#tzippori

Two subterranean Byzantine period wine presses were discovered in recent excavations at Tzippori National Park. Unearthed inside a massive five-arched water cistern about 200 meters outside of town, they are the only wine presses that have been documented to date that were built inside a covered water reservoir.

A watchful hiker spotted suspicious digging near the northern Israel town of Tzippori this weekend, leading to the arrest of a gang of antiquities robbers.

In a joint operation between the Israel Antiquities Authority’s unit for theft prevention and local Jezreel Valley security officials, two out of three of the robbers were taken to the Nazareth jail for investigation. The suspects, both in their thirties and residents of Nazareth, were discovered with digging tools by the IAA team, which nabbed them after a chase on foot.

Field Study 1 - Sept. 4

Destination(s): Tzippori, Nazareth, and Tzafat

Tzippori's name comes from the fact that the city sits on top of a mountain, like a bird (tzippori) would. The city is not mentioned a lot when talking about the great triumphs of Judaism, however it is important to point out that this city really is a stronghold of Jewish civilization. The city is home to Rabbi Yehuda Hannasi who is responsible for the writings of the Mishna, or Jewish law. It's also important to note that Tzippori is the only Jewish city that refuses to fight in 66 B.C. against the Romans, therefore making it one of the only cities that survives. 

What I found most interesting on the site, where an archeological dig has been underway for years, was the immense technological advancements that civilization had made in this time. Although we don't think about it now, water was a major concern for these people. Think about it, how were they going to have a water supply that would last the entire year?  The answer: they developed an intricate water system that delivered water from house to house. 

These people also had a great appreciation for art with mosaics that would take as many as 10 years to complete. The mosaics could be found in the market, the synagogue, and the house of the governor. In fact, Tzippori is home to what is commonly known as "The Mona Lisa of the Gaililee."

(Note: The Mona Lisa of the Gaililee is one of the most well known mosaics from the Gaililee during this time period.)

The next stop of the day - Nazareth 

In class we had begun to look at Christianity and how, at the time, Jesus' teachings were really just an extension of Judaism. However, it's really in Nazareth that you see a shift of religion being from "land based" (Judaism - the idea of returning to the land of Israel) to "mission based" (Christianity). In Nazareth we went to the Church of the Annunciation, which was really interesting because now the area has become progressively less dominated by the Christians, which now make up some 38% of the town. The Muslim population has steadily become more intent on projecting the message of Islam on the area, and in recent years the Muslim population wanted to build a mosque near the Basilica. (You can read more about that here: http://www.voanews.com/content/christian-muslim-relations-in-nazareth-amicable-christian-community-survival-endangered-122945023/173000.html ) 

Around the outside of the church, in the courtyard, there are mosaics that interpret the relationship between Mary and Jesus from different Catholic communities around the world. What's really interesting about these mosaics is how each culture envisions Mary and Jesus as being part of their ethnicity. In Western society people think of Jesus, and all Prophetic figures, as being Caucasian. But, when you really think about it, they probably weren't because they're from the Middle East. I mean, it's a common trait of human nature. We all want to see people, especially our role models, as being like us - it makes them more relatable. 

(Note: Thailand - interpretation of Mary and Jesus)

(Note: Greece - interpretation of Mary and Jesus; this was my favorite.)

Final stop - Tzfat

Commonly known for being the founding city of Kabbalah, a study center for the followers of the tradition, the streets are alive with mysticism and the talk of a Messiah coming to save us and bring us into a new age. The understanding among the religious in Judaism, and Kabbalah, is that the Messiah will come to Tzfat when he/she arrives. My professor, Yisrael, told us a story about a poor old woman who sat in the same place everyday waiting for the Messiah to come. With her she would bring food that she sat aside everyday, the idea being that she would be the first person to welcome him/her into the community; I found this story a pretty powerful testament of faith and belief in deliverance. 

Our class went to meet a Kabbalistic artist, David Friedman, who uses his studies and insight into the beliefs to create his art. He explained some of the principles of Kabbalah to us, the most interesting in my mind being the connection of the Hebrew Aleph Bet to Kabbalistic understanding. He explained that the letters Aleph (numeric value 1), Shin (numeric value 3), and Mem (numeric value 4) connect on several different levels. The first being that together the values of the letters make 8, which when put on its side is infinity - not having a beginning or end.

(Note: Art by - David Friedman, Entitled - Primary Sounds)

http://www.kosmic-kabbalah.com/primary-sounds-version-1

He also explains it this way:

"Now look at the yellow diagonal line.  It can be seen as the Hebrew letter Vav pronounced Wow.  It can also be seen as the numeral One.  The Wow of thisAleph balances and united the red Shin ש the blue final Mem ם. 

The Three Mother Letters, Aleph, Mem and Shin are primary sounds. 

Aleph is a silent letter that represents the Breath of Air that forms the sounds of all spoken letters. 

Shin is a hissing sound formed with open lips and the breath coming out between the teeth. 

Mem is the opposite of Shin.  Mem is a humming sound formed with closed lips and the breath resonating inward."

I found these concepts very interesting and talking to him about his philosophies and artwork was my favorite part of the day. After talking to him we had the opportunity to wander around for a few minutes in the artist colony. All of the artwork was breathtaking filled with immense amounts of reflection on religion and being inspired by the concept of the divine and return of the Messiah. I purchased a beautiful sterling silver and leather bracelet (with turquoise beads) that has a design with the Shema on it.