ancient synagogues

ancient synagogues Latest

Digital reconstruction of the Ein Gedi synagogue. Image courtesy Roy Albag

Mar 4 Blog

Experiencing Ancient Synagogues

What were early synagogues like? Traditional scholarship has answered this simple question with studies of the built structures, analyzing their architecture and examining evidence of […]

Sep 11 Blog

The Binding or Sacrifice of Isaac

By: Robin M. Jensen

The story of the offering of Isaac is one of the most powerful narratives in the Hebrew Bible. But each tradition has understood and used the story differently and for varying purposes.

The Magdala Stone. Photo: Yael Yulowich, Israel Antiquities Authority

Aug 17 Blog

The Magdala Stone: The Jerusalem Temple Embodied

By: Jennifer Ristine

For a people living in the diaspora, unable to visit the Jerusalem Temple frequently, what kept the memory and centrality of the Temple fresh in their minds? An intriguing stone uncovered at the Galilean site of Magdala might offer a clue.

Jul 27 Blog

Speaking in Tongues in the Bible

By: Megan Sauter

Ben Witherington III addresses what happened at Pentecost in his Biblical Views column “Speaking in the Tongues of Men or Angels?”

Jul 1 Blog

Jewish Worship, Pagan Symbols

By: Walter Zanger

What are zodiac mosaics doing in ancient synagogues in Israel?

Mar 23 Blog

Where Did Jesus Turn Water into Wine?

By: Robin Ngo

Where did Jesus turn water into wine? According to archaeologist Tom McCollough, one site offers the most compelling evidence that Cana of Galilee has been found.

Book cover for Ancient Synagogues Revealed 1981-2022

Mar 21 Blog

Review: Ancient Synagogues Revealed 1981–2022

By: James Riley Strange

Ancient Synagogues Revealed 1981–2022 Edited by Lee I. Levine, Zeev Weiss, and Uzi Leibner (Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, The Institute of Archaeology – The Hebrew […]

Dec 3 Blog

Ancient Synagogues in Israel and the Diaspora

By: Megan Sauter

Were there synagogues before the Romans destroyed the Temple, or did they develop only afterward? Communal structures from the Second Temple period have been discovered, but should they be considered synagogues even though they don’t share the major architectural feature common to post-destruction synagogues?

Jul 18 Blog

First Person: The Sun God in the Synagogue

By: Hershel Shanks

The 92nd Street Y in New York City called me a few months ago, asking me to speak. We discussed possible topics, and I finally chose “What’s a Greek God Doing in an Ancient Synagogue?” They also agreed to my asking two real experts to join me on the platform: Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Steve Fine of Yeshiva University. We had a good time—and so did the enthusiastic audience—but we didn’t solve the problem, at least to my mind.

Sep 28 Blog

The Patriarch Abraham and Family

By: Biblical Archaeology Society Staff

In a special collection of Bible Review articles, Biblical scholars provide different avenues to understanding the Genesis account of the patriarch Abraham.

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