Synagogue

Synagogue Review

A Jewish community lived in Ein Gedi for more than 1,200 years, beginning in the 7th century BC. In the 3rd century AD, they built a synagogue nestled between Nahal David and Nahal Arugot whose beautiful mosaic floor is a highlight worth seeing. The mosaic includes an inscription in Hebrew and Aramaic invoking the wrath of heaven on various troublemakers, including "whoever reveals the secret of the town." The secret is believed to refer to a method of cultivating a now-extinct balsam tree, which was used to make the prized perfume for which Ein Gedi was once famous. To get here from Nahal David parking lot, continue south a few hundred yards through the date orchards.