Jump to content

Gaza synagogue

Coordinates: 31°31′13.92″N 34°25′57.17″E / 31.5205333°N 34.4325472°E / 31.5205333; 34.4325472
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Ancient Synagogue of Gaza)

Gaza synagogue
Section of the synagogue's mosaic floor
Religion
AffiliationJudaism (former)
Ecclesiastical or organisational status
StatusRuins
Location
LocationRimal, Gaza City
CountryState of Palestine
Gaza synagogue is located in Gaza Strip
Gaza synagogue
Location of the ancient synagogue ruins in Gaza City
Geographic coordinates31°31′13.92″N 34°25′57.17″E / 31.5205333°N 34.4325472°E / 31.5205333; 34.4325472
Architecture
StyleByzantine architecture
Completed508 CE

The Gaza synagogue is a former ancient Jewish synagogue, that was built in 508 CE during the Byzantine period, Located in the ancient port city of Gaza, then known as "Maiumas", currently the Rimal district of Gaza City, in the State of Palestine, the archeological ruins of the former synagogue were discovered in 1965.[1]: 368 

History

[edit]

Ancient history

[edit]

Modern history

[edit]

In 1965, Egyptian archaeologists discovered the site and announced they had uncovered a church.[2] Later a mosaic of King David wearing a crown and playing a lyre, labelled in Hebrew, was found. The mosaic was dated to 508-09 CE and measured 3 meters (9.8 ft) high by 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) wide.[1]: 73 [3] It was originally described as depicting a female saint playing the harp.[4] The Egyptian archaeologists stated that the mosaic was in fact an Orpheus mosaic, Orpheus being a figure from Greek mythology who was commonly associated with Jesus or David and used in Byzantine art.[5] Shortly after the mosaic's discovery, the main figure's face was gouged out. When Israel captured the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Six-Day War, the mosaic was transferred to the Israel Museum for restoration.[5][6]

The mosaic floor of the synagogue is on show at the Museum of the Good Samaritan, located on the Jerusalem-Jericho Road near the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim in the West Bank.[7]

Since c. 2005, the Gaza synagogue was closed and Jews were not allowed to worship at the holy site. During the Israeli invasion of Gaza as part of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the Gaza synagogue was briefly used as a place of worship by soldiers of the IDF to pray amidst their invasion into Gaza,[8] prior to the establishment of the Abraham Temple in November 2023.[9]

Description

[edit]

Mosaic floor

[edit]

The best known panel of the mosaic floor shows King David, who is named in a Hebrew inscription reading "David" (דויד), while sitting and playing a lyre with a number of wild animals listening tamely in front of him.[10] The iconography is a clear example of David being depicted in the posture of the legendary Greek musician Orpheus.[10]

The central inscription of the mosaic says: "We, Menachem and Yeshua, sons of the late Yishay, wood merchants, as a sign of admiration for the most holy site, donated this mosaic in the month of Luos, year 569" (corresponding to approximately July-August of the year 508; the census of the Jews of Gaza began with the expulsion of Gavinius, during the reign of Pompey, in 61 BCE)[11].

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Urman, Dan; McCracken Flesher, Paul Virgil (January 1998). Ancient synagogues. BRILL. ISBN 90-04-11254-5 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Green, Connie Kestenbaum (March 1994). "King David's Head from Gaza Synagogue Restored". Biblical Archaeology Review Magazine. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013.
  3. ^ Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1979). International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Vol. E–J. Wm. B. Eerdmans. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-8028-3782-0 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "King David's Head from Gaza Synagogue Restored". Biblical Archaeology.
  5. ^ a b "No title". Israel Museum.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "The Arab Campaign to Destroy Israel". American Jewish Committee. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.
  7. ^ "Mosaic museum opens in the West Bank". Mosaic Matters.
  8. ^ Klein, Zvika (November 8, 2023). "IDF soldiers pray in ancient Gaza synagogue for first time in decades". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "Abraham Temple: Gaza Strip's newest Synagogue". i24 News. November 29, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Russell, James R. (2017). "The Lyre of King David and the Greeks (note 18)" (PDF). Judaica Petropolitana No. 8: 12–33. ISSN 2307-9053. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 15, 2019 – via Philosophy.spbu.ru.
  11. ^ Illan, Tzvi (July 10, 1967). "⁨נתגלה בית־הכנסת בעזה־ימית ⁩ — ⁨⁨למרחב⁩ 10 יולי 1967⁩ — הספרייה הלאומית של ישראל │ עיתונים". www.nli.org.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved November 22, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Further reading

[edit]
  • Ovadiah, A. (1968). "The Synagogue at Gaza". Qadmoniyot. 1 (4): 124–127, pls. c, d.
  • Ovadiah, A. (1969). "Excavations in the Area of the Ancient Synagogue at Gaza (Preliminary Report)". Israel Exploration Journal. 19: 193–198.
  • Ovadiah, A. (1977). "Gaza Maiumas, 1976". Israel Exploration Journal. 27: 176–178.
  • Ovadiah, A. (1981). "The Synagogue at Gaza". In Levine, L. I. (ed.). Ancient Synagogues Revealed. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society. pp. 129–132.
[edit]

Media related to Gaza synagogue at Wikimedia Commons

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gaza_synagogue&oldid=1259547373"