Magdala - a crossroads of Jewish & Christian History

I’d like to give you more information on the Synagogue that was found in Magdala.

The main source of income for the people of Magdala was from fishing and preserving fish. There is evidence dating back as far as the 1st century BCE.

Jews were not using Synagogues in the time of the 1st Holy Temple. The 1st Synagogue, which we know of, was built in Babylon (Mesopotamia), after the destruction of the 1st Holy Temple 586 BCE.

After the 2nd Holy Temple was built by Ezra & Nehemiah, when people returned from the diaspora in Babylon, they began building synagogues and in those days, they used the Synagogues as a meeting place or a place to study the Torah.

The only place in any town or village that was big enough to gather the entire community for a town hall meeting or wedding or any other celebration was the synagogue. Remember, at that time, most of the religious ceremonies were held in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and the synagogues served as a meeting place, as described above.

In contrast to above, the synagogues built after the destruction of the 2nd Holy Temple were used as the main venue for religious ceremonies. They called it “Mikdash Me’at” - a small temple. And the direction of praying in those synagogues was Jerusalem and the Mt. of the Holy Temple. Synagogues are built in this way up until today.

The typical synagogue after the destruction of the 2nd Holy Temple changed its purpose and architecture accordingly. Since religious ceremonies started to take place in the Synagogues, they were built so that the praying direction was to Jerusalem. The main entrance/exit, like that of the Holy Temple, was from the South. The idea behind this was to give one the look and feel of entering the Holy Temple in the time of Jesus (2nd Holy Temple).

In northern Israel, (praying direction is to the south to Jerusalem), the above way of building the synagogues, created a unique & unusual architecture. It meant that both praying direction and the entrance were to/from the South. This unique structure is called: a Galilee Synagogue.

We are, therefore, 100% sure that the synagogue uncovered in Magdala is from a time before the Holy Temple destruction and from Jesus’ time as it does not have one clear praying direction and all its seats surround the main hall.

Today, there is a beautiful new Church that was recently built on this site.

I'd like to thank Apian Media for this video.