Greco-Roman Period The Amidah, the core of each prayer service, is said by the individual while standing silently. Also called the “Eighteen Benedictions,” it actually features nineteen essential themes (one was added later), each represented by a blessing beginning with the formula “Blessed art thou, O Lord.” The weekday Amidah includes petitions or requests that […]
Keren Hayesod, Jerusalem. No date, circa 1950s. A photographic essay of the immigration of Yemeni Jews into Israel. Click here for more on Jewish Refugees from Arab Lands To all those who participated in the redemption of the Jews of Yemen–to the people and the Government of the State of Israel to the organisers and […]
Issued at Tel Aviv on May 14, 1948 (5th of Iyar, 5708) ERETZ-ISRAEL [(Hebrew) – The Land of Israel] was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the […]
Gold Coin Hoard Gold Coin Hoard in situ A hoard of more than 250 gold coins was exposed on Dec. 21, 2008, in the excavations the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting in the Givati car park in the City of David, in the Walls Around Jerusalem National Park. According to Dr. Doron Ben-Ami and Yana […]
One of the Earliest References of the Word “Jew” (Citizen of Judea) “As for Hezekiah, the Jew, who had not submitted to my yoke, 46 of his strong, walled cities and the cities of their environs, which were numberless, I besieged, I captured, I plundered, as booty I counted them. Him, like a caged bird, […]
Celebrating the Exodus in the Land of the Exodus “festival of the unleavened bread” Date- 419 BCE Current Location- Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany (P. 13464) Language and Script- Aramaic; alphabetic Biblical Verses- Exod. 12-15–20; 23-15; Lev. 23-6–7; Num. 28-17–18; 2 Kings 25-26 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the very first […]
The King of Babylon Captures the Capital of Judah “He (Nebuchadnezzar) encamped against the city of Judah (Jerusalem) and on the second day of Adar, he seized the city and seized the king. He appointed a king of his own pleasure over it [the city]. He took . . . tribute and conveyed it to […]
The Destruction of Samaria “On the twenty-fifth day of the month of Tebet Shalmaneser (V) ascended the throne in Assyria <and Akkad>. He ravaged Samaria.” Date- 722 BCE Current Location- British Museum, London, England (BM 92502) Language and Script- Neo-Babylonian?; cuneiform General Information- Shalmaneser V succeeded Tiglath-Pileser III but ruled the Neo-Assyrian Empire for only […]
Assyrian king appoints Hoshea “Israel (lit- Omri-land Bit-Humria)… All its inhabitants (and) their possessions I led to Assyria. They overthrew their king Pekah (Pa-qa-ha) and I placed Hoshea (A-u-si) as king over them. I received from them 10 talents of gold, 1,000 (?) talents of silver as their [tri]bute and brought them to Assyria.” Date- […]
Israel submits to Assyria “The tribute of Jehu (Ia-ú-a), son of Omri (Hu-sum-ri); I received from him silver, gold, a golden saplu-bowl, a golden vase with pointed bottom, golden tumblers, golden buckets, tin, a staff for a king, (and) wooden puruhtu.” Date- 828 or 827 BCE Current Location- British Museum, London, England (BM 118885) Language […]