February 2011: Israeli archaeologists presented a newly uncovered 1,500-year-old church in the Judean hills, including an unusually well-preserved mosaic floor with images of lions, foxes, fish and peacocks. Though an initial survey suggested the building was a synagogue, the excavation revealed stones carved with crosses, identifying it as a church. The building had been built atop another structure around 500 years older, dating to Roman times, when scholars believe the settlement was inhabited by Jews.

Hewn into the rock underneath that structure is a network of tunnels that archaeologists believe were used by Jewish rebels fighting Roman armies in the second century A.D. Stone steps lead down from the floor of church to a small burial cave, which scholars suggest might have been venerated as the burial place of the prophet Zecharia.

Archaeologists began digging at the site, known as Hirbet Madras, in December 2010. The Antiquities Authority discovered several months earlier that antiquities thieves had begun plundering the ruins, which sit on an uninhabited hill not far from an Israeli farming community.

The small basilica with an exquisitely decorated floor was active between the fifth and seventh centuries A.D., stated the dig’s leader, Amir Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority. He stated the floor was “one of the most beautiful mosaics to be uncovered in Israel in recent years.” “It is unique in its craftsmanship and level of preservation.”

The church located southwest of Jerusalem, excavated over the last two months, will be visible only for another week before archaeologists cover it again with soil for its own protection. Ganor said the church would remain covered until funding was obtained to open it as a tourist site.

Israel boasts an exceptionally high concentration of archaeological sites, including Crusader, Islamic, Byzantine, Roman, ancient Jewish and prehistoric ruins.

“Light and Shadows: The Story of Persia [Iran] and The Jews” appears at Beit Hatfutsot until April 30, 2011.

A new exhibition at Beit Hatfutsot in Tel Aviv, called “Light and Shadows: The Story of Iran and the Jews”. “Light and Shadows” is an unprecedented exhibition devoted to the history, culture and contemporary life of Iranian Jewry, and is the first ever to present a comprehensive, in-depth portrait of Iranian Jewry. The exhibition introduces visitors to the fascinating world of an ancient community and to its cultural, social, economic and political life. This intriguing story unfolds over more than three thousand years: it begins with the first Jews exiled from Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and ends in the present, with most members of this community scattered throughout the world.

New Exhibition – Iran and the Jews


The exhibition includes archeological artifacts that are being publicly displayed now for the first time, and which reveal fascinating details concerning the ancient life of the Iranian Jewish community. Also featured is a wide range of alluring and stunning cultural artifacts, including ancient manuscripts, talismans, carpets, and both secular and religious music. The exhibition also includes contemporary artworks by Iranian Jewish artists now living in Israel, Europe and the United States.

“Iran was, and continues to be, a mosaic of different ethnicities, religions, cultures and languages,” explained the organizers at Beit Hatfutsot. “The Jewish communities in the country were similarly distinguished by unique traits, and each has a somewhat different story. The life of Iranian Jews was marked by persecution, prohibitions and social marginalization. At the same time, the Jews also enjoyed periods of prosperity and integration into the complex and fascinating Persian sphere, and exerted a significant influence on local culture and society. This exhibition presents these two opposite poles in a clear and compelling manner.

“At a time when Iran is habitually mentioned in the context of warfare, it is especially interesting to examine other aspects of Iranian culture and society, which are based on the cultural connection between the Jewish and Israeli sphere and the Persian sphere.”

According to Prof. David Yeroushalmi, a member of the Center for Iranian Studies at Tel Aviv University and the exhibition’s historical advisor, some 20,000 Jews still live in Iran today. They are mostly centered in Tehran and in the two ancient communities of Isfahan and Shiraz, and maintain a strong connection with Judaism and with the Iranian Jewish community’s unique cultural legacy.Exhibition curator Hagai Segev notes that, “The portrayal of this unique community has been a fascinating challenge. The community’s history is told through an assemblage of authentic objects and images that attest to the rich life of the Iranian Jewish community: a life marked by moments of great cultural achievement followed by periods of great difficulty, persecution, and oppression.”