Amit Rozenblum, Site Conservator, Israel Antiquities Authority
The synagogue was created as a physical place of worship because at a specific point in history the survival of the Jewish faith depended on it. What contributed to the appearance of synagogues in the Jewish religion? To answer the question, this lecture will go through the historical events, the necessary changes to Jewish laws, and the new Jewish leadership leading to the emergence of the synagogue. To do this we will learn about the unique architectural features of the first type of synagogues in the Galilee and the Golan Heights as we examine four case studies and learn about the conservation work that took place in them. They were part of the first kind of conservation project of ancient synagogues in the Galilee and the Golan Heights led by the speaker in 2013-2014.