Overview

Bibliography

Gush Halav (Gischala) is a village in the Upper Galilee on the modern site of the Arab village of el-Jish, north of Meiron. In the valley east of the village, in a fig orchard, a lower synagogue (the upper synagogue was incorporated into a later church in the village itself) attracted the attention of several nineteenth century explorers. H. Kohl and C. Watzinger first surveyed the site in 1905, but they misunderstood the basic architectural layout of the synagogue.

The synagogue was fully excavated in 1977 and 1978 by Eric M. Meyers, Carol L. Meyers, and James F. Strange for the American Schools of Oriental Research. They uncovered an unusual square synagogue of the basilica type that was founded in the Late Roman period. It was damaged in the earthquakes of 306 and 363, but was repaired along the same lines. The floors of the synagogue continued to be renewed regularly into the Late Byzantine period. The synagogue was probably destroyed and abandoned during the great earthquake of 551.