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FAREWELL  CELEBRATION  FOR  HOLY  LAND  NUNCIO  

JERUSALEM – Thursday, June 28 Archbishop Antonio Franco celebrated in the chapel of Notre Dame Center, the Holy Mass for the seventh anniversary of the pontificate of Benedict XVI. During the celebration, the Patriarch Fouad Twal was also able to greet the bishop, who finished his mission as Apostolic Nuncio in Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem.

A few months after his election, April 19, 2005, Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Antonio Franco, Apostolic Nuncio in Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem. It was January 22, 2006. Now, at age 75, after more than six years of service, Archbishop Franco leaves the Holy Land. Before his departure, the Nuncio celebrated three Masses for the Anniversary of the Holy Father: Wednesday, June 27 at St. Peter in Jaffa, Thursday, June 28 at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem and Saturday, and June 30 at the Basilica of St. Catherine in Bethlehem

During the Mass celebrated in the chapel of the Notre Dame Center, the Patriarch, in his sermon, thanked Archbishop Franco “on behalf of all the faithful, religious leaders and religious congregations.” He pointed out, some of the Nuncio’s traits, “a diplomat, a professor, a representative of the vicar of Christ, and a shepherd of souls.” The Patriarch emphasized the experience and expertise of the Archbishop who was able to act with a “contagious optimism” in “particularly sensitive” situations during the six years of his mission.

This was particularly evident concerning the negotiations on future agreements between Israel and the Holy See, in which the Nuncio was actively involved. Archbishop Fouad Twal, after having expressed his “heartfelt thanks” to Archbishop Franco, invited him “not to forget Jerusalem and its people.” The Patriarch concluded: “We will never forget you, and we will accompany you with our prayers and sincere best wishes.”

Archbishop Franco is originally from Campania (Italy). Born in 1937, and was ordained a priest in 1960. Prior to being appointed Nuncio in Israel and Cyprus and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, where he replaced Archbishop Monsignor Pietro Sambi, he was Apostolic Nuncio in the Philippines.

Latin Patriarchate – July 3, 2012

VATICAN  APPOINTS  NEW  PAPAL  AMBASSADOR  FOR  ISRAEL  

Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, former envoy to Australia, will serve as apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine.

The Vatican has appointed a new papal ambassador to Israel, to replace outgoing Archbishop Antonio Franco after six years of service in the post.

The new papal nuncio, as the ambassador is known, will be Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto. Additionally, he will serve as the apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine, which also has jurisdiction over Cyprus.

Apostolic delegates are sent to states or territories with which the Vatican has no formal diplomatic ties, and serve as a liaison with the Catholic Church in that region while also conducting informal diplomatic duties.

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Lazzarotto, who was appointed on Saturday by Pope Benedict XVI, has been serving as papal envoy to Australia since 2007, and will take up his post in Israel in the coming months.

Between 1994 and 2000, he was apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan. Lazzarotto has already spent time in the diplomatic service in the Palestinian territories, as

part of the Apostolic Delegation of the Holy See in Jerusalem and Palestine, from 1982 to 1984. Speaking to Vatican Radio on Saturday, Lazzarotto, 70, said that the role was “a major

challenge,” but one he “accepts with joy” in which he will “continue to offer [his] full contribution to dialogue and peace.”

“There are many men and women of good will who live in the Holy Land and who strive daily, one step after the other, because this way to peace is finally open to all,” he said.

“[Peace] is my greatest desire, my aspiration and my hope.”

Speaking about the Christian community in Israel and the wider Middle East, the archbishop said they “live their commitment, their testimony of faith... through small gestures of fraternity, small gestures of understanding, dialogue and friendship.

“I believe that this is the necessary path, towards achieving the great aspiration of living together in harmony and fellowship and to be a living witness of the risen Lord,” he said.

Lazzarotto was born in Carpanè, Vicenza in 1942 and was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Padua in 1967.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1971 and served in various countries in Africa and Europe, before being appointed titular archbishop of Numana, on Italy’s eastern seaboard, in 1994.

By Jeremy Sharon The Jerusalem Post – August 21, 2012

A  NEW  ARCHBISHOP  FOR  THE  MARONITES  OF  THE  HOLY  LAND  Archbishop elected Moussa El-Hage.

On 16th June the press office of the Holy See announced some transfers and episcopal appointments by the synod of the Maronite Church. The new bishops include Father Moussa El-Hage, abbot of the convents of Saints Sarkis et Bacchus of Ehden and Zghorta (Lebanon). Elevated to the dignity of archbishop, he is bound for the See of Haifa and the Holy Land of the Maronites (Israel). At the same time he will also be Patriarchal Exarch of Jerusalem, Palestine and Jordan.

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Monsignor El-Hage succeeds Mons. Paul Nabil El-Sayah, who was transferred last year to the Patriarchal Curia of Bkerke, in Lebanon.

The new archbishop was born in Antoura (Metn), on 19th February 1954. He entered the Antonin Maronite Order when he was very young, pronouncing the perpetual profession of religious vows in 1979. He was ordained a priest on 14th August 1980.

Monsignor El-Hage also knows the Franciscans of the Custody very well. After his baccalaureate degree in philosophy and theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Rome), he graduated in Biblical Theology from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum of Jerusalem. He then took a doctorate in Oriental Studies and Liturgy at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. He also took a diploma in patristics and another in solfeggio. He has published his Ph.D. thesis and a tourist-spiritual guide to the Holy Land, as well as numerous articles on liturgy and pastoral.

During his ministry, he has held a number of positions in his Order: superior of the Sant’Isaia College in Rome, as well as being responsible for the students (1988-1991); bursar of the Saint Elie convent of Antélias (1991-1993); master of the novices (1993-1994); general assistant, appointed by the then apostolic visitor of the Order (1993-1999); dean of the Faculty of Biblical Studies (1997-2000) and of the Faculty of Religious and Pastoral Sciences of the Antonianum University (from 1999); general assistant (2005-2011). In 2011-2012 he was also given responsibility as patriarchal administrator of the eparchy of Lattaquié of the Maronites.

Since 1993 he has been a member of the League and of the Biblical Commission of the Maronite Patriarchate and since 2011 of the Patriarchal Liturgical Commission. He speaks Arabic, English, French and Italian and knows Syriac, Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.

He will be at the head of a community of 10,000 faithful, concentrated mainly in Galilee, around the city of Haifa.

Terrasanta.net – July 18, 2012

POPE  CALLS  FOR  PEACE  IN  SYRIA  Appeals to International Community for Humanitarian Aid in the Region

ROME – Pope Benedict XVI appealed for peace in Syria this Sunday during his weekly Angelus in Castel Gandolfo.

Violence has raged in Syria since 2011 when President Bashar al-Assad's regime sought to quell the rebellion against the government. At least 20,000 people have died in the conflict, many of those killed being civilians. Most recently, Syrian government forces have continued an assault on the rebel-held city of Aleppo, forcing thousands of people to flee. The Syrian government has received widespread criticism from the international community for the bloodshed it has incurred throughout the conflict.

The Holy Father declared, after the recitation of the Angelus on Sunday, that he has been following "with concern the tragic and increasing violence in Syria, with its depressing sequence of deaths and injuries, also among civilians, and huge numbers of internally displaced persons and refugees in neighbouring States."

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The Holy Father also called on the international community to help ensure that "necessary humanitarian assistance and aid be guaranteed" to those affected by the violence in Syria. "In renewing the expression of my closeness to the suffering people and my recollection of them in my prayers, I renew my appeal for all violence and bloodshed to end," the pope said.

"I ask God to give wisdom of heart, especially to those in positions of greatest responsibility, so that no effort may be spared in the search for peace, also on the part of the international community, through dialogue and reconciliation, with a view to finding an adequate political solution to the conflict."

Zenit - July 30, 2012

CELRA  ADDRESSES  THE  CHRISTIANS  IN  SYRIA  On August 27, 2012, the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions (CELRA) sent a letter to Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, OFM, Latin Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo/Syria and the Christians of Syria and environs. Bishop Nazzaro’s proposal for the signing of a message for peace will be accepted at next CELRA Plenary in Amman, Jordan. The Most Reverend Giuseppe Nazzaro, OFM Latin Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo Syria

Your Excellency, News from Syria transmitted daily by news agencies are war bulletins are disturbing and

cause for major concern to the international community. Unfortunately, violence on the ground has not stopped. Thousands of people are victims of fratricidal violence, tens of thousands of refugees leave their country, millions of people live in poverty in the present situation and the uncertainty of the future.

We, the Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions strongly condemn the escalating violence in Syria which terribly affects Christians, ecclesial structures of your Apostolic Vicariate, Catholic Dioceses and other Christian churches. We express our closeness and solidarity with you and all who serve with you – the priests, men and women religious and the faithful. The precarious situation in which you live is a cause of suffering and concern for us.

Supported by the belief that “ violence can not last forever, ” we assure the clergy and the faithful that we are in union through intercessory prayers, that the Lord enlighten the minds and open the hearts of the international community to find the path of dialogue between government of Syria and the opposition in Damascus.

Your Excellency, we look forward and hope you will be with us in Amman at the next CELRA Plenary Conference on September 17 to 20, 2012. Your testimony will be most valuable, and your presence in the torchlight procession and prayer during which we read, sign and decide on a message of reconciliation and peace.

May the paternal presence of our God of all consolation protect, strengthen and support you. Signature of CELRA Members

Latin Patriarchate – August 27, 2012

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SYRIA:  THE  CHURCH  MAKES  AN  APPEAL  FOR  DIALOGUE  Patriarch Gregory III Laham Speaks Out

ROME – In recent days, several representatives of the Church have launched urgent appeals for dialogue in Syria, to put a stop to the bloody conflict between the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposing forces.

The latest appeal was made by the Greek-Melkite patriarch of Damascus, Gregory III Laham. “Thanks to their long history, Syrians can resolve this dangerous crisis by helping one another through love and forgiveness,” he said in a statement sent to the Fides agency.

“We launch an urgent appeal for dialogue, reconciliation and peace: this is one of the rarest languages, which many do not want to hear. We Christians, to whom the Gospel of peace has been entrusted, feel called to promote it,” wrote the patriarch, who singled out in the anarchy, the lack of security and the massive influx of arms, the greatest dangers for Syria today.

“Violence generates violence, which reaches all citizens, without distinctions of race, religion or political hue,” warned the head of the Greek-Melkites, who noted concern particularly for the Christian community, which he described as “the weakest link.” Christians are “defenseless, they are the most vulnerable to exploitation, extortion, kidnapping of persons and abuses,” he observed.

The patriarch exhorted the Churches to raise their voices “asking for reforms, liberty, democracy, the fight against corruption, support for development, freedom of speech.” “Today we ask for an end to the cycle of killings and destruction, especially against civilians in difficulty, of all faiths, who in reality are the real victims,” continued Gregory III Laham.

Whileľ he rejected a “campaign led against the Pastors of the Churches in Syria” – often accused of collusion with Assad’s Alawita (a minority) regime, the patriarch supports the

Mussalaha (“reconciliation”) movement. “We pray for the success of the Mussalaha movement, in which delegates of all the Churches

are active, to bring unity and love to the hearts of all. This is what lays the basis for effective solutions to the tragic conflict,” wrote the patriarch, expressing the hope that Benedict XVI’s visit to Lebanon “will be a particular help for Syria, so that the conflict can end and the country flourish again.”

The Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo, Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro OFM also expressed his support for the Mussalaha popular inter-religious initiative.

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Reconciliation “I believe that the Mussalaha initiative must be encouraged and supported by all,” he told the

Fides agency. “Reconciliation, even though at times it is hard to accept, is a way that must not be neglected or underestimated.”

“From my experience in the matter, especially that of my fellow Franciscans, called to intervene in delicate situations, I believe that the Mussalaha “movement” should be supported,” said Bishop Nazzaro.

The movement, described as a “third way” in the conflict, and promoted by a platform made up of civilian and religious leaders, was born “from below” and is geared to ”internal dialogue” between the two factions in the fight, in order to put an end to the shedding of blood and to come to a way out of the crisis,” Fides explained.

An appeal for dialogue was also launched by the director of the Tabbaleh ecumenical center, Franciscan Father Romualdo Fernandez OFM, rector of the shrine dedicated to the Conversion of Saint Paul in the Syrian capital, Damascus. “The master plan to come out of the crisis is dialogue between the parties,” he said last Friday to Fides.

“We ask all to accept to sit around a table and to begin a meeting that can avoid violence, deaths, slaughters and massacres, which for too long have bloodied the country,” continued the Franciscan friar, who expressed his closeness to the population.

“We are side by side with the suffering population, with Christians and Muslims, and we will never leave this country. We will stay in Syria at the service of the Gospel. We were here yesterday, we are here today and we will be here tomorrow, in times of peace and in times of war, in dark times and in luminous times.”

Preoccupation over the deterioration of the conflict was expressed today by the Apostolic Nuncio in Damascus, Archbishop Mario Zenari. “People are afraid to leave their homes in the afternoon and in some quarters also during the day,” said the Vatican diplomat to AsiaNews.

“The international community must help Syria not to fall into the abyss and to seek to speak with one voice. Alone the country is unable to liberate itself from this tragedy,” said Archbishop Zenari to AsiaNews.

Zenit - July 18, 2012

RAMADAN  IN  JERUSALEM  

During the month of Ramadan, the late afternoons in East Jerusalem are highly suggestive: the chaotic screaming of the vendors who usually invade the city gives way to a pervasive mood of recollection. It 's almost time to stop fasting and the last shopkeepers are closing their businesses. There are those who are shopping for the dinner and those who escort the “qatayef” the typical sweet of Ramadan – a mixture of flour and water, filled with nuts, sugar and sweet white cheese, served with the traditional juice.

“These things have a different taste when it’s Ramadan. We have them all year, but we sell much more in this month and they taste so much better when the cannon is fired.”

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The day of Ramadan is punctuated by prayer and the strict fasting is understood as a deep interior purification, which is also expressed in greater solidarity with the poor. It's a good time to approach more closely to God. This year, throughout the Middle East, Ramadan is tinged with a particular anxiety, when attention is turned to events in Syria. It is on this dramatic situation in a country not far from Jerusalem that His Beatitude, Patriarch Msgr Twal, focused his message of good tidings, saying: "May this month – the most sacred for Muslims inspire all people to work for peace and stability".

“Ramadan is the blessed month and everyone is fasting. But now the hour of Iftar is arriving, when the fast is broken. Everyone is hurrying home after buying the typical food, and I hope that next year we will celebrate Ramadan without the occupation.

It’s now a little after 7:30 PM and that's the sign which breaks the fast: the firing of the cannon situated in a cemetery near the walls of the Old City informs the entire population. At that point the Muezzin begins to chant the prayer and a festive atmosphere surrounds the whole of East Jerusalem. The streets that were quiet a little while before start to fill up again, giving an impression of conviviality that is typical of Ramadan evenings. The next morning the same streets will return to a state of reflection, immersed in that mood of recollection that only a specially sacred time like this can create. And perhaps even more, at this unique crossroads of cultures and religions.

Custody of the Holy Land – July 31, 2012

CELEBRATION  FOR  150  YEARS   OF  MISSION  IN  THE  EAST  AT  ST.  PETER  IN  GALLICANTU  

The feast of Saints Peter and Paul was chosen to celebrate 150 years of the “Mission of the East”. In St. Peter in Gallicantu, after Vespers, Father Jean-Daniel Gullung, superior of the community and rector of the sanctuary, gave a lecture entitled: In 1882, Father Emmanuel d’Alzon conceives the project of buying the Cenacle.

In addition to the 150th anniversary of the Mission of the East, a tradition was inaugurated. In fact, the different religious congregations have a habit of making calls on the feast of their patron saint. In St. Peter in Gallicantu, in the future, this will be June 29 every year.

Since on the evening of June 28, the Apostolic Nuncio celebrated Mass for the Pope at Notre-Dame of Jerusalem, at the same time saying goodbye to the Holy Land, and since on the morning of June 29 at St. Saviour Parish there were the ordinations of Franciscans deacons and priests, the Oblates of the Assumptionists preferred simply to celebrate the Office of Vespers. This prayer service was followed by a conference and by sharing a friendly toast which brought together more than sixty people.

They were especially pleased and honored by the presence of Monsignor William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of Jerusalem, who presided over Vespers, the Custos, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, of the Most Rev. Grégoire Pierre Melki, Syrian Catholic Bishop, of Bishop Josef Kelekian, Armenian Catholic Bishop, Father Joseph Saghbini, Melkite Archimandrite and Father Paul Collin, senior pastor at Beersheba, the successor of Assumptionist Father Jean-Roger, founder

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of the Hebrew language parish. Many religious communities and religious were represented, and many lay friends.

The conference by Father Jean-Daniel Gullung, Superior of the community and rector of the sanctuary, could not fail to interest the public of Jerusalem who were unaware of how Father d’Alzon had started, in the years 1861-1863, attempts to buy the Upper Room with a view to found there a Maronite seminary, and to acquire the tomb of the Virgin Mary (that is, the ground of the Dormition) to establish the Sisters of the Assumption. This is not found in the history books and we will never know if history would have been changed and what the Cenacle would be today…

This project was born after the receiving into his College in Nimes eight young Syrians escaped the massacre of Christians in Lebanon and Damascus in the spring of 1860. Father d’Alzon hoped to make them the seed of a seminary to be established in Jerusalem. Having gone to Rome in the spring of 1862, for the canonization of the Japanese Martyrs, he met with Cardinal Barnabo, Prefect of Propaganda Fide, about this project, who in turn gave his consent. But some people in Rome who estimated that the financial assets which he wished to benefit the Holy See would have been better used to support instead in Rome the union movement of a part of the Bulgarian Church. Pope Pius IX, in the June 3, 1862 audience, facing Father d’Alzon declared: “I bless your works of East and West.” This formula remained famous with the Assumption, and in the Assumptionist imagination was regarded as a prophecy, as the Assumptionists did not work in the East. But for Father d’Alzon, this formula was not entirely a surprise, since he had already at least some plans, if not some works for Jerusalem. Pius IX confirmed, in a private audience on June 6, his desire to see Father d’Alzon direct himself more toward Constantinople and Bulgaria. And so it was that the Father d’Alzon, considering that the desire of the Pope was the expression of the will of God, abandoned the project in Jerusalem in favor of Bulgaria, marking in this way a turning point in the apostolic orientation of his congregation. To encourage the Fathers in this mission, he was led in 1865 to found the Congregation of the Oblate Sisters of the Assumption. But that’s another story of which there will be the opportunity to speak at the commemoration of 150 years of foundation.

Two letters sent to the Congregation in May 2012, one by Pope Benedict XVI and the other by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, strongly encourage our congregations engaged in this Mission of the East, in Bulgaria, Romania, Russia , Greece, Turkey and Jerusalem.

Latin Patriarchate – July 9, 2012

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IN  JERUSALEM,  THE  GARDEN  FOR  CONTEMPLATION...    THE  HERMITAGE  OF  GETHSEMANE  HAS  COMPLETED  

ITS  FIRST  25  YEARS.  

In Jerusalem, the garden for contemplation... The Hermitage of Gethsemane has completed its first 25 years.

On Saturday July 7th at 5:00 p.m., the chapel of the Hermitage saw the celebration of the 25th anniversary of this garden that Brother Giorgio Colombini wrenched out of decay to create a place of prayer. The initiative of Brother Diego Dalla Cassa, director of the Hermitage, became a special occasion to remember and thank all those who have labored here.

Vocations, prophecy: The burning bush, Gethsemane, the voice that still cries out today. Such were the themes addressed by the Custos of the Holy Land, Brother Pierbattista Pizzaballa, during the encounter.

Twenty-five years ago, Brother Giorgio Colombini, who passed away in May 2009, had the idea to turn this site into a place where people could pray.

A response to Jesus' invitation: "Stay here and watch with me." (Mt 26:38) Restored to the Holy City, its sublime identity, the site of the highest supplication to God, it

came to him from a friend, Don Gianni Tomasi from Trent, who here in Jerusalem, at Gethsemane, conceived the idea of a garden.

Out of stables and dilapidated houses, then being used as storerooms, Brother Giorgio and the volunteers from Trent made some fifteen hermitages rooms with kitchen, bath and a bed where people can retire to meditate, which today have come to be called the Hermitage of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, adjoining the modern Basilica of Gethsemane.

A place of peace, a place surrounded by desert, where one can reap the benefits of silence; a place in the midst of olive trees and plants… the view of the Kedron Valley, and the view of Jerusalem surrounded by its wall… a place where one can live the silence of the Word and the Word of silence, live the already but not yet…

Since 1987 and still today, over 6000 pilgrims have passed through, never ceasing the continuous search to live this powerful experience of prayer with the Franciscan fraternity, which has become an obligatory stop.

The Father Custos, concluding his talk, saying, "Lectio Divina: that is what the Hermitage should be. The opportunity to watch and wait with Him, the possibility of rediscovering this gift. Let us make that of this place that is even more than a gift. It is a grace.”

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At the end of the Lectio Divina there was the final blessing followed by outdoor refreshments in the garden.

Custody of the Holy Land – July 7, 2012

YAD  VASHEM  CHANGES  REFERENCE  TO  PIUS  XII  

For the custodian of the Holy Land, Father Pizzaballa, this is good news, although there is still some criticism.

The timing of the return of the caption, intends to express appreciation to the Nuncio, who is leaving Israel. He has done an excellent work, for this reason the text of the label has been changed.

Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Custos of the Holy Land, commented to ZENIT: “It is good news, even if Pius XII will not become suddenly a saint for them, but the situation will certainly be better. Now they present the Pontiff indicating that his work is still the object of great discussions.”

The management of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, has changed the text of the plaque in which Pope Pius XII was criticized.

The text, which presented the Pontiff as silent before the Nazi atrocity, created a diplomatic incident in 2007.

Given the text, the Apostolic Nuncio in Israel, Archbishop Antonio Franco, nearly refused to take part in the ceremony of the Day of Remembrance, when the victims of the Holocaust are commemorated.

Father Peter Gumpel, postulator of the cause of beatification of Pius XII, recalled that “even the Jewish scholar Sir Martin Gilbert, the greatest historian of the Shoah, requested the removal of the plaque against the Pope.”

The text that was the subject of the controversy said that the Servant of God, Pius XII, did not denounce racism and anti-Semitism, did not protest about what the Nazis were doing against the Jews, and did not intervene when they were deported from Rome.

The new text, instead, presents Pius XII's role as something that has caused debate. It mentions, for example, that already in 1942 in the course of the Christmas radio-message, Pope Pius XII mentioned the “hundreds of thousands of persons who, without any fault of their own, at times only for reasons of nationality or race, are destined to death or to progressive deterioration.”

The new text mentions that the Catholic Church carried out a considerable number of rescue activities to save Jews. It also recognizes that Pope Pius XII himself intervened to encourage the rescue activities and the safeguarding of the Jews.

The news of the change of the text of the stone was published in the daily Haaretz. The president of the New York-based Pave the Way foundation, Gary Krupp, just spoke with

ZENIT about researchers' efforts to restore the reputation of Pius XII. Krupp has long advocated a change in the text at Yad Vashem.

Custody of the Holy Land – July 1, 2012

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ARCHAEOLOGISTS  FIND  9500-­‐YR-­‐OLD  FIGURES  NEAR  JERUSALEM  IAA believes relics date from New Stone Age, early humans began transitioning from nomadic to sedentary life.

All ancient roads may lead to Rome, but Highway 1 leads from Tel Aviv to the New Stone Age approximately 9,500 years ago – or so archeologists believe after recently discovering animal figurines during the expansion of the highway.

Archeologists discovered the figurines of a ram and a wild bovine in Tel Moza, a rich archeological site in the Judean Hills outside of Jerusalem. The ram, made from limestone, has intricately carved horns and is about 15 centimeters long.

“The sculpting is extraordinary and precisely depicts details of the animal’s image; the head and the horns protrude in front of the body and their proportions are extremely accurate,” said Dr.

Hamoudi Khalaily, one of the co-directors of the dig from the Antiquities Authority. The second figurine is more abstract and depicts a large animal with prominent horns that

could be a wild bovine or buffalo. Khalaidy said the object most likely dates from the period when early humans began the

transition from nomadic hunting and gathering to sedentary life based on farming and grazing with permanent settlements. “The Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period [the eighth millennium BCE] is considered one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of mankind; many changes took place in it that shaped human society for thousands of years to come,” he said in a statement released by the Antiquities Authority.

Anna Eirikh, the other codirector of the dig, believes that the figurines are linked to the process of animal domestication, as the inhabitants began to build complex societies and agricultural villages.

But Khalaily believes the figurines were used as talismans. “Presumably, the figurines served as good luck statues for ensuring the success of the hunt

and might have been the focus of a traditional ceremony the hunters performed before going out into the field to pursue their prey,” he said.

Archeologists have discovered a wealth of objects at Tel Moza, including stone age tools, objects associated with funerals and cult rituals, and other artistic objects.

By Melanie Lidman The Jerusalem Post – August 29, 2012

ANCIENT  SHILOH:  A  NEW  STOP  ON  THE  TOURIST  MAP?  Ultra-modern visitor center will showcase ancient Jewish history.

Travis Allen was spending three weeks in 2009 driving around Israel visiting historic sites when he suddenly noticed Shiloh on the map and asked his driver if they could go to the site of the archaeological dig. What Allen, a financial advisor from California who’s making his first run for public office, remembers vividly is what was not there.

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“I went and there was no one there. There was a little station by a gate. I asked if this is Shiloh where the tabernacle used to stand and I was told, ‘up by the hill.’ I walked up by myself and I had the whole place to myself... It was fantastic. There was a viewing platform and nothing else.”

Nestled in the Judean Hills about a 40 minute drive from Jerusalem and even closer to the Palestinian city of Nablus lies the ancient Jewish city of Shiloh, the first home of the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that for 369 years was the epicenter of religious observance and sacrifices as the Jewish people traveled in the desert.

Tzofia Dorot, a young, modern and passionate woman dressed in slacks, a kerchief covering her head --symbolic of the majority of the community living in modern Shiloh -- guided a group of American and Israeli tourists through the Tel Shiloh archaeological site on a hot summer afternoon. She explained to The Media Line why Shiloh was attracting new visitors.

“People are not afraid today; unlike maybe 10-years ago when the situation was different. Today it’s pretty quiet. Usually, you’re afraid of something you don’t know. So many people didn’t cross the Green Line -- Israel’s pre-1967 borders with Jordan, Egypt,

Lebanon -- for years because they were afraid of getting shot, they were afraid of bombs; and today it’s a great opportunity to learn about this place, the sites and the people,” said Dorot.

“Shiloh doesn’t appear so dangerous to me,” offered Ken Abramowitz, a market analyst from New York who helped put the group together. “Shiloh was the heartland of Israel. About 3200 years ago this was the center of Israel, and unfortunately people have forgotten that. It’s good to remind myself, and I invited ten friends to join us in order to remind them, too.”

Dorot, who now lives in Kida, a community of fifty families located within the Shiloh bloc overlooking the Jordan Valley, adds that “the people who live in Judea and Samaria are shown by the media through a very narrow pipe. The extremists are on television, the normal people aren’t shown.”

When archaeological digs resumed in 2010, thirty-years had lapsed since the most recent previous work. The visitors led by Dorot saw a Jewish ritual bath (mikveh) from the Second Temple period – and artifacts found when archaeologists discovered an entire room containing piles of broken dishes from the time of the Tabernacle. Dorot explained that because people typically

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keep their dishes with them, the abundance of broken pottery indicates that the inhabitants left quickly, presumably under duress, in flight.

Further up the hill and part of the most recent digs, archaeologists found the big platform believed to be the resting place of the Tabernacle itself.

“People come to Shiloh because it was the first capital of the Jewish nation, it was a spiritual center where the Tabernacle -- housing the ark, the menorah (candelabra), the table, and everything needed to serve God) -- was sitting. This is where land was distributed to the tribes by lottery; and this is where Tu B’Av the Jewish love holiday -- is celebrated every year on the tenth day of the month of Av,” according to Dorot.

In February, 2012, the government of Israel declared Tel Shiloh an archeological heritage site, and pumped-in an initial $1.5 million, a portion of the $12 million needed over the next five years. This help enabled the recent digs that uncovered the actual area where the Tabernacle rested.

Dorot says Shiloh is like a “mini-Jerusalem” without the mess and noise of the big city. “A site that has so many layers and is such a big part of our history should be exposed,” she argued. “Today we have all the layers of the history of Shiloh. Basically, we have the story of the land of Israel.”

The head of the Israel Antiquities Authority agreed to establish at Tel Shiloh the first visitors’ center located inside an archaeological site, set to open this year. The ultra-modern glass and metal structure that is designed to evoke an image “that connects the land to the sky,” stands on bedrock in order not to harm the archaeology. Visitors will go from the stones of archaeology up to the tower where, “The tower will help visitors understand and see what their eyes cannot. The first floor will be for guiding and the second floor will showcase a movie projected onto the special glass walls that can be controlled so that cinema merges with the reality beyond. Dorot promises that, “You’ll see the actors in the area and sometimes you won’t know what is real and what is not.”

The Jewish presence in areas Israel acquired in the 1967 war is widely recognized as a key obstacle to the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The Palestinians regard the land as their future state, while even many Jewish Israelis are willing to cede the land in return for a genuine peace.

Abramowitz faults the Israeli government for “speaking in a mixed message to its people.” He disdains that, “one government will say ‘Judea and Samaria are ours forever,’ while another says, ‘we don’t really want it, it can be a Palestinian state.’ It confuses the population: both the children and the adults,” he told The Media Line.

Despite the divisive political debate surrounding the future of post-1967 lands; and illustrative of Abramowitz’s point about inconsistent policies of respective governments, Education Minister Gideon Saar announced in early 2011, a program to bring Israeli schoolchildren to heritage sites located in post-1967 territories – including the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and the ancient city of Shiloh -- so that they would know “the historic roots of the State of Israel in the Land of Israel.”

Marc Prowisor, director of security for Judea and Samaria for One Israel Fund – an advocacy group promoting Jewish ties to post-1967 lands -- felt Saar’s initiative was long overdue. Prowisor charged that “it was a crime of all Israeli governments and educational ministries for withholding information from the Israeli public, children and the Jewish people.”

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According to Avital Seleh, director of Tel Shiloh, “Two years ago we said it was time to bring Israelis and tourists to Shiloh. 30,000 people have been visiting annually: 50% Israeli and 50% from around the world. A separate program was initiated that brought in young people to participate in the digging so they will remember that they touched Shiloh.” Adding evidence that interest in the area and willingness to travel there is on the rise, Prowisor said referring to an American lobby tied to Israel that advocates ceding post-1967 land to the Palestinians, “Even J-Street recently came.”

Despite the enthusiasm of those associated with Shilo, travel in the territories has apparently not yet become mainstream within Israel’s tourism industry. Nimrod Shafran, operations manager for Da’at Educational Expeditions, told The Media Line that “A visit to Shiloh was never requested” in the six years he has been working with one of Israel’s foremost tour operators. “The only time I remember adding Shiloh to a program was for a group that included Judea and Samaria in their visit and we took them to Shiloh and a settlement to show them the old and the new.”

Pini Shani, director of the Israel Tourism Ministry’s overseas department told The Media Line that it’s the Evangelical Christian groups who primarily go to visit Shiloh. When asked if anyone has inquired to his desk about Shiloh, his answer was negative.

As the group Ken Abramowitz brought to Shiloh approached the construction site of the new state-of-the-art visitors’ center, participants were surprised to see several Arab workers enjoying a lunch break. Did they have problems with “assisting in excavating Jewish history?”

Dorot offered a story by way of illustration. She said that, “One Arab worker asked me as he was digging, ‘What is this layer and the next layer?’ The deeper we went, he understood that Jewish history is the first layer, then the Christian history, then the Muslim history. I’m proud of all the layers. I think it is great the Muslims wanted to build their mosque here, and the Christians wanted to build their church here. They all came here because the Tabernacle was first standing here. The worker saw it with his eyes,” according to Dorot.

But Prowisor’s take was more reflective of the intensity of the conflict. “In their (Arab) books, there is no Jewish history in Israel,” he argued. “You can’t ignore it. You just see it.” Charging he has “yet to see anything taught in Arab schools about peace with Israel,” Prowisor said “I respect the Arab culture, but expect the same in return.”

Allen, a candidate for the California Assembly, interjected that, “Shiloh belongs to the whole world, not just the Jewish nations. When Christians come here they look through the bible,” a belief Dorot seems to incorporate into her outlook. It also forms part of her answer to the painful question of whether Shiloh will ultimately be ceded to the Palestinians in a future peace deal.

“If I am here now, it’s my job to make sure that the archeology here will be exposed; it’s my job to make sure we have serious research here. I don’t want to lose the artifacts; I want to make sure I write down everything. I think it’s never going to happen, but even if something will change and nobody will be here, I know we did the research, we have the artifacts, I know my roots are deep into this site, we have the history here and nobody can deny it."

By Felice Friedson The Jerusalem Post – August 15, 2012

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CULTIC  VESSELS  FROM  13TH  CENTURY  BCE  GO  ON  DISPLAY  Religious tools uncovered during excavation near Tel Qashish to be part of museum exhibit in Haifa.

The public will soon be able to see Israel’s first uncovered treasured trove that dates as far back as the 13th century BCE – and which indicates a cultic type of tradition.

An exhibit on the finds will open this Saturday night, August 25, at Haifa’s National Maritime Museum, courtesy of the Antiquities Authority, where visitors will be able to observe the incense-burning religious tools from ancient tribal peoples. Archeologists discovered the favissa – a repository for discarded cult items – in 2010, about 300 meters north of Tel Qashish and about 2 kilometers north of Tel Yokneam.

The find occurred during a salvage excavation coinciding with the laying of the Haifa Bay industrial area gas pipeline, under the leadership of Uzi Ad and Dr. Edwin C. M. van den Brink and the Antiquities Authority’s Orit Segal.

“It is the first time that a treasure from the 13th century was found,” the exhibition’s curator, Avshalom Zemer, told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday evening.

“You don’t have another treasure from this day here in Israel.” The nearby Tel Qashish, which lies on the northern bank of the Kishon River, was first

excavated in 1978-87 under the auspices of the Hebrew University Archeology Department, during which 16 strata of settlements were identified, from the Early Canaanite Age I (3,600-3,000 BCE) to the Persian Period (539-332 BCE).

The treasure trove contains pottery vessels from the Late Canaanite Age IIB (1300-1200 BCE), which were stored in an elliptical pit of limestone rock – 3 meters high by 1.5 meters wide by 3 meters deep – containing more than 200 items, mostly previously unknown and quite rare, according to a statement from the exhibition.

Inside the pit were items made locally, in Mycenae and in Cyprus.

The locally-made products presumably for cult use included goblets – one with a man’s face sculpted on it – tall cylindrical stands, small stands, incense burners and chalices for libation, burning oil and incense. According to the exhibition, they indicate that the trove belonged to a local temple that has not yet been discovered and were items brought by worshipers. However, researchers have neither been able to identify the specific deity nor the worshipers themselves.

“The pottery was either buried in haste for fear of damage by enemy forces, or stored in the pit when there was no more room elsewhere, or discarded,” the statement from the exhibition said. Photo: Assaf Peretz, IAA

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Among other more common local items were bowls, jugs, juglets, cooking pots, oil lamps, Canaanite jars and cup-and saucer sets. From Cyprus, the favissa contained bowls of white-slip and base-ring wares, as well as white-shaved juglets.

Products from Greece included stirrup-jars, amphoriskos – small glass jugs – and flasks. In addition to all of these, a Syrian-Canaanite region bowl was also found in the pit made from faience – a compound with a crystalline base, usually quartz, mixed with a glassy alkaline substance, the exhibition statement said.

The presence of all these imported vessels demonstrates the strong trade atmosphere that characterized the area during this era, particularly between Israel, Cyprus and Greece, according to the statement.

“You have imported vessels from Mycenaean and from Cyprus and Rhodes,” Zemer said. “That’s what makes the connection with the Maritime Museum.”

While the exhibition is being held in the Maritime Museum, Zemer emphasized that all of the finds are the property of the Antiquities Authority.

One stirrup-jar found in a favissa was quite similar to another discovered in an excavation at Gurob in the Fayum district of Egypt, which also contained a scarab – an amulet – from the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II.

By matching the cultic vessels to such finds, the archeologists were able to properly date the contents of the favissa, Zemer explained.

Despite some similar vessels, however, many of the tools seen in the depository were completely rare materials, not analogous to anything else found around the region, according to Zemer.

“What we have here is local, cultic,” he said. To ensure that the materials are positively uniquely local, researchers are testing them with

Neutron Activation Analysis as well as petrographic examinations, he said. Zemer spoke of the goblet with the man’s face sculpted onto it, which he surmised may have

been used for holding water or wine on an altar. He also made mention of a large incense stand with flutelike vertical holes, which researchers

found charred and blackened on the inside. Whatever these objects were used for exactly, and for whichever deity, Zemer said he was

eager for people to come and experience the vessels. “I want [visitors] to learn the way that people behaved in this unknown small shrine, close to

Tel Qashish,” he said.

By Sharon Udasin The Jerusalem Post – August 20, 2012

CRUSADER  GOLD  CACHE  FOUND  NEAR  ISRAELI  COASTAL  CITY    

A gold cache, one of the largest ever found in Israel, was discovered last week in a dig in the Apollonia National Park, near Herzliya, heads of the archaeological project said.

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The 400-gram gold stash, unearthed by a joint Tel Aviv University and Nature and Parks Authority team, is currently valued at over $100,000. The excavation began three years ago as part of work to prevent the collapse of the cliff on which the Crusader fortress in the Apollonia park stands. Since then the diggers have discovered numerous findings shedding light on the Crusaders in general and on the last days of the 13th century fortress in particular.

Findings include hundreds of arrow heads and catapult stones from the battle in which the Mamluks conquered the castle from the Crusaders. In a landfill dug at the site diggers found shards imported from Italy and rare glass utensils.

Mati Johananoff, a TAU archaeology student, found the treasure concealed in a potsherd under the tiles in one of the castle's rooms.

The fortress on the coast line and the city beside it were ruled at the time by the Christian order of the Knights Hospitaller, and was one of the Crusaders' most important strongholds in the center of the country. In March 1265 the Mamluk Sultan Baybars stormed the city and captured it after 40 days of siege. The site, abandoned in ruins, has not been inhabited since.

Researchers assume one of the fortress' leaders hid the treasure in a bid to prevent the Muslim conquerers from finding it, perhaps hoping to retrieve it again some day. "I think the stash was deliberately buried in a partly broken vessel, which was then filled with sand and laid under the floor tiles," said the head of the Apollonia digging team, Professor Oren Tal of TAU. "So if anyone found it he would think it's a broken pot and pay no attention to it."

"It was hastily hidden just before the fall," said Haggai Yoyanan, Apollonia National Park director. "With the other findings, it tells a story of a prolonged siege and a harsh battle."

The cache consists of 108 gold coins, 93 of them comprised of 4 grams of gold and worth about a dinar each and 15 coins worth a quarter of a dinar, comprised of 1 gram of gold each. The coins were minted in Egypt some 250 years before being buried in the fortress' floor.

By Nir Hasson Haaretz – July 8, 2012

2,000-­‐YEAR  OLD  PORT  DISCOVERED  IN  ACRE    Archaeologists believe warships docked there in the 2nd century B.C.E.

Remnants of an ancient port where warships may have docked 2,300 years ago have been uncovered in Acre, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced. The port installations date back to the Hellenistic period - the 2nd and 3rd centuries B.C.E.

In digs being conducted at the foot of the city's southern seawall, not far from the current port, and extending to the area known as Horses Beach, archaeologists have found a quay and other evidence of the port, which was probably the most important port in ancient Palestine during the Hellenistic era, they say.

The first sign that the quay might exist emerged in 2009, when a floor made of coastal limestone chiseled in a Phoenician style was discovered underwater by Antiquities Authority divers.

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The discovery was debated by archaeologists, some of whom thought it was indeed part of an ancient port, while others thought it had been the floor of a large building.

Koby Sharvit, director of the Antiquities Authority's marine archaeology unit, explained that that debate ended when large mooring stones, weighing 250-300 kilograms each, were found near the edge of the platform. These stones had originally been incorporated in the quay and were used to secure boats that had anchored at the port some 2,300 years ago, Sharvit says.

According to Sharvit, over the past few days there has been another discovery that backs the hypothesis that what's being uncovered is Acre's military port - an impressive stone floor, 8 meters wide and 5 meters long, with two stone walls rising from either side, also chiseled in Phoenician style.

Archaeologists believe what they've found is an installation that helped raise boats - most likely military vessels - from the water onto shore. "Only by continuing the digging will we be able to support or invalidate this possibility," Sharvit says.

The excavations are proceeding slowly and carefully, using relatively small tools. Further digging at the foot of these installations revealed the bottom of the ancient harbor. This is where the mooring stones were found, along with thousands of pottery shards, as well as whole pottery and metal objects.

The port installations date back to the Hellenistic period. Preliminary examination of the pottery shows that much of it originated in the islands of the Aegean Sea, including Knidos, Rhodes and Kos, as well as in other ancient port cities along the Mediterranean shoreline.

"Until these excavations, the location of this important port was not clear," says Sharvit. "These are the first parts of the port found that abut the shoreline and the ancient

Hellenistic city." "Unfortunately, parts of the quay continue under the Ottoman-era wall, and we probably

won't be able to excavate those," he says. "But we will continue to excavate those parts of the port that continue toward the sea and the [current] port, in an effort to determine how extensive it was, and to try to determine whether the damage we've found is in any way linked to the destruction wrought by Ptolemy in 312 B.C.E., to the Hasmonean revolt in 167 B.C.E., or some other event."

By Jack Khoury Haaretz – July 18, 2012

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A  3,400-­‐YEAR-­‐OLD  MYSTERY:   WHO  BURNED  THE  PALACE  OF  CANAANITE  HATZOR?  

Archaeologists take on the Bible during Tel Hatzor excavations, when disagreements arise over the destroyer of the city.

Hebrew University Israeli archaeologists have recently unearthed a palace at the Tel Hatzor National Park in Upper Galilee, revealing rare findings – jugs containing scorched wheat from some 3,400 years ago. The find provides still more tangible evidence of the destruction of Canaanite city of Hatzor, an event dated at the mid-13th century B.C.E.

The jugs were found during the excavation of storerooms in what archaeologists say was a palace. In addition to the jugs, many other artifacts found at the site testify to a large fire that raged through the palace – sooty walls, bricks that burned and became rock-hard from the extreme heat, a ceiling that collapsed and burnt cedar wood beams.

The excavations are being conducted by a team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, headed by Prof. Amnon Ben-Tor and Dr. Sharon Zuckerman.

“We’re talking about a very exciting discovery. This is a rare find, something very uncommon,” said Ben-Tor, who has been working at Tel Hatzor since 1958, when he joined a team headed by Yigael Yadin since 1956.

“The archaeology of the land of Israel was born of an effort to confront and verify the biblical narrative with the findings in the field,” he said. “One of the biggest stories is the story of the [Jews’] conquest and settlement of the land. That’s a seminal story and that’s why Yadin came here, to check the story.”

The story of Hatzor’s destruction is told in Joshua 11:10-11: “At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hatzor and put its king to the sword. Hatzor had been the head of all these kingdoms. Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone, and he burned Hatzor itself.” This battle was important because it cleared the way for the Israelites to settle the land from the Arava in the south to Mount Hermon in the north, as described a few verses later.

“If there was an incredible destruction at Hatzor, then we’ve gotten to it,” Ben-Tor continued. “There was a huge blaze here that turned the bricks into concrete and melted ceramic vessels. According to various tests, the heat of the fire reached 1,300 degrees Centigrade (2,372 degrees Farenheit). Three factors contributed to this – the quantity of wood used in the palace’s construction, the large stocks of oil that were stored here and the area’s very strong winds.”

Ben-Tor added that “when one tries to confront the biblical story with archaeology in the field, there are a lot of disagreements. I claim this destruction was carried out by nomads or semi-nomadic tribes that were later called Israelites.” He reached this conclusion after eliminating other possible invaders, such as the Egyptians or the Philistines or the residents of another city.

Zuckerman, Ben-Tor’s excavation partner, has a different theory. She attributes the destruction to internal tensions that were plaguing the town. “It turns out that there’s a 100-150 year gap between the destruction of Hatzor and the settlement of the Israelites. Whoever destroyed this city abandoned it and the Israelites settled there only later,” she says. She believes that the destruction of Hatzor “came at the end of a period of deterioration; some of the public buildings had

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been abandoned before the destruction while others were partially uprooted and in the end there was no ruler here.

“From what I’ve found it seems that the rulers, the elite, invested in large-scale construction and accumulating great wealth at the expense of the other residents. The ordinary people paid taxes and built the city; they paid the price for glorifying the rulers.”

Zuckerman claims the destruction occurred only in the public buildings, as evidenced by what she found when she excavated a private house in the lower city two years ago. It showed no signs of destruction or fire and “even looked as if the residents of the house had time to seal it before leaving it,” she says. “The difference between a huge conflagration that focused on the public buildings and the orderly abandonment of the city by the simple folk indicates that we’re talking about something other than conquest.”

The huge building now being excavated joins another palace thought to be used for ceremonies that had already been uncovered in the upper city. It is believed that the palace now being investigated was used for administrative purposes, as it is located at the edge of the city that covered 800 dunams (around 200 acres) and was home to 18,000-20,000 people. This palace was initially uncovered in the 1990s, but at first it wasn’t clear what it was. As the digging progressed, what emerged was a monumental structure made of large chiseled stones with cedar wood used in its walls. “This is undoubtedly a royal building. It’s not a plain building and it’s not a residential building,” said Zuckerman.

Hatzor flourished during the Middle Canaanite Period (1750 B.C.E.) and during the Israelite period (the 9th century B.C.E.), when it constituted the largest fortified complex in the land of Israel. An important city along the Fertile Crescent, Hatzor had trade links with cities in Babylonia and Syria, and received large volumes of tin for its bronze industry.

The most significant digs at Hatzor were done during the 1950s and ’60s by Yigael

Yadin, one of Israel’s pre-eminent archaeologists during its early years, who was also responsible for important discoveries at Masada, Megiddo and other locations.

The ongoing excavations have put Tel Hatzor on the world archaeology map and are one of the reasons it was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, along the biblical tells at Megiddo and Be’er Sheva.

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The discovery of the 13,500-liter jugs has proven to be the high point of this dig. “The seeds of grain were burned and obviously it’s impossible to sprout them or do much with them, but we can estimate how old they are by carbon-14 dating,” said Ben-Tor.

“From this we can start sketching out the city’s plan and learn a lot about the way of life in Hatzor of the 13th and 14th centuries B.C.E., until its destruction,” Zuckerman said.

The jugs will be brought to conservation and restoration labs before the site is covered up to await the next excavation season.

The archaeologists pledge to continue to excavate the building, of which they’ve only uncovered a small portion. “I hope we’ll unearth other interesting findings, like sculptures,” Ben-Tor said.

By Eli Ashkenazi Haaretz – July 23, 2012

SKELETONS  UNDER  THE  TEMPLE  MOUNT:  JEWS?  

A mass of skeletons has been uncovered in Jerusalem near the Temple Mount, raising speculation that the remains are those of the thousands of Jews massacred by the Romans during the destruction of the Second Temple.

Veteran archaeological journalist Benny Liss, formerly of Israel’s Channel 1, revealed the discovery during a conference in Jerusalem last week, presenting attendees with a movie documenting his findings. Filmed in a cave near the eastern wall of the Temple Mount, close to the area of Mercy Gate, Liss’ documentary “clearly shows thousands of skeletons and human bones in what appears to be a mass grave.”

Liss believes the remains are those of the 6,000 Jews killed when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple, before going on to conquer the upper city, now known as the Jewish Quarter. Though he maintained that it is only his theory, Liss substantiated his claims with historic geographic and social evidence. He also dissuaded suggestions that the skeletons could be ancient Christians or Muslims, noting the grave lacks any of the symbols that typically identify such religious burial sites.

Since releasing his findings, other archaeologists have addressed Liss’ theory with uncertainty. Former Jerusalem District archaeologist Dan Bahat said, “the bones could be Jewish, but they could just as easily be Christian or Muslim.” Archaeologist Gabriel Barkai qualified Bahat’s statement, citing Muslim mass graves that have been found in the area, but not discounting other possibilities.

According to Liss, the Antiquities Authority sealed the cave as soon as filming was completed. Officials with the Authority said they were unaware of the remains, but would be happy to examine Liss’ evidence.

It is unlikely that the site will be reopened for further exploration due to its proximity to holy sites carefully patrolled by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf.

iTau.com – August 2, 2012

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ANCIENT  JEWISH  STRUCTURE,   BUILT  BETWEEN  FOURTH  AND  SIXTH  CENTURIES

Features elaborate floor mosaics and Biblical inscriptions. Archaeologists working in the lower Galilee have discovered remnants of an elaborate

synagogue from the Talmudic period at Khirbet Hukuk, where a Jewish city once stood. The synagogue dates back to somewhere

between the fourth and sixth centuries, during the late Roman or early Byzantine period. The site is located above the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, near Kibbutz Hukuk.

The existence and location of the ancient synagogue were recorded by Rabbi Ishtori Haparchi in his Book of Bulb and Flower, the first Hebrew geography of the Land of Israel, written in the fourteenth century, and by archaeological surveys conducted in the area in the more recent past.

The surveys revealed decorative architectural elements, which were characteristic of the elaborate synagogues built in the Galilee during the period. The recent dig unearthed sections of the synagogue, including an ornate wall made of large hewn stones and a mosaic floor.

"The jewel in the crown of the discoveries this season is the colorful mosaic floor, which is of very high quality," explained Dr. David Amit of the Israel Antiquities Authority, one of the bodies supervising the dig.

The mosaic includes a Biblical description of Samson and two pairs of foxes with a burning torch tied between their tails, as described in the stories about Samson in the Book of Judges.

The mosaic also contained Hebrew inscriptions in a medallion decorated on both sides with small medallions containing spectacular descriptions of women's heads.

In the six-line inscription, part of which was found damaged, a blessing for those who dedicate their efforts to observing religious commandments and doing good deeds can be made out, which reads: "…may all your labor be good deeds… peace."

The remains of the city of Hukuk, a city of cohanim (priests) from the tribe of Asher, were identified on an adjacent hill, perched above the remains of the settlement of Hukuk from the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. The name of the town appeared in the Jerusalem Talmud, which meantioned some of the rabbis who lived there.

Last weekend marked the end of the second season of archaeological digs, which lasted approximately one month and was overseen by Prof. Judy Magnes of the University of North Carolina, assisted by Dr. David Amit and Shua Kisilevitz of the Antiquities Authority. The dig was supported by a number of American and Canadian universities, and participated in by researchers and students from those institutions.

By Eli Ashkenazi Haaretz – July 2, 2012

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SEAL  FOUND  BY  ISRAELI  ARCHEOLOGISTS  MAY  GIVE   SUBSTANCE  TO  SAMSON  LEGEND  

A small stone seal found recently in the excavations of Tel Beit Shemesh could be the first archaeological evidence of the story of the biblical Samson.

The seal, measuring 1.5 centimeters, depicts a large animal next to a human figure. The seal was found in a level of excavation that dates to the 11th century B.C.E. That was prior to the establishment of the Judean kingdom and is considered to be the period of the biblical judges - including Samson. Scholars say the scene shown on the artifact recalls the story in Judges of Samson fighting a lion.

But excavation directors Prof. Shlomo Bunimovitz and Dr. Zvi Lederman of Tel Aviv University say they do not suggest that the human figure on the seal is the biblical Samson. Rather, the geographical proximity to the area where Samson lived, and the time period of the seal, show that a story was being told at the time of a hero who fought a lion, and that the story eventually found its way into the biblical text and onto the seal.

Not far from Beit Shemesh is Tel Batash, which is the biblical Timna, where Samson's wife lived. As the Bible tells it, Samson was on his way to his engagement party when "a young lion roared against him" (Judges 14:5 ). According to the Bible, after Samson kills the lion, it becomes the source of one of the most famous riddles in history, with which Samson regales the guests at his bachelor party: "Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Judges 14:14 ).

Two structures were unearthed from the same period, which were apparently used for ritual purposes. Installations that Bunimovitz concedes are "enigmatic" were also found at the site, one of which is a kind of table next to which numerous animal bones were unearthed. Scholars think they might have been used for sacrifices.

Fundamental to the stories of the Beit Shemesh and Samson stories is the existence in the area of the boundary between the Philistines and the local people, first the Canaanites and later the people of Judah. Scholars can determine the border between the two cultures by means of the animal bones they find at or near the site.

In excavations a few kilometers west of Beit Shemesh, a large number of pig bones were found, showing the type of food people in that area consumed, while at Tel Beit Shemesh, very few such bones were unearthed, and these disappeared altogether in the 11th century.

According to Bunimovitz, when the pork-eating Philistines arrived in the country from the Aegean, the local people stopped eating pork to differentiate themselves from the newcomers.

The biblical stories reflecting Beit Shemesh's role vis-a-vis the boundary "add a legendary air to the social process in which the two hostile groups honed their separate identities, the way it happens along many borders today," Bunimovitz says.

By Nir Hasson Haaretz – July 30, 2012

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KEEPING  ISRAEL'S  SPRINGS  NATURAL    While development at natural springs can make them more tourist-friendly, environmentalists caution that it can also lead to their destruction.

Some of the most popular Israeli travel guides invite hikers to visit natural springs. The success of these books may be attributed to the draw that bodies of water have in an arid land, as well as to the fact that many natural springs have, in recent years, undergone some form of construction.

This has made them less natural and more like manmade tourist attractions, which makes them more popular. Their popularity, of course, comes with an environmental price tag, because during the various renovation projects at the springs, the surrounding landscape and nature are inevitably damaged.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel is now engaged in a concerted effort to protect the springs. This month, it published a guide for visitors to springs and the institutions interested in developing them. The new document is entitled "Israel's Springs: Recommendations for effective management of recreation activities in Israel's springs as a unique ecosystem for the benefit of man and nature." It discusses the ecology of springs and includes recommendations for protecting them. It's goal is not to keep visitors away, but rather to try to curb destructive development.

While there are springs from which only a tiny trickle of water flows during certain periods of the year, they still provide a year-long refuge and habitat for a host of flora and fauna, including amphibians, insect varieties, birds and even insect-eating bats. Surveys taken recently in the upper part of the Kishon River have shown a surprising range of animals and plants at the springs along the river.

Springs have long been diverted to serve human needs, but many have been allowed to flow unimpeded, thus maintaining the vitality of the natural assets that are dependent on them. While such springs are endangered by pollution, it seems that in recent years, the main threat has come from private and public initiatives aimed at renovating them and turning them into travel destinations.

Various forms of diversions at the springs, such as putting up structures and building pools, often transform, and even destroy, the character of the spring and its surroundings. "The problem is most severe in the Jerusalem hills," according to the SPNI's new document. "There are virtually no springs left that have not been interfered with in some way."

From development to neglect The organization says that in some cases, the spring's natural environment has been changed "in

a very aggressive way to modify it for its new purpose. For example, Ein Motza, a spring near Jerusalem just off the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, is a small spring that underwent construction and became an improvised men's mikveh (Jewish ritual bath), consisting of three immersion pools. As in other cases, this spring suffered from neglect after its conversion and is now full of debris and waste."

Even institutions such as the Jewish National Fund are liable to cause ecological damage during efforts to turn springs into public-friendly sites, says the SPNI document. It cites, for

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example, the T'heilet Valley Park near Safed, which has several springs, which was developed by the JNF without environmental planning and oversight. The result: Some of the natural habitats were destroyed, and instead there is a series of concrete pools and artificial waterfalls.

The JNF insists it has not harmed the site. "Working for nature is important to us, as is making it more accessible to the public at large," the organization said. "We have the most experience in the field of rehabilitating natural springs.

"We make use of outside experts, such as Ran Molcho who has a tremendous amount of experience in the ecological rehabilitation of springs and served as our consultant during the T'heilet Valley Park reconstruction. The work done at the site did not change any of the natural processes. On the contrary: We increased the flow of the springs by installing drainage to the benefit of plant and animal life. We reconstructed ancient pools and built additional pools to slow down wintertime flooding and increase output in the summer, when the natural gushing slows down. The assertions made by the SPNI indicate a lack of familiarity with the location and are belied by studies and observations done over the course of many years."

The SPNI is not looking to quarrel with the JNF or with any other group doing work on springs. Instead, it wants to issue recommendations for development and for public tourism at the springs, in order to prevent damage to nature. According to the environmental organization, professional ecological consultants must be part of the team developing springs. During such work, natural areas must be left untouched; sites such as manmade pools can be built near these areas, for the enjoyment of visitors. Both the continuity of water flow and the physical complexity of the site must be maintained. For example, rocks of varying sizes and shapes must cover the floor of the pool in order to create a range of biological niches.

The SPNI also recommends that springs of great ecological value should be preserved as they are, and the number of visitors allowed should be limited. The inherent natural value of these springs must outweigh considerations of public access, says the organization.

For the public at large, the document presents its "ten golden rules for conduct at a spring." It suggests that construction not be undertaken without the necessary permits from the various authorities, such as the Israel Nature and Parks Authority or drainage authorities, and that nothing at all be done without an ecological consultation.

Another recommendation is to avoid entering the wellspring itself, as it is extremely vulnerable ecologically. The SPNI also asks the public to avoid disturbing the muddy spring bottoms as much as possible, in order to protect the sensitive breathing apparatus of the animal life.

By Zafrir Rinat Haaretz – August 9, 2012

July – August 2012/04

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PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  U.S.   REJECTS  DIVESTMENT  OF  GLOBAL  COMPANIES  IN  ISRAEL  

The Presbyterian General Assembly voted in favor of boycotting goods made in settlements in Israel, but narrowly voted against divesting holdings in three multinationals that do business in the settlements. The assembly also voted in favor of a recommendation creating an option for individual pension-savers not to invest in Caterpillar, Motorola, and Hewlett Packard stock, as "choice of conscience" - to be voted on at the next General Assembly in 2014.

Sydney Levy, the Jewish Voice for Peace Director of Advocacy, congratulated the Presbyterian Church (USA) for its decision. "This vote signifies the mainstreaming of boycott as a way to oppose illegal Israeli settlements, and the Israeli occupation overall," Levy said. "This accomplishment is despite heavy-handed fear-mongering by the Jewish establishment that included threatening the future of interfaith cooperation and raising the specter of anti-semitism. The truth is, growing numbers of Jewish groups and individual Jews of conscience support some form of boycott and/or divestment as a strategic tactic to pressure Israel to end the human rights abuses of the 45-year-old occupation of Palestinian people and land."

On Thursday, the Presbyterian General Assembly, the largest Presbyterian group in the United States, voted narrowly to defeat a proposal to divest from three companies that do business with Israel. After an hours-long debate that took place late Thursday, the assembly voted 333-331, with two abstentions, to reject the divestment plan.

By Natasha Mozgovaya Haaretz – July 6, 2012

3.5  MILLION  TOURISTS  AND  COUNTING  In 2011, incoming tourism reached 3.5 million, this year it's expected to grow more, says tourism minister.

Stas Misezhnikov is Israel’s tourism minister. When he took over the Tourism Ministry nearly four years ago, the tourist industry was going through a difficult period. Incoming tourism amounted to an annual 2.7 million, and there were fears that the numbers would stagnate.

But this has not happened. In 2011, incoming tourism reached 3.5 million, and this year it is expected to rise by a few

more percentage points. But despite the rise in tourism in the past few years and the expected rise in the future,

incoming tourism has not changed a lot and is continuing on the well-trod grid of religiously oriented tourism.

In a talk we had several years ago when Misezhnikov was chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, we discussed the state of the Israeli economy and the issue of incoming tourism. He said that more emphasis should be placed on SSS tourism – sun, sea and sand. But today, the emphasis is still on religion.

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“The emphasis is still on religion,” Misezhnikov explains, “because we have a distinct advantage. We have the uniqueness of the holy land. Israel is the land of the Bible. We have the major holy sites of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These do not exist anywhere else in the world, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of that. Consequently, in our marketing campaigns, we put an emphasis on the religious element,” he says.

“Nevertheless,” he continues, “we conduct a very varied campaign. Besides emphasizing the religious aspect, we also highlight the fact that we are a holiday recreational destination with sun and surf. But in this particular aspect, we compete with other countries in the region such as Greece Turkey, Egypt and Jordan,” he says.

“However, when promoting the Western Wall or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, we have no competitors. And we promote it in such a way as to combine it with history and culture. The people who come to visit these sites are not all religiously inclined, they are not all pilgrims. Many are vacationing tourists and, as such, we promote these sites in the same way the UK promotes the Tower of London, Spain the Alhambra, Greece the Acropolis and Italy the Coliseum,” he says.

“But,” he continues, “we do not neglect our other attractions. Despite the SSS competition from Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt and Aqaba in Jordan, I decided to invest heavily in promoting Eilat as a holiday and vacation destination. In 2011, over one million tourists visited Eilat. Hotel capacity was 70 percent, and this is due in no small part to the resources we are devoting to promote this Red Sea resort city,” says Misezhnikov.

The latest figures published by Israel’s Central Statistics Bureau show that incoming tourism is growing. Is this trend sustainable, given the continuing global economic crisis and the instability in neighboring countries?

Despite the global economic downturn that is also affecting Israel, we have managed to maintain a constant rise in the number of incoming tourists.

Despite the unrest in neighboring countries and the decline in tourism to the other countries in the region, we have achieved record numbers of incoming tourists.

It has not been easy. We have increased market activities in countries less affected by the economic downturn such as India, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and other Eastern and Central European countries. We have also strengthened our relations with retail tourist operators. These policies have been successful, and we hope they will allow us to continue to increase incoming tourism.

According to the Tourism Ministry’s master plan, by 2015 we will have reached l5 million incoming tourist, a 40% rise from the expected 3.5 million plus in 2012 and an annual rise of 12%. Is that a realistic assessment?

Up to the onset of the global economic downturn, this was a feasible assessment. You have to take into account that Greece experienced a drop of 11% in incoming tourism in the first half of 2012, while the corresponding numbers in Israel have risen slightly. We are optimistic and believe that the five million mark is just a matter of time.

To reach that mark, we need an extra 19,000 hotel rooms. In 2011 we authorized grants of NIS 204 million to build additional hotel rooms, and this year we are authorizing a similar amount.

July – August 2012/04

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In addition, we have authorized grants of NIS 450 million to build additional hotel rooms and attractions in the Dead Sea area.

A rise in tourism is very good news for the local economy and for Israel in general. A satisfied, happy tourist is good public relations.

It also has a very salutary effect on the economy. In 2011 the income from tourism amounted to NIS 33 billion (approximately $9.5 billion). The number of people employed in tourism in 2011 amounted to 160,000, an increase of over 10% since 2009.

The tourist industry is a very important employer. It has its high paid top executives with their MBAs and other university degrees. But it is one of the few industries in Israel that can provide employment to unskilled labor.

Israel is a very advanced technological society. Most of the labor needs of the economy are for the skilled. But not all the seven million plus Israelis are skilled. A large tourist sector can provide employment to unskilled labor and, in so doing, resolve some pressing social problems.

We believe that by making use of existing facilities, namely enlarging existing hotels, it will be possible to build an additional 10,000 hotel rooms quickly.

We are fully aware of the changes taking place in the global tourist industry.

The advent of new low-cost airline carriers has introduced a new breed of tourists. They require modest hotels, and we intend to supply their needs.

Elections are in the air. In a few months we may have a new tourism minister. If so, how would you sum up your tenure as minister of tourism? What were your most important achievements? And if you were to continue for another four years, what would you want to accomplish?

In my opinion, elections are not just around the corner, and I have many more months as minister of tourism. But during the past three years plus, our most important achievement was enhancing the awareness of the importance of tourism as a means to achieve economic growth.

Another important achievement was increasing incoming tourism during the past two years despite the strong headwinds -- global economic recession, the Arab Spring, which has caused turmoil in the region, etc.

We have also succeeded in turning Tel Aviv into a major global tourist destination. We have also developed new tourist destinations, such as wine tourism and ethnic tourism with the Druse, Circassian and Arab communities.

By John Benzaquen The Jerusalem Post – August 26, 2012

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RECORD  FOREIGN  TOURISM  IN  JULY    In July, 296,000 visitors arrived, which was 8% more than the corresponding month last year.

The number of foreign visitors coming to Israel is breaking records this summer. In July, 296,000 visitors arrived, which was 8% more than the corresponding month last year and 6% higher than July 2010, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Since the beginning of the year, 2 million tourists have come to the country, 7% more than the same period last year and 5% more than in 2010.

"Against the backdrop of constant increases in [tourism] demand, there is an urgent need for additional hotels, which would increase competition in the industry and lower the price of accommodations for both foreign tourists and Israelis," Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said. A committee that has been examining ways to reduce vacation prices here is recommending that additional hotel rooms be built, the minister said, adding that its full recommendations would be released at the end of the month.

Of the tourists who arrived last month, 241,000 of the nearly 300,000 of them stayed overnight at least one night rather than crossing into the country for the day. There was, however, a 47% jump in visitors here for the day in July 2012 compared to July of last year, when unrest in the Arab world curbed the number of foreign tourists to Egypt, for example. Foreign visitors who come to Israel for the day spend $160 in Israel on average, the Tourism Ministry says, compared to tourists who stay in Israel for longer periods, who spend more than $1,300 on average.

The United States provided the largest single number of overnight tourists in July, 69,000, which was 9% more than came in July of last year. In second place was Russia, which provided about 30,000 visitors, 3% more than last year. British tourists were next in number, at about 14,000, up by 5%.

According to data released yesterday by the Israel Airports Authority, today alone about 61,000 air passengers are expected to arrive or depart Ben-Gurion International Airport on about 390 flights. There are several other days in August when traffic in a single day is expected to reach similar volumes, notably on Sundays and Thursdays.

The route with the largest passenger volume expected today is on flights to and from Greece, with 8,206 travelers, followed by Italy with 5,018, Germany with 4,851 and France with 4,317. In July there were 1.4 million international air travelers on 9,576 flights to and from Ben-Gurion Airport. Passenger volumes for the month were 4.5% higher than in July of last year.

The airport authority expects a total of 2.9 million arriving and departing passengers on international flights through Ben-Gurion Airport for all of July and August, which would be 2.3% more than last year. Although the authority said it has beefed up staff at the airport for the summer season, it recommends that passengers check the status of their flights before traveling to the airport. It also suggests that travelers arrive three hours before their flights.

The authority's website, www.iaa.gov.il, which features updated airport arrival and departure information, is now formatted for smartphones and tablet computers. The site is in Hebrew, English

July – August 2012/04

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and Arabic and contains flight information up to 12 hours in advance. The Airports Authority suggests that departing passengers consult their airlines' websites to see if their carrier offers the possibility of checking in online and printing boarding passes before arriving at the airport.

By Zohar Blumenkrantz Haaretz – August 9, 2012

PILGRIM  CITIES  LEAD  RISE  IN  HOTEL  STAYS    The number of hotel overnight stays in Jerusalem was up 15% in June, compared with a year earlier, to 277,000.

Tourism by Christian pilgrims is enjoying a great awakening, if the number of hotel stays in their traditional destinations of Jerusalem and Tiberias is any evidence.

The number of hotel overnight stays in Jerusalem was up 15% in June, compared with a year earlier, to 277,000, the Central Bureau of Statistics said on Monday. In the seaside down of Tiberias, growth was even higher, with the number of overnight stays jumping 22% to 55,600.

In Nazareth, another key destination of Christian pilgrims, growth was more modest - an 11% increase year on year. But even Nazareth's increase exceeded the national average for hotel overnight stays by foreign tourists, which rose 8% last month from a year earlier to 801,000, the statistics bureau said.

For the first six months of the year, overnight stays at hotels barely changed, declining 1% among foreign tourists but rising 5.6% among Israelis. Hotel occupancy rates across Israel were about 64% in the first half of the year, unchanged from the same period in 2011. In Tel Aviv, occupancy rates led the country, at close to 74%.

"The increase in the number of Israel hotel stays proves that when they are offered at basically attractive terms and during relative geopolitical calm, there is high demand both among foreign tourists and Israelis," said Ami Federman, chairman of the Israel Hotel Association.

All Israeli tourism cities registered increases in overnight stays for the first half of the year, with Nazareth leading the rise with a 52% increase from a year earlier to 45,400. Netanya saw a 22% increase in the six months to 80,500. A new development in the Israeli tourism industry is Russian visitors arriving from Crete for one-day visits. These tourists come to Israel as part of a tour package or as a breakaway trip they pay for on their own. The flights are operated by the Greek charter carrier Aegean Airlines.

By Zohar Blumenkrantz and Rina Rozenberg Haaretz – July 24, 2012

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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  Arewell celebration for Holy Land Nuncio ........................................................................................................ 2

Vatican appoints new Papal Ambassador for Israel ........................................................................................... 2 A new archbishop for the Maronites of the Holy Land ...................................................................................... 3 Pope calls for Peace in Syria .............................................................................................................................. 4 CELRA addresses the christians in Syria ........................................................................................................... 5 Syria: the Church makes an appeal for dialogue ................................................................................................ 6 Ramadan in Jerusalem ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Celebration for 150 years of Mission in the East at St. Peter in Gallicantu ....................................................... 8 In Jerusalem, the Garden for Contemplation. ................................................................................................... 10 Yad Vashem changes reference to Pius XII ..................................................................................................... 11 Archaeologists find 9500-yr-old figures near Jerusalem .................................................................................. 12 Ancient Shiloh: a new stop on the Tourist Map? ............................................................................................. 12 Cultic vessels from 13th century BCE go on display ....................................................................................... 16 Crusader gold cache found near Israeli coastal City ........................................................................................ 17 2,000-year old port discovered in Acre ............................................................................................................ 18 A 3,400-year-old mystery: who burned the palace of canaanite Hatzor? ......................................................... 20 Skeletons under the Temple Mount: Jews? ...................................................................................................... 22 Ancient Jewish structure, built between fourth and sixth centuries ................................................................. 23 Seal found by Israeli archeologists may give substance to Samson legend ..................................................... 24 Keeping Israel's springs natural ........................................................................................................................ 25 Presbyterian Church in U.S. rejects divestment of global companies in Israel ............................................... 27 3.5 million tourists and counting ...................................................................................................................... 27 Record foreign tourism in July ......................................................................................................................... 30 Pilgrim cities lead rise in hotel stays ................................................................................................................ 31  

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