Daniel’s DerechYour monthly journey to the Land of Israel with tour guide Daniel Sokol!

THE ANCIENT SYNAGOGUE-BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEN AND NOW

A look into some of the ancient synagogues unearthed in Israel. Discover the surprising element that is still found in synagogues today!

Ask the Tour Guide

New to hotel Israeli breakfasts?Get the info on what to expect in the

Ask the Tour Guide section.

Just for Kids

Bring the flavor of Israel right to your kitchen with these home-made,

kid-friendly rugelach!

Issue 1 ~ August 2009

US line: 412-567-5932Cell: 050-818-3786

Email: sokoltours@gmail.comWeb: www.sokol-tours.com

Copyright 2009C

On Daniel’s Derech...

Welcome to the first issue of Daniel’s Derech (“way” or “path”). These monthly newsletters will be filled with topics of interest, favorite sites around Israel, trip ideas for your next visit to Israel, and much more! Check out our feature article and discover a surprising uniting element between our synagogues today and those from ancient times. Also, be sure to have a taste of Israel with our kid-friendly rugelach recipe in the “Just for Kids” section!

Interested in a specific topic and want to see it featured in a future issue of Daniel’s Derech? Send us an email at sokoltours@gmail.com!

?Ask theTourGuideHave a question about a particular site in Israel, or need a recommendation for an upcoming family trip? Send us an email with “Ask the Tour Guide” in the subject line. Maybe your question will be featured in a future issue!

Our hotel says that it serves an “Israeli” breakfast- what does that mean and will our kids be able to fi nd something they enjoy eating at the buffet?Q:

An Israeli breakfast is an experience not to be missed! In addition to dozens of different salads, you will also be

able to taste a variety of cheeses, fruits, breads, spreads, and more. Coffee, tea, milk, and orange juice are also commonly served. Many hotels offer eggs to order, or some other hot food

such as pancakes or shakshouka, an Israeli egg and tomato dish. For the picky eaters among us, cereal similar to what you would fi nd back home is usually available. Don’t forget to visit the dessert table- rugelach, halva, and other Middle Eastern delicacies are just a few of the delicious sweets that you will fi nd. An Israeli breakfast is a great way to start the day!

A:

Daniel’s Derech, August 2009 1

Picture this: You are at a friend’s Bar Mitzvah out of town. You walk into the synagogue and are

suddenly surrounded by a familiar site- donor plaques are everywhere! “Hey”, you think, “this is just like my synagogue back home!”. Plaques thanking the Cohen family for their generous donation of the front doors, gold squares commemorating the Stein family on the gift of a silver tzedakah (charity) box, and more!

Sound familiar?

Probably, and with good reason! The concept of the synagogue has been a focal point of Jewish communities worldwide since the destruction of the second Bet

Hamikdash (Temple). It has served as house of prayer and Torah reading, a central meeting place, and even an area for community celebrations. And what better way to help build up your community synagogue and contribute to its upkeep, then to donate gifts, time, charity and more.

This idea of giving to and supporting the community synagogue is found even in ancient synagogues! In fact, recent archaeological discoveries throughout Israel have found multiple mosaics with the very thing that we find in our synagogues today- donor plaques! The next pages will show us just a few examples of these ancient donor commemoration cards that we have found.

TheAncient ynagogueSBridging the gap between then and now.

Daniel’s Derech, August 2009 2

The Ein Gedi Synagogue dates back to the 3rd century and is known for having

one of the longest inscriptions in its donor commemoration mosaic. Discovered in

1968 by kibbutz members who were trying to plow the land to plant date palms, work was brought to a standstill when they came across this buried mosiac.

The inscription mentions the names of three men who contributed money

to the synagogue, and received this mosaic as thanks. Although the inscription is a little hard to make out (and is written in Aramaic),

there are some words that are clearly recognizable.

The synagogue of Bet Alpha is found near Bet Shean. In keeping with tradition,

it was built facing Jerusalem and is home to an incredibly detailed mosaic. This work of art includes geometric shapes, fruits, and animals. The focal point of the mosaic is an enormous zodiac, which was common in synagogues during that era. Also featured is a depiction of the story of the sacrificing of Issac.

There is an inscription found near the bottom thanking the donors. It appears that the Bet Alpha community joined together in a group contribution equaling 100 measures of wheat. This contribution covered the expenses of creating the mosaic- one of the finest ones ever discovered in Israel.

Ein Gedi Synagogue

Bet Alpha SynagogueDaniel’s Derech, August 2009 3

The Hammat Tiberias synagogue is located south of Tiberias and is

also known as the Severus Synagogue. The mosaic on the floor is one of the

earliest discoveries from Byzantine Israel. This mosaic too, displays a beautiful zodiac, and upon entering

the building one finds themselves standing between two mosaic

lions with an inscription placed between them.

According to the inscription, a man named Severus, the

son of a prominent Jewish figure, donated most of the money to this synagogue.

As a result, the place became known as the Severus Synagogue.

Zippori was the capitol of the

Galilee and was home to Jews

and non-Jews alike. The floor of the

synagogue is covered in beautiful

mosaics, with images ranging from

scenes from the Torah, inscriptions

and quotes, and a zodiac.

Among the many inscriptions

found in the mosaic, one that we

have featured is in thanks to the

donors “Yudan son of Isaac the

Cohen and Paragri his daughter”.

These people are thought to

have contributed funds to

create the mosaic covering

the floor.Zippori Synagogue

Hammat Tiberias Synagogue

Daniel’s Derech, August 2009 4

KidsJust for

ids

Miss the excitement of the Shuks (markets) that you visited during your trip to Israel? Bring the taste and smells of these Israeli markets to your own kitchen with these kid-friendly Chocolate Rugelach!

Ingredients1 roll of frozen puff pastry dough (defrosted according to

package directions)

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ cups finely chopped nuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, nuts, and

chocolate chips.

3. Unroll the defrosted puff pastry dough on a floured surface.

4. Spread the filling mixture over the unrolled dough.

5. Using a sharp knife (a parents’ job), cut long triangular wedges from

the dough.

6. Beginning with the wide end of the triangle, begin rolling up

the rugelach.

7. Place each rolled rugelach, point-side down, on a greased

cookie sheet.

8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly brown.

9. Enjoy!

Daniel’s Derech, August 2009 5