Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park (on Kibbutz Hefzibah)
Park located on Kibbutz Hefzibah, some 20 mins to the west of Beth Shean on Route 669 (watch for the signs), open April-September 8am-5pm, October-March 8am-4pm, admission adults NIS 18, children NIS 8, groups: adults NIS 15, children NIS 7 - the site of an excavated 5th century synagogue with a remarkable mosaic floor, Beit Alfa was the scene of the first native Israeli archaeological excavation, conducted even before Independence. An Aramaic inscription states that the mosaic was laid at the time of the emperor Justin the Greek inscription is in memory of the artists who made the mosaic, Marianus and his son Hanina. The highlight of the site is the mosaic floor in the central room of the synagogue, easily one of the most important mosaics discovered in Israel. Each of its three panels depicts a scene - the Holy Ark, the Zodiac (with the names of the 12 signs in Hebrew and a central image of the sun-god Helios - a most unusual addition to a synagogue!), and the story of the attempted sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham. The four women in the corners of the mosaic represent the four seasons. A film about life in the ancient village and the making of the mosaic floor is available to view in Hebrew, English and German.The Beit Alfa synagogue was constructed in the fifth century C.E. It had a courtyard, an entryway, a large rectangular room, a second-floor balcony, and an additional room. Two inscriptions were found on the entryway floor. The Aramaic inscription states that the mosaic was made at the time of Justin (apparently Justin I, who ruled from 518 to 527); the Greek inscription is in memory of the artists who made the mosaic, Marianus and his son Hanina.
The piece de resistance is the mosaic floor in the central room, one of the most important mosaics discovered in Israel. Each of its three panels depicts a scene - the Holy Ark, the zodiac, and the story of the sacrifice of Isaac.
The zodiac has the names of the twelve signs in Hebrew. In the center is Helios, the sun god, being whisked away in his chariot by four galloping horses. The four women in the corners of the mosaic represent the four seasons. The most touching scene is, of course, that of a bearded Abraham preparing to sacrifice his bound son Isaac.
Visitors can also watch a film about life in the ancient village and the making of the mosaic floor. The soundtrack is available in Hebrew, English, and German.
Beit Alfa is a kibbutz in the Northern District of Israel, near the Gilboa ridge. The kibbutz was founded in 1922 by Hashomer Hatzair volunteers. In 1940 some of the members, affiliated with Hashomer Hatzair, moved to Ramat Yohanan kibbutz, in exchange for supporters of Mapai from Ramat Yohanan. Its dairy was the first Israeli dairy to use robotic milking technology.
The Beit Alfa Synagogue National Park in the nearby kibbutz of Heftziba, contains an ancient Byzantine-era synagogue, with a mosaic floor depicting the lunar Hebrew months as they correspond to the signs of the zodiac.
Controversy
Kibbutz Beit Alfa has been controversial because one of its main industries is riot control equipment that is sold to regimes that some accuse of abusing human rights. During the 1980s, Beit Alfa sold water cannon to the apartheid regime in South Africa. Officials from Beit Alfa have defended selling such weapons to human-rights abusing regimes, on the grounds that compared with live ammuniton, water cannon save the lives of demonstrators who otherwise might be shot dead with live ammunition.
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