2 3 4 5 6 7 Chapter Two | Jewish Roots in Gaza Chapter Two Jewish Roots in Gaza The Jewish history of the Gaza region starts in the biblical period. According to some interpreta�ons, our na�on's ancestors lived in today's Gush Ka�f area. It is said about Abraham, our forefather Isaac, our forefather: "And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the land of the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. For a while he stayed in Gerar" (Genesis 20:1). It is said about Isaac, the forefather: "And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philis�nes unto Gerar." (Genesis 20:1). According to most biblical scholars, the city of Gerar is located in the Western Negev, not far from Gaza, as explained in Noah Pericope (Parashat Noah): "And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza" (Genesis 10:19). The Arab regional council of the villages in the Deir al-Balah area, eastward of Gush Ka�f, is s�ll called Gerrara Regional Council, probably a�er the ancient se�lement of Gerar, because, as is known, in various places in Israel, the Arab names preserved the ancient biblical names.1 The history of the city of Gaza is also steeped in Jewish events and symbols throughout the genera�ons - the days of the forefathers, the se�lement period, the figure of Samson, the takers of the ark of God's covenant from Gaza in the days of Eli and Samuel, King Solomon and Hezekiah's era, the Hasmonean period, the Second Temple and its destruc�on, the periods of the Mishnah and the Talmud, the Middle Ages and current century. Among the famous figures in Gaza, are Nathan of Gaza, who served as a prophet for the Jewish messiah claimant Sabbatai Zevi, and the bard Rabbi Israel Najara, author of the liturgical poem (Piyyut) "Yāh Eternal Lord." The many wars Gaza had undergone had a powerful impact on the Jewish se�lement in the city. Jewish se�lement there began during such a war, when Jonathan the Hasmonean, brother of Judah the Maccabee, conquered Gaza in the year 3615 (145 BCE), and his brother Shimon placed Jews there. Over �me, the residents of Gaza freed themselves from the Hasmonean yoke, but it was subdued a second �me during the reign of Alexander Yanai in the year 3664 (96 BCE).2 The Hasmoneans ruled the land for fi�y years un�l it was conquered by the Roman army led by Pompey Magnus in 63 BCE. Pompey Magnus liberated all the Hellenis�c ci�es the Jews had conquered since the �me of John Hyrcanus, gran�ng them limited autonomy under the auspices of the Roman commissioner Gabinius. One of the manifesta�ons of that libera�on was the permission granted to these ci�es to count their years according to their libera�on date.3 As Pompey Magnus celebrated his victories in Asia in Rome in 61 BCE, this year also marked the first year Gaza began coun�ng its own years.4 During the first Jewish-Roman War (also known as " The Great Revolt"), the Jews a�acked Gaza and its surroundings, leading to extensive killing and destruc�on.5 During the Mishnah and Talmud era, there was a change in the halachic status of the city, and a rela�vely large Jewish community was established there. Un�l then, Gaza was considered outside the 'boundary of Babylonian immigrants', meaning its region was not bound by the halachic decrees (Mitzvot) related to the Land of Israel.6 Un�l a few years ago, one could s�ll read on the pillars of the great mosque in Gaza the inscrip�on "Hananya Bar-Ya'acov" in Greek and Hebrew, and on top of it a Menorah with a ram's horn (Shofar) on one side and Citrus Medica (Etrog), on the other side evidence of the existence of a Jewish synagogue, probably used by a Jewish community.7 This important archaeological find discovered in 5630 (1870) was probably vandalized by na�onalist Arabs shortly a�er the outbreak of the Arab riots in Israel ('In�fada' in Arabic) in 5747 (1987). During the �me of the Talmud, most of the northern Negev was inhabited by Jews, and was called 'Gerrarthika' - The Land of Gerar. The Talmud describes Kfar Darom as a point in the southwest of the region. Sage Eliezer Ben Yitzhak, a man from Kfar Darom, appears in the Sotah tractate (20:72). 'Darom' (South) was the name of the city that existed there during the Crusades - one of the most prosperous eras in that region.8 Researcher Ashtori ha-Parhi (who immigrated to the Land of Israel from France at the beginning of the 14th century and studied its places and an�ques) men�oned the city of Darom in his book 'Ka�or va-Ferach,' no�ng that it was about two hours away from Gaza, and some people call it Daron. The name Darom also appears in medieval literature, especially among Arab geographers. They men�on that the name is a combina�on of the words Deir-a-Rom (Monastery of the Romans). This name was shortened to Deir.9 The Hida (aka Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai ben Yitzhak Zerachia) wrote in his report of his journeys in the Land of Israel in the year 5513 (1753): "In the light of the holy Shabbat we traveled, and on the day we camped at a place called Deir"10... At a later stage - presumably only in the 19th century - the word 'Balach' (meaning "Date fruit") was added to the word 'Deir,' probably because of the many palm groves in the area.11 The largest synagogue in the the Land of Israel One of the relics from the Jewish se�lement in the Roman-Byzan�ne �me is the remains of the ancient synagogue of the Jewish community that lived in Gaza-Maiumas (Gaza Sea), where a large and beau�ful mosaic floor was discovered. The floor was discovered on the seashore, near the Gaza port pier. It depicts animals from Africa, all of which are decorated with medallions. At the entrance to the central hall, a figure was discovered, playing the harp and enchan�ng the beasts. The name "David" is wri�en above the figure in Hebrew le�ers. The mosaic's central inscrip�on is in Greek, reading: "We, Menachem and Yeshua, sons of the late Ishay, wood merchants, as a token of our admira�on for the holiest site, donated this mosaic in the month of Lous, on the year 569." The year 569 is according to Gaza's unique coun�ng, which, as men�oned, was set during the �me of Commissioner Aulus Gabinius to mark the expulsion of the Jews from the city. Hence, the synagogue was built in 508 or 509 BCE, i.e., during the Roman-Byzan�ne occupa�on, and was probably destroyed during the Arab occupa�on in the 7th century BCE when Gaza-Maiumas was destroyed.12 We have evidence of Gaza's importance during the Byzantine occupation (between 324 and 638 BCE) as a sort of substitute for Jerusalem from a Karaite source, from which we learn that in those days, the Jews would make a pilgrimage to Gaza because of the prohibition imposed by the Romans to go to Jerusalem.13 During the Byzantine period, there was a real war between the Jews and the Christians in Gaza. During the time of Julian (around 360 BCE) - the Roman emperor who encouraged the re-establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, and sought the separation of Church and State and a return to idolatry - the Jews burned Christian churches in Gaza.14 1 The inscrip�on 'Hananya Bar Ya'acov' found in the great mosque of Gaza, and was later destroyed 2 A mosaic from the ancient synagogue in Gaza - King David plays the harp 3 The mosaic inscrip�on in the synagogue in Gaza as it was discovered 4 The mosaic floor at the site of the synagogue in Gaza before it was displaced 5 The mosaic and the inscrip�on when they were displayed in Netzarim (photo dd. 1987)
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