Synogogue—In Ramallah?

March 1, 2006

In mid-January, Israeli police found a mosaic floor in an Arab car in east Jerusalem. Because the suspected thieves are from Shuafat, a north-Jerusalem neighborhood bordering Ramallah (the Palestinian Authority’s de facto capital), it is believed to have come from that area.

After Israeli archaeologists were alerted that the piece had been stolen, Israeli police conducted searches to find it. At first it was believed to have come from a well-known synagogue in Jericho, but upon investigation, it was found that its mosaic floor was intact. It was then surmised as coming from a synagogue previously unknown to archaeologists.

If it is authentic, the AD seventh-century mosaic is very significant, as there are few finds from that era when Muslims ruled the Land. Amir Ganor, an archaeologist who serves as an Israel Antiquities Authority investigator, stated, “We know of only one synagogue from this period.”

The piece measures about 60 centimeters by one meter (2 feet by 3 feet) and features Jewish symbols, such as the base of a menorah (a seven-branched candelabrum), a palm branch, and dates. The most interesting feature is an inscription, “Shalom (peace) on Israel,” words also found on the mosaic floor of the Jericho synagogue.

The suspected thieves have not divulged the location, and Israeli authorities are not allowed to enter the Palestinian-controlled Ramallah area just north of Jerusalem to investigate.

For Bible believers, finding a Jewish synagogue in this area is not surprising, as this Arab area once was the site of the biblical Israelite town of Ramah, home to the Prophet Samuel and capital of Israel during his time as ruling judge. Such finds provide further evidence of Israel’s historical right to the Land of Israel, which Palestinians reject.

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