The Ancient Synagogue of Ein Gedi

Ein Gedi

This historical site is an ancient testimony to the rich culture of mankind. Surrounded by the wild desert of the Dead Sea shores, the synagogue can be spotted from the road under a large brown tent, set in the midst of a date palm plantation. The link between the two is not coincidental. In the Bible, one of the references to Ein Gedi was as “Chazazon-Tamar” (2 Chronicles 20:2). Tamar – means both ‘date’ and ‘date palm tree’. Not only does the tent protect the precious mosaic from the harsh radiation of the sun, but it also serves to protect the visitors from the heat.

For centuries the unique local vegetation supplied the raw materials for a rare and precious local industry. From the fibers of the Calotropis Procera (the apple of Sodom), the locals made tender threads from which they weaved luxurious fabrics, and made wicks for their candles. From the Persimmon they made the precious ‘Bossem’ that was worth its weight in gold.

The Synagogue

The synagogue was discovered in the mid-1960s by farmers from Kibbutz Ein Gedi while plowing the fields. The excavations took place at the beginning of the 1970s, and exposed a beautiful large mosaic floor, from the late Roman and Byzantine Eras.

The synagogue served the worshipers between the 3-6 centuries AD, during which several changes and improvements took place.

Respecting the Jewish tradition of refraining from figurative depiction, the decorations are based on geometric forms brilliantly weaved together to create a central 8-pointed star. The only living figures are geese and peacocks, inferior enough not to be associated with Roman gods.

The major element in similar contemporary synagogues is a central circular zodiac with the 12-star signs, each representing a Hebrew lunar month and a traditional personification of the four seasons, but with an image of the Greek god Helios seated in a chariot in the middle. In the Ein Gedi synagogue, however, we find a unique representation in a written list of the star signs, in a rectangular ‘carpet’ set on the floor of an aisle. This uncommon decoration reflects a different kind of community that adheres to tradition whilst the rest seem to give in to the ‘modern’ Roman aesthetics of the era.

The other ‘carpets’ are dedicated to other lists: The descendants from Adam to the children of Noah; a list of the horoscope signs and of the Hebrew months and the 3 forefathers of the nation, amongst dedication-scripts, honoring the donors, and the local rabbis. But the most exciting text is the ‘spell’ – a warning for all the members of the community – never to give away the secret of the town.

This ‘secret’, we must assume has to do with the industry of the precious Balsam resin, called “Afarsimon” in Hebrew, the same name (confusingly) given to today’s ‘Persimmon Tree’. The method and precise ingredients for the production of the Balsam remain a riddle to this day. In Roman times, this secret enabled the Jews here to survive, while the rest of the country was captive under the Roman legions during the Great Revolt.

The Date Palms

Next to the synagogue, there is an interesting hut – The Palm-House. This hut is made solely from the various parts of the Palm-Tree. Michal Raz, the daughter of Dr. Eli Raz, a leading expert on the Ein Gedi region, and the leading geologist investigating the phenomenon of the Dead Sea sinkholes, was fascinated by the majesty of the Palm Trees and had studied many ancient traditions concerning the numerous products from the tree. She became an expert in special weaving techniques used in baskets from the 1st century CE. In the hut, she presents the various uses of the tree that gave life, shelter, furniture, and food to the ancient inhabitants of Ein Gedi.

Ein Gedi Hotel

Ein Gedi Botanical Gardens

Ein Gedi Beach

Dead Sea

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The Ancient Synagogue of Ein Gedi, Israel

The Ancient Synagogue of Ein Gedi, Israel

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