Archives: Student Handouts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Sophie Crump – The Baha’i Faith in Israel

The Baha'i Faith in Israel  Key Figures The Báb (“The Gate”) - Born in Persia. The forerunner of the Bahá'í Faith and founder of the Bábi religion. Promised the imminent revelation of the Promised One awaited by all religions. Buried in Haifa. Bahá'u'lláh (“Glory of God”) - Born in Persia. Founder of the Bahá'í... More

Monday, June 16, 2014

Natalia Pochtaruk – Temple Mount Sifting Project

In an area near Mt. Scopus which is where we are staying, prominent archaeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay and his student/colleague Zachi Zweig developed a project for the excavation and sifting of the debris from the Temple Mount. We've kept talking on this trip of how Jerusalem is holy for the three mainstream monotheistic religions... More

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Kilian McCormick – Capernaum

Background • Established in the 2nd century BCE by the Hasmoneans and abandoned by the 11th century CE • Two ancient synagogues (left) and an octagonal church have been excavated in... More

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Alex Chaffey – Masada

Josephus Describes the Mass Suicide at Masada - Why would there have been a mass suicide? Josephus states that "these people died with this intention, that they would leave not so much as one soul among them all alive to be subject to the Romans" - Josephus would not have known what was going... More

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Christina Pasqua – Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Focus The split between Pauline Christianity and Gnostic Christianity. The former emphasized Jesus’ death and resurrection and the latter distinguished itself by focusing on the wisdom and knowledge that Jesus’ teachings transmit. Since we are visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, I will emphasize the significance of Jesus’ crucifixion,... More

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Tiffany McDougall – Pools of Bethesda

"After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew[a] Beth-zatha,[b] which has five porticoes. In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.[c] One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When... More

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Erin Drawson – The Lachish Letters

Eighteen ostraca were in 1935 at Lachish by J.L. Starkey. Of the eighteen, nine are actually legible. They were found in what was left of a small room under the Eastern outer gate at Lachish. They were found among ash and charcoal, interpreted as the final Babylonian destruction in the year 587 BCE. At... More

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Simon Zeldin – City of David: Distinguishing Religion from Religious History

Traditional (Zionist) Perspective: “Birthplace” of Jerusalem – kingdom of the biblical David City lies on a narrow ridge, south of the present-day Old City of Jerusalem Borders the Kidron Valley, where the Gihon Spring serves as its main water source 1064 BCE, King David establishes his kingdom here, conquering the Jebusites According to the... More

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Dana Murray – Voluntary Associations and Judaean Identity Expressed in Synagogue Art

Sites: Beit She’an (c. 4-7th century), Beth Alpha (5-6th century CE), Ein Gedi (3-6th century CE) and Hamat Tiberias (4th century CE) synagogues Readings: Primary: Judith; Josephus, Vita 276-81, 290-303; Matt 4:23; Luke 4:14-15; m. Ned. 5:5; m. Shebu. 4:10; m. Neg. 13:12; Josephus, B.J. 2.289; Beth Alpha Inscription; Ein Gedi Inscription.... More

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Sarah Cook – Modi’in: A History of Preservation through Revolution

Modi’in Today The city of Modi’in faces tension between municipal modernizing and preservation forces. At its modern foundation Modi’in was considered a fully modern and secular metropolis situated between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and feeding into their working populations, giving families a beautiful city to live in that offered a reasonable... More

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Bliss Tracy – Qumran Fact Sheet

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls The Qumran site is located on the west side of the Dead Sea and about 5 km inland, just where the arable land ends at the base of a rugged rocky cliff.  It was here in 1947 that one of the most remarkable archaeological discoveries in all... More

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