Historic discovery - Archaeologists uncover 1,500-year-old synagogue in Golan Heights

An ancient synagogue dating back 1,500 years has been uncovered during an archaeological excavation in the Yehudiya Nature Reserve in the Golan Heights, according to a statement released on Sunday by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

The excavation, carried out by the Nature and Parks Authority and the University of Haifa, revealed the ancient synagogue, whose exact location had remained unknown until now. Dozens of decorated items, basalt lintels, and columns were found at the site, confirming the presence of the synagogue.

A focused dig revealed the structure itself for the first time: two rows of stones from the building’s southern wall, constructed from hewn stones, featuring three doorways. Nearby, two lintels were discovered close to their original locations opposite the entrances – one of which is decorated. The Golan region was home to a Jewish population during the Roman and Byzantine periods – spanning from the 1st century B.C. to the 7th–8th centuries A.D.

"As part of a long-term research project documenting architectural elements from villages in the Golan – together with Prof. Chaim Ben-David and Dr. Benny Arubas – we documented over 150 items at the Yehudiya Reserve, most of which were reused in the abandoned Syrian village. However, the location of the synagogue remained unknown until now," said Dr. Michael Azband from the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.

“We noticed an unusual concentration of architectural fragments and column drums laid along a path in the modern abandoned village, and that’s where we decided to investigate. Right at the beginning of the excavation, dozens of architectural items were uncovered, and later – to our surprise – the southern wall of the building with its three entrances facing Jerusalem was revealed,” he added.

It was noted that although hundreds of architectural elements from the Byzantine period had been previously documented in the Yehudiya Reserve, the synagogue’s exact location had remained a mystery, according to experts in the field.

According to Dr. Dror Ben-Yosef, an archaeologist with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, “Besides this synagogue, around 25 other ancient synagogues have been discovered in the Golan, bearing witness to the strong Jewish presence in the region. These synagogues served not only as places of prayer, but also as centers for learning and the promotion of Jewish literacy. The Sages frequented these buildings and spread Jewish knowledge to all members of the community, from children to the elderly. We intend to complete the excavation of this magnificent synagogue at Yehudiya and make it accessible to all visitors to the reserve.”