Reconstruction of the Susiya synagogue bema (podium)

The magnificent synagogue of Susiya in the southern Hebron hills stood for hundreds of years and underwent many renovations. Its bema (podium) was built next to the long northern wall, which featured three arched niches. The central one held the Torah Ark, and the two others each held a menorah. The bema's carved and incised motifs included menorahs, animals, and plants. Numerous donor inscriptions on the walls and floor attest to the community's active participation in the building's construction.The posts, chancel screens, carved decorations, and floor sections exhibited here were all found in excavations of the Susiya synagogue. The human and animal images that originally decorated the synagogue were meticulously defaced in the 8th century, under Muslim rule, when figurative art was prohibited