Beit Alpha

$The synagogue in Beit Alfa (NKH\400592)$ In 1928, during the digging of irrigation canals, a member of kibbutz Hefzibah came across an ancient mosaic. The archeological remains were discovered on land belonging to the Jewish National Fund within the territory of Kibbutz Hefzibah, but in order to carry out archeological excavation, permission from the British Department of Antiquities was required. The letter shown here was written by Frederick Hermann Kisch, the head of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency’s Zionist Executive, to the British Department of Antiquities. In the letter he reports the discovery of the mosaic and asks permission to begin an excavation led by a team of the Hebrew University. The permission was granted, and the excavations begun, led by Eleazar Sukenik. A synagogue and a mosaic floor from the fifth century were discovered. The site was named Beit Alpha after an Arab settlement located nearby.

$A letter from F. H. Kisch (S1\1607)$

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Beit Alpha