Ancient Synagogue Unearthed in Golan Heights Highlights Jewish Heritage

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — An archaeological excavation in Israel’s Golan Heights has revealed the remains of a 1,500-year-old synagogue, shedding new light on ancient Jewish life in the region during the Byzantine era.

The discovery, announced earlier this month, was made in the Yehudiya Nature Reserve beneath the ruins of an abandoned Syrian village. Researchers from the University of Haifa’s Zinman Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with Kinneret Academic College and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, uncovered the basilica-style structure during a targeted dig licensed by the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The synagogue, dating to the 5th or 6th century C.E., measures approximately 13 meters wide and at least 17 meters long. Key features include two rows of basalt columns, stone benches along the walls and a southern facade with three doorways oriented toward Jerusalem — a hallmark of ancient synagogues in the Land of Israel.Among the artifacts recovered are decorated lintels, column drums and fragments possibly from a Torah ark, many of which had been repurposed in later structures or buried under collapsed stone.

“Already at the start of the excavation, dozens of architectural fragments were uncovered and later, to our surprise, the southern wall of the structure was revealed with three openings facing Jerusalem,” said Dr. Mechael Osband, the excavation director from the University of Haifa and Kinneret Academic College.He noted that scattered basalt elements in the area had long hinted at the site’s significance, but the building itself eluded detection until now.

The find adds to the roughly 30 ancient synagogues documented in the Golan Heights, underscoring the area’s robust Jewish communities from the Roman period through the early Islamic era.”These synagogues were not only houses of prayer but also centers of study and literacy — where sages taught Torah and Jewish knowledge to the entire community,” Osband explained. The Golan, biblically known as part of Bashan, has yielded evidence of continuous Jewish presence for millennia, with this discovery highlighting resilience amid historical upheavals.

Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef, an archaeologist with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, called the synagogue “clear evidence of Jewish settlement in the Golan 1,500 years ago, when the community thrived. Excavations are set to resume next summer to explore more of the structure and its context.

In related coverage on today’s “Israel Update,” Newsmax Israel correspondent Jodie Cohen journeyed to the biblical city of Tiberias, perched on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Known in Jewish tradition as Tverya, the city served as a spiritual and scholarly hub during the Talmudic period, hosting luminaries like Rabbi Akiva and the compilers of the Jerusalem Talmud.

Cohen’s visit highlighted Tiberias’ enduring role as a center of Torah study and pilgrimage, with stops at ancient mikvehs, the tomb of Maimonides and scenic overlooks of the Kinneret. “Tiberias isn’t just history — it’s a living testament to Jewish continuity, where the past whispers through the waves of the Galilee,” Cohen reported, emphasizing the city’s blend of heritage and modern vibrancy amid ongoing regional challenges.