The ancient Beit Alpha Synagogue and its puzzling mosaic floor
The ancient Beit Alpha synagogue in the Beit She’an Valley is of interest because of its mosaic floor, even though its imagery is not what Jews are used to seeing nowadays in a house of worship. The 12-minute movie will help you orientate yourself to the Byzantine period when this synagogue was constructed.
The finding of coins in the ruins from the time of the Roman emperor Justinian permitted the dating of this synagogue to the 6th century C.E. Finding coins in the foundations of synagogues is not unusual and is discussed in the essay “How do archeologists figure out when an ancient synagogue was built?” At the time this synagogue was constructed this country was a Christian country. Beit She’an was a mixed Jewish and non-Jewish administrative and commercial center, although there were probably totally Jewish villages around the city.
Directions: Enter “Beit Alfa” and click on “Beit Alfa Synagogue, Heftziba, Israel.”
Entrance: This is a site of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. It is open in the summer 8.00 am to 5.00 pm Sunday to Thursday and Saturday, and 8.00 am to 4.00 pm on Friday and holiday eves. It closes one hour earlier in the winter and is open on holiday eves from 8.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. There are non-shaded picnic tables in the grounds. A movie about the planning of the synagogue and its recent discovery is shown in the synagogue and can be viewed in English. Their telephone number is 04 653-2004. This is their website
Public transport: Enter "Beit Alfa Synagogue" into Waze. There is a frequent bus service from Afula and Beit She'an that stops close to the synagogue.
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