Israel Active

A 1700-year-old mosaic floor was discovered in Lod. Archaeologists believe that the original owner was Jewish as the mosaic depicts only animals and nature. It is the third mosaic to be found on the site.  The video shows it being rolled up for transporting to a safer location for cleaning and preservation.

Khirbet Arza is a little-known archaeological gem on a scenic hilltop in Jerusalem’s Gilo neighborhood. When remains of a Second Temple era Jewish village were discovered, an archaeological green park replaced the planned apartments and shopping mall.

Former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera toured Israel with members of his church as part of a spiritual interfaith mission led by the New York Board of Rabbis. After visiting an IDF base, Rivera said, “For me, it was something special that I will take with me through my life.”

Excavations near Rehovot have revealed a pottery factory that manufactured large storage jars in the Roman and Byzantine periods - from the 3rd to the 7th centuries CE. The factory contained a room with game boards hewn out of the bedrock, and a complex of 20 hot and cold pools.

Pottery vessels dating back to the Hellenistic era, over 2000 years ago, were retrieved in a complex rock-climbing operation from a cave on a cliff along the Lebanon border. Large wine jugs, cooking pots and other crockery indicate that those who brought them planned to live there for a while.

The Dead Sea Scrolls are the oldest copy of the Jewish Bible. Sophisticated technology deciphered some of their contents. The scrolls are now accessible online, offering a window to the deep roots of the Jewish people in their ancient homeland, the Land of Israel.  

A bronze coin from 69 CE was uncovered recently during wet sifting by a volunteer at the City of David Sifting Project located near the Mount of Olives in Emek Tzurim, Jerusalem. The coin reads, ‘For the Redemption of Zion.’ The coin was minted just before the destruction of the 2nd Temple.

After the first official UK Royal visit to Israel last week, Israelis and tourists in Eilat were treated to the first-ever documented visit of a blue whale, the largest of all whale species and the largest mammal. The 20-meter whale swam just 300 meters from the beach, before continuing south.

The Israeli Knesset (Parliament) has approved an amendment to a Sabbath law that will allow Israeli employees to request not to work on Shabbat even if they are not religiously observant. The law recognizes that many secular Jews enjoy Shabbat traditions,

4th July is a double celebration for many Israelis. On American Independence Day 1976, the IDF mounted a daring operation to independently restore the independence of more than 100 Israeli and Jewish civilians held hostage by Arab and German terrorists at Entebbe airport in Uganda.