EL AL | Atmosphere

Photo: Yaakov Shkolnik

Photo: Yaakov Shkolnik Photo: Yaakov Shkolnik

Masada National Park

Tzipori National Park

Korazim National Park

Maon – Kibbutz Nirim

Masada National Park | Palaces and a bath house Herod the Great built a large fortress with two palaces on top of an isolated rock plateau as a refuge for himself in the event of a revolt. When the Great Revolt did come (66-73 AD), Jewish rebels took over the fortress, and a brutal 3-month- long Roman siege began. The Jews turned a stable into a synagogue and built statues out of construction waste. Over the course of extensive archeological excavations in Masada, sections of the Bible in Hebrew were unearthed, as well as numerous artifacts, a bath house, a vast water cistern, and more. A truly fascinating site to explore. parks.co.il ■

in the Book of Matthew, it is also an important place of pilgrimage for Christians. The Korazim synagogue was built in the final years of the 4 th century AD. It is a richly adorned basalt stone edifice with hewn decorations depicting botanical motifs, animals, and grape-stomping silhouettes. Its impressive basalt stone chair, with an Aramaic inscription, was undoubtedly intended to seat the village dignitaries. parks.org.il

and Nirim in the Negev. During the Byzantine and Roman eras, Maon was close to the southern border of the empire, known in Latin as the “limes Palestina”. In Byzantine times, most of the village’s inhabitants were Christian, but in recent years, the mosaic floor of a synagogue was discovered by chance by roadworkers, attesting to the existence of a prosperous ancient Jewish community. The Israel Antiquities Authority undertook the restoration of the mosaic and in 2009, it was placed back in its original spot. It includes 55 vignettes, each depicting a different scene: vine workers, animals, wine amphoras, and Jewish motifs such as menorahs as well.

Maon – Kibbutz Nirim | A magnificent mosaic floor

This ancient synagogue is situated at the Maon-Kissifum intersection, next to the Kibbutzim of Nir Oz

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ATMOSPHERE SEPTEMBER 2022