Dispatch from Jerusalem

Samaritan Synagogue Discovered

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A third Samaritan synagogue was discovered in Beit She’an, south of the Sea of Galilee. Built at the end of the fifth century AD, it was used until the Muslim conquest in 634. The floor of its rectangular hall (5 x 8 meters, 16 x 26 feet) is covered in a colorful mosaic, in the center of which is a Greek inscription that says, “This is the temple.”

Cameo Found

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Unearthed in the parking lot opposite the City of David, this 2,000-year-old cameo of two layers of semi-precious onyx stone bears the image of Cupid.

The Museum at the Heart of the Universe

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On July 26, Israel’s largest cultural institution, the Israel Museum, reopened after undergoing a three-year-long, $100-million renovation.

Chariot Linchpin Identified

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Sometimes it takes years to identify finds from an archaeological excavation. One such unidentified piece was found in 1997, when excavators unearthed what they believed to be Harosheth Hagoyim (in central Israel), the hometown of Sisera, the Canaanite commander of Judges 4 in the Bible. It was a small (2 cm. or 0.8 in. in diameter) round bronze “tablet” with a carved face of a woman wearing a cap and earrings shaped like chariot wheels.

Exquisite 2,200-year-old Gold Coin Found

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Excavations being carried out at Tel Kedesh, near the Lebanese border, have revealed an extremely rare 2,200-year old gold coin. Minted in Alexandria by Ptolemy V in 191 BC, it bears the name of the wife of Ptolemy II, Arsinoe Philadephus (II).

BFP in Action: God’s Economy

I have traveled extensively in Canada, the US and the UK in the past couple of months, sharing the message of God’s love for Israel with Christians and sharing the message of Christian support for Israel with the Jewish community…

Early Canaanite Village Exposed

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An intriguing find that is fascinating the archaeologists was exposed in archaeological excavations at Ramat Razim, southeast of Safed [overlooking the Sea of Galilee]. The excavations were carried out within the framework of the development of the region in which new neighborhoods, commercial areas, and a medical school are due to be built.

Soldier-free Checkpoint Control

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The Israel Defense Forces [IDF] has found a way to minimize friction between soldiers and the Palestinians. After years in which residents of the territories [e.g. the West Bank or Judea and Samaria] had to present entry permits and IDs on the way to work in Israel, the IDF has prepared a “soldier-free” entry procedure. Soldiers will soon be replaced by electronic terminals checking the Palestinians by handprints.

Israel to Face Russian Missiles

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Israeli defense officials have little doubt that their armed forces will come up against the sophisticated Russian missiles Moscow has agreed to sell to Syria. In September, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced that shipment of P-800 Yakhont supersonic cruise missiles pursuant to a deal signed in 2007 will go forward in defiance of American and Israeli requests to the contrary.

Abbas Willing to Renounce Future Claims

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Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas told an Israeli television station on October 17 that he is willing to renounce future claims on Israel after a Palestinian state has been established. The pronouncement relates significantly to Israeli concerns that the Palestinians want refugees who left what became Israel in 1948 to reclaim properties vacated at that time as part of a “right of return.” The Israelis argue that the proper address for such returnees is the new Palestinian state. The statement by Abbas is being seen by some as an indication that what has been a red-line issue in negotiations is “solvable.”