Tuesday, April 05, 2005

THE BYZANTINE-ERA SYNAGOGUE IN JERICHO is in the news:
Jericho synagogue may open for Pessah
By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH (Jerusalem Post)

Paving the way for the return of Jewish worshipers to the Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue in Jericho, the IDF and Civil Administration officials toured the site on Monday morning. Security officials warned, however, that until the PA security forces live up to their commitments and disarm terrorists and wanted fugitives in the city, worshipers will be barred from returning to the site.

[..]

The Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue was founded in the Byzantine period, and discovered in 1936 as part of excavations by D.C. Baramki of the Antiquities Authority under the British Mandate. The 10 x 13-meter mosaic floor was identified as a synagogue due to its image of the Ark of the Covenant, a menora, a shofar and lulav, and a Hebrew inscription reading "Shalom Al Yisrael" (Peace upon Israel), from which the synagogue derives its name.

It has been the subject of a lot of controversy and conflict in recent years.

No comments:

Post a Comment