A Second Temple-era synagogue uncovered in the lower Galilee

At the Tel Rechesh excavation site in the heart of the Nahal Tavor Nature Reserve in the lower Galilee, the remains of a synagogue that existed during the Second Temple period was unearthed. It is one of only eight synagogues discovered in Israel that date back to the Second Temple era, and the first to be discovered in the rural part of the Galilee.

The synagogue was found in a structure in a large farm built during the first century C.E. in a room measuring 26 feet by 29.5 feet. The walls of the room are lined with benches constructed from skillfully hewn limestone. Along the northern wall, archaeologists also discovered two large basalt stones.

The base of one of the pillars that supported the roof has also been uncovered.
During this period, Jews primarily attended a synagogue for prayer, Torah readings, and Torah study while a significant part of Jewish worship involved pilgrimages to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in the Temple.

The excavation at Tel Rechesh has been underway for 10 years under the direction of Dr. Yitzhak Paz of the Israel Antiquities Authority and two Japanese archaeologists.