly impressive. It has three doorways, the middle one of which is particularly grand. The doorways, which face Jerusalem, are decorated with beautiful stone carvings. The ancient façade of the Baram synagogue is the best-preserved in Israel. The village had another, smaller synagogue, of which almost nothing remains except a lintel, which is on display in the Louvre in Paris. On it, the name of the artist who carved it is mentioned: [may there be] peace in this place and in all places of Israel. Yosse Halevi made this lintel. Blessing upon his work. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue arrangement of archaeological items scattered in the area, conservation and highlighting of an ancient inscription on the synagogue façade and renovation of a historic structure near the synagogue (the Arch House) as a hall for interpretation and explanation. Cost Estimate: NIS 1,000,000

4 The Synagogue at Korazim The synagogue of Korazim and the remains of the Jewish village excavated around it are a unique and fascinating complex that takes visitors back 1,500 years, illustrating elements of daily life of the Jews of the Galilee during the period of the Mishnah and the Talmud. The synagogue, located within Korazim National Park, was built at the end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century CE, and is one of the most beautiful ever found in Israel. It is constructed out of basalt blocks, the most common rock in the area, and is decorated with impressive carvings depicting plant and geometric motifs, as well as lions resembling people trampling grapes, and various other animals such as an eagle. The façade of the synagogue faces south, toward Jerusalem, like other synagogues of the mountainous Galilee type. A special find was a Moses Seat, a carved basalt seat intended for a community leader, on which a dedication inscription was carved in Aramaic. A miqveh has been reconstructed in the national park near the synagogue, as well as two grand buildings and an olive-oil press. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue General conservation of the ancient synagogue, arrangement of impressive archaeological items scattered at the site, new signage and interpretation of the synagogue. Cost Estimate: NIS 250,000

5 The Arbel Synagogue The Arbel Synagogue is located north of Moshav Arbel in the center of a large ruin called Horvat Arbel. During Second Temple times, Arbel was an important town, inhabited by sages as well as a priestly order. It appears that the structure had at least two phases, the first phase dates from the fourth century CE and the second from the sixth century CE. A feature of both was the special doorway, made entirely out of one block of limestone with doorposts were carved with a floral design, medallions and a threshold. The building had rows of benches along three of its walls, and columns around three sides in an inverted u-shape open to the south in the direction of prayer toward Jerusalem. In its second stage, an additional doorway was opened in the northern wall of the synagogue, and a niche for the Holy Ark was built in the southern wall. The synagogue has an impressive view of the cliffs of Mount Nitai and its caves, as well as a clear view on top of the mountains of the line of an impressive wall apparently a remnant of fortifications built by Josephus Flavius overlooking the caves around Lake Genesaret. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue Completion of the archaeological excavations of the area around the synagogue, conservation and reconstruction of the existing finds and those to be revealed in the future and landscape development around the synagogue. Cost Estimate: NIS 1,000,000

6 The Hamat Tiberias Synagogue The synagogue is located within Hamat Tiberias National Park. The economy of the small Jewish city of Hamat, south of Tiberias, was based mainly on its hot springs. Seventeen springs, emerging from dozens of meters below the earth s surface, have been famous for their healing powers since antiquity. The synagogue was first discovered in the 1920s. A seven-branch stone candelabrum found there is now on display at the Israel Museum. The synagogue changed form a number of times over the generations. The remains to be seen today at the site belong to the Severus Synagogue, built between 286 and 337 CE, during the period in which the Sanhedrin had its headquarters in Tiberias. It received its name from one of the Greek inscriptions found at the site. The highlight of the synagogue is its three-paneled mosaic floor, the earliest synagogue mosaic floor in the country. The central panel depicts a spectacular Wheel of the Zodiac, in the center of which is the figure of the sun-god Helios, driving his chariot across the sky. In each of the four corners of the central panels are figures of women symbolizing each of the four seasons. At a later stage, in the fifth or sixth century CE, a larger synagogue was constructed on top of it, whose ruins, which can be seen on the southern side, include a large, semicircular niche facing Jerusalem. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue Stage 1: Enclosure of the synagogue and creation of suitable conditions for interpretation, including indoor and outdoor lighting and conservation of the synagogue mosaic Estimated cost: NIS 2,500,000 Stage 2: Production of a film to be shown inside the enclosed synagogue, and creation of an audiovisual presentation on screens and on the mosaic Estimated cost: NIS 1,000,000 Depending on the extent of the film s production.

7 The Beit Alfa Synagogue The synagogue was founded in the fifth century CE. From an architectural point of view its components are identical to those of churches of the Byzantine period: a courtyard, narthex, rectangular hall, gallery on the second story and an additional room. The most beautiful element of the synagogue is the mosaic in the main hall, one of the most important ever unearthed in Israel. It is divided into three panels, depicting a Holy Ark, a Wheel of the Zodiac and the story of the offering of Isaac. The Wheel of the Zodiac features the names of the 12 signs of the Zodiac in Hebrew. The figures of four women in the corners represent the four seasons of the year. The second panel features a special scene, Abraham s offering of Isaac, an event of pivotal significance in Judaism. The mosaic shows two young men and a donkey, a ram caught in the bushes, and Abraham the Patriarch lifting young Isaac onto the altar. Above them, a hand can be seen with the words do not lay [a hand upon the boy] God s words to Abraham. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue Replacement of the roof protecting the mosaic, improvement of interpretation in the building and the courtyard and upgrading the current audio-visual presentation. Cost Estimate: NIS 500,000

8 The Caesarea Synagogue North of the Muslim-Crusader city of Caesarea, in the area of the Roman city and within Caesarea National Park, the remains of an important synagogue of ancient Caesarea were uncovered. The synagogue went through a number of phases: The most ancient structure was a small, square building dating from the time of Herod the Great. This may be the kenista d mardata ( the synagogue of the revolt»), mentioned in the Talmud. This may have been the synagogue, in which the conflict broke out between Jews and pagans in Caesarea, which eventually led to the outbreak of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans. In the third century CE, a new synagogue was built here, in whose ruins archaeologists found a hoard of 3,700 coins. It is believed that this synagogue was destroyed in the mid-fourth century. The last synagogue to be built here was in 459 CE. Mosaics were found in its main hall, along with marble columns and Corinthian capitals. Some of the capitals featured a carved seven-branch candelabrum. The findings indicate that the synagogue continued in existence until the eighth century. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue The plan includes basic treatment of the ancient synagogue, which is the only Jewish point in Caesarea. The first stage will be to complete archaeological excavation, conservation, reconstruction and interpretation, in order to open the site to public visits and gatherings, as well as landscape development around the synagogue. The second stage will involve the establishment of a museum highlighting Jewish aspects of ancient Caesarea. Cost Estimate First Stage - archeological excavations and primary restoration NIS 500,000. Second Stage - will be determined by the excavations results.

9 The Tzippori Synagogue Tzippori was the largest and most important city in the Galilee during the Roman and Byzantine periods. Many sages made their homes there, the most important of whom was Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi (Rabbi Judah the Prince), who lived in Tzippori for 17 years, during which time he redacted the Mishnah. The Synagogue was built in the fifth century CE or the beginning of the sixth. The bimah (platform) for the Holy Ark was located in the western wall of the building, not in the direction of Jerusalem as were the bimahs known from most other ancient synagogues. The mosaic floor of the synagogue features rare scenes of great significance for the understanding of Jewish art. The floor is divided into seven panels, from the entrance to the base of the bimah. Only small remnants of the first panel have survived, which have been identified with a high degree of certainty as depicting the visit of the three angels to Sarah the Matriarch. The second panel, which was divided into two parts, apparently shows the offering of Isaac. The next panel, was adored with a Wheel of the Zodiac. The fourth panel depicts elements from worship in the Temple, among them a basket of First Fruits. The next panel shows additional elements of Temple worship. The sixth strip shows two candelabra, shofars, the Four Species and tongs for trimming the wicks of lamps. In the center, the Holy Ark and an incense pan are featured. The seventh and last panel, at the foot of the bimah, depicts Conservation and development plan two lions standing for the synagogue on either side of Completion of the display and a wreath, each of interpretation is needed, as is improvement which has a paw in the building and the surrounding streets placed on the head in order to hold special events such as bar of a bull. mitzvahs and weddings. Cost Estimate: NIS 500,000

10 The Ein Gedi Synagogue At the beginning of the 1970s, a rather well-preserved synagogue was excavated in the area of the ancient village of Ein Gedi. This small building had a number of phases, the earliest of which, dating from the third century CE, included a mosaic floor with a black-and-white geometric pattern. In the second stage, at the end of that same century, the doorway, which had been in the northern wall, was blocked and replaced with a niche for the Holy Ark facing Jerusalem. The colorful and well-preserved mosaic from this stage features geometric patterns as well as figures of birds and candelabra. Four inscriptions were uncovered in narthex before the main hall. One is a list of the generations from Adam to Japheth. The second is a list of the signs of the Zodiac and the months of the year. The third is an inscription pledging people not to reveal the secret of their community and the last is a dedicatory inscription. Many finds were unearthed in the excavation, especially around the Holy Ark, among them a hoard of 5,000 coins, found near the Ark. A bronze goblet with a cover was also found, along with gold threads and gold leaf, which may have been part of the decoration of a cloth curtain over the wall niche. A small seven-branch candelabrum made of silver was also found, along with a bronze lamp. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue Renovation of the visitor s route through the ancient synagogue, completion of archaeological excavations of the village, the linking of the complexes for better understanding of the synagogue s context in the ancient Jewish village and conservation and reconstruction work. Cost Estimate: NIS 1,000,000

11 The Synagogue at Masada 9 The synagogue at Masada is one of the earliest synagogues ever discovered; it was in use while the Second Temple stood as well as for a short time after the Temple was destroyed. The structure had two phases: The first dates from the time of Herod the Great, during which the building had two rooms a small anteroom and a larger room. The roof of the room was supported by two columns. Remains of manure found on the floor show that the building served at that time as a stable for horses or mules of the royal caravans, or for donkeys that brought water from Masada s cisterns to the summit. During the second stage the building underwent extensive renovations. The wall that separated the two rooms was dismantled, and a small room was built in the northwestern corner. Under the floor in this small room two pits were discovered, in each of which fragments of scrolls were found. Benches were also built to serve the congregation. These finds led the excavators to conclude that the pits served as a geniza (a place to store worn Torah scrolls) and that the building was the synagogue of Masada during the time of the rebels. In the main room of the synagogue glass vessels were found, as well as two sherds with Hebrew inscriptions. Conservation and development plan for the synagogue Conservation of the ancient synagogue and improvement of infrastructure in order to hold traditional bar mitzvah ceremonies at Masada. Cost Estimate: NIS 250,000

12 Inscription of the Ancient Synagogues in the Galilee as World Heritage Sites The early synagogues in Galilee are included on Israel s Tentative List for inscription as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The cost of preparing a dossier for UNESCO and the process of its approval is approximately $100,000. A contribution for this purpose could result in increased international exposure and importance of the synagogues, and the strengthening of the bond between Jewish history and the land of Israel. Keren Hayael and the Hai Bar are voluntary associations founded to protect nature, landscape, and heritage in Israel Keren Hayael and the Hai Bar s assistance along with the dedication of its members, will help determine the INPA s successes in shaping the future face of Israel, with its valuable natural and heritage assets firmly protected for generations to come KEREN HA YAEL DEDICATED TO THE CONSERVATION OF WILDLIFE, NATURE, LANDSCAPE AND HERITAGE IN THE MEMORY OF GENERAL AVRAHAM YOFFE 3 w w w. p a r k s. c o. i l HAI BAR SOCIETY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BIBLICAL NATIONAL WILDLIFE RESERVES IN ISRAEl Am Ve Olamo Street Givat Shaul Jerusalem, Israel. tel , fax