david's capital

Jerusalem- David’s CapitalMarc RosenbergDaniel Rose

Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year87Grade Yom

Yerushalayim

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Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year

Yom Yerushalayim

Jerusalem- David’s Capital

Grade 7

Marc Rosenberg

Daniel RoseLOOKSTEIN

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Lookstein Center Director and Educational Consultant: Stuart ZweiterAcademic Consultant and Curriculum Developer: Michael GrunzweigEducational Advisors: Chana German, Eli KohnEducational Supervisor: Moshe AbeleszGraphic Design: Dov Abramson ::: Orit Ditur, Ruth Gershuni Illustrations: Orit DiturFront Cover Concept: Ori RozevichGraphics Coordinator: Michal FinkelbergEditorial Advisor: Alissa BursteinProject Director: Yonah Fuld

© Copyright 2010Developed by The Lookstein Center, Bar Ilan University. The syllabus outline for this series was initially based on a curriculum development project which The Lookstein Center was commissioned to develop and implement by AMODS, Yeshiva University.

We acknowledge with gratitude the following sources of photographs and maps listed below: Bibleplace.com (page 27 [bottom])Isaac Shweky (page 32 [right and left])

Wikipedia (pages 7, 9, 10, 20, 23’ 25’ 27 [top], 30, 32 [middle], 33, 34, 38, 39, 40, 42-43)

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Jerusalem - David’s CapitalTable of Contents

Page

Introduction 7

Lesson 1

Archeology 101 8

Lesson 2

Establishing a Capital 17

Lesson 3

Hezekiah's Strategy 28

Lesson 4

Jerusalem's Destruction Remembered 36

This booklet is filled with lots of interesting information. If you only have time to study certain sections in class, we invite you to look at the others in your free time.

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This project was made possible

through the vision and generosity of

Evelyn and Dr. Shmuel Katz of Bal Harbour, Florida

and reflects their great love and commitment

to Jewish education and the State of Israel

and was lovingly dedicated to the memory of

Jacob Dov Katz Z”L

and Sarah Rohr A”H

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Introduction

Dear Student,

We are about to take a trip to Jerusalem during the First Temple period. To learn more about this important period in Jewish history we are going to utilize the expert help of scholars and archeologists and they will help us to reconstruct a picture of life in Jerusalem during this time period.

The work of an archeologist and that of a construction worker is similar, yet very different.

A construction worker studies the plans. He then orders the materials and builds the new building. An archeologist, on the other hand, must reconstruct buildings and civilizations from the past by carefully digging through the ruins and rubble of centuries, and putting them back together.

It is important for archeologists to pay close attention to all the details of a dig. They gently sift through the rocks and dirt in order to ensure that they don't miss out on discovering any important artifacts (ancient articles). Archeologists use artifacts to tell the historical story of a place.

In the next few lessons we will be using archeology to learn about ancient Jerusalem.

In order to do that, we must first take a crash course in archeology.

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Jerusalem - David’s Capital

Lesson 1

Archeology 101

Your aims for this lesson are to:

• Learn about archeology and how it helps us to understand the lives of people from the past

• Learn about some of the important archeological discoveries in Israel and how they have helped us to understand what it was like to live in Biblical times

• Identify some important archeological finds in Jerusalem and learn about their historical significance

Activity 1

Archeological Analysis

Imagine 1,000 years from now, an archeologist uncovers the contents of your backpack or school locker.

1. List five objects that you have in your backpack or locker at this moment, such as a student ID card.

2. Write at least three sentences that describe what they could learn about your society from these five objects, for example, the need for student ID might suggest security issues in public places.

3. If your class wanted to place a time capsule underneath your school for future archeologists to discover and learn about life in your school 1,000 years from now, what would you place it in, and why?

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You have been recruited to become one of the trained scholars to identify the treasures of the past and help restore them to their former glory. Today you will be exploring one of the most historically rich cities in the world: ancient Jerusalem. But first let’s become acquainted with the field of archeology.

What Is Archeology and What Do Archeologists Actually Do?

Archeologists are scientists who uncover the remains of past civilizations to better understand life in those times and how human culture developed. They do this by studying the places where people once lived and sifting through whatever remains. Archeologists have discovered items that are hundreds and even thousands of years old. These are called artifacts and can include parts of buildings, inscriptions, tools, graves and pottery. These artifacts are often recovered by excavating a site where they believe there was once a human settlement. These sites look like artificial mounds, as opposed to natural hills. Therefore, hidden artifacts could be buried there, waiting to be discovered.

How does the archeologist know where to start digging?

Often we know from an ancient text, such as the Tanach, that people lived in a general area. Yet, a city no longer exists there. The archeologist will then begin a search for a "tel," an artificial mound.

A tel might be the result of several civilizations, each one built on top of the ruins of the previous one, suggesting that ancient settlements are buried there.

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A Tel- an artificial mound

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How did this happen? Originally a city was built. When that city and its buildings were destroyed by war, natural disasters etc., it would become covered up and buried

with sand, rubble and dust over a period of hundreds of years.

Often a new city would be built on top of the ruins of the old, "recycling" the building

materials of the old civilization to build the new buildings. Over time, the new city would also be destroyed and again get covered over. As the years pass, the site would grow taller and larger as more dust

and rubble would cover it. The archeologist would then discover this "tel" and would begin studying it.

Archeologists begin with a site survey, which helps them narrow down where to start. They mark likely places and dig small, but controlled, test pits, to get a preview of what they might find. Then the site is "gridded" (with string and stakes) so the excavation can begin and the location of any artifacts that are found can be carefully documented. Then, layer by layer, unit by unit, they use special tools to dig, photograph, and draw what they see. They also take soil samples and mark artifacts for further study.

Excavation is the way archeologists look below the surface. Excavation, however, can also destroy a site, so the archeologists have to be very careful about how and where they dig. Each new layer of soil, or stratum, signals a different

time period. A stratum might be a few inches or many feet thick. The deeper the archeologists dig, the older the layer of soil they will find. Archeologists

dig until they hit subsoil or bedrock, a layer without artifacts.

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All the soil that is dug up is sifted through a very fine screen in order to ensure that even the smallest artifacts do not get lost.

Then, the finds go to the lab where they are analyzed. In the lab, the archeologists examine the artifacts, looking for markings, designs and similarities to other artifacts found and identified in other sites. They can also be dated using cutting-edge science and technology.

All this information helps them to understand when people lived in this area, what they did there and how they lived. Artifacts can also teach us about specific moments in history, thereby enabling us to better understand ancient written testimonies or texts.

Archeology in Israel

Archeology has a central place in Israeli history and culture, and new discoveries always attract considerable interest around the world. This is because of worldwide interest in the Bible and its events, which took place mainly in Israel. The abundance of archeological finds confirm the long and ancient Jewish connection to the Land of Israel.

Three important Israeli archeological finds are Masada, the Dead Sea Scrolls and Mount Eval. We learn about Masada and the Dead Sea Scrolls in other units.

The discovery at Mount Eval, near the city of Shechem, is quite remarkable. Israeli archeologist Adam Zertal and his team, spent many years excavating the site. There they found a large structure with a ramp leading up to it. They had difficulty understanding what it was. They examined the dimensions of the structure and noticed that in the center, there were the charred bones of many animals. Zertal realized that he had found an altar. Because of the direction

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A computer-generated reconstruction: Shilo Winograd, Midreshet Shomron

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that it faced, and because of its size and other details, Zertal identified it as a Jewish altar (as opposed to a pagan altar). Additionally, the bones were sent to the Hebrew University zoologists for examination. They discovered that the bones were of the exact animals that the Torah instructed the Jewish people to use for sacrifices.

Furthermore, he discovered two Egyptian style earrings and a goblet made out of volcanic stone. Since there is no volcanic stone in the area,

the people who worshiped there had to have traveled and brought these artifacts with them.

Zertal also did carbon dating tests on the bones and the artifacts. They were found to be around 3,500 years old.

Zertal then asked the following questions and put all the pieces of the puzzle together:

When was Mount Eval used as a place of worship by Israel?

Why would the people have had earrings from Egypt?

Why would they have had goblets made from volcanic stone?

Zertal opened the Bible and found the answer. He concluded that he had discovered the actual altar that Joshua built when ancient Israel first crossed over the Jordan to enter the Land of Israel, as described in the Book of Joshua:

The earrings were probably lost by a woman who had brought them out of Egypt forty years earlier. The goblet came from the other side of the Jordan

הרעיבל ראלב חלה’א-להייש עמזב אזיבנהיהושיהושעח,ל

Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD, the

God of Israel, in mount Ebal,

Joshua 8:30

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Egyptian earring

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River, the closest place where this rock can be found and where Israel camped before they entered the land.

Zertal had brought the Bible to life.

Activity 2

Let's get our hands dirty!

As mentioned, an archeologist has an eye for detail and is trained to sift through rubble to search for important objects. Let’s see if you can be a successful archeologist! Look at the illustration on page 15. There are several artifacts hidden in the rubble that will prove highly enlightening. Historians, scholars and rabbis are all eagerly waiting for you to find them so that they can further understand this important period of Jewish history.

On page 14 are six of the major artifacts that were found in connection to Jerusalem, five of which originated in Ir David (דודעיר - The City of David). Read the background information of each item. Use this information as you examine the dig and learn about this historical period through these artifacts.

Take a piece of tracing paper provided by your teacher, and with a pencil and ruler, grid the excavation site on page 15 into equal squares, each one 2 inches x 2 inches. Label the horizontal axis with numbers and the vertical axis with letters. Then on the grid, circle and identify each object found in the excavation

site. After that, record in the chart the location of each artifact that you found (e.g. artifact found in square 3C). Your teacher will give you a copy of the chart to complete.

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D

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A

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Artifact Picture Description Location discovered

Bullae This hardened clay seal which was used on ancient letters, was found in The name on it is of a person .עירדודwho lived in the First Temple period. Other bullaes were also found.

Cuneiform stone

This ancient writing on stone found in Mesopotamia (Iraq) describes events that are written in the Bible concerning Jerusalem in the First Temple period.

Birkat Kohanim

Two very small silver amulets were found in a burial cave near דודעיר and were written in ancient Hebrew. They are inscribed with the biblical priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). This is the oldest finding of a passuk from the Torah.

Tunnel inscription

This ancient plaque marks a technological achievement of the First Temple diggers in דודעיר.

Burnt wooden beam

A charred beam was found in a basement of a First Temple home in The wood was from a type .עירדודof tree found in Lebanon.

Bronze arrow heads

Dozens of arrow heads were found in some that are made of bronze ,עירדודthat can only be found in Babylon.

For bonus points, circle the following characters from Jewish history who also made an appearance at the dig:

o Abrahamo King Davido King Solomon

o Rabbi Kooko Rabbi Shlomo Goren

o Yitzhak Rabino Moshe Dayan

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Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year 15

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In the following lessons, we will use these artifacts to learn about the time known as the First Temple period. It began with King David’s conquest of Jerusalem, over three thousand years ago.

Activity 3

Homework Assignment

As we learned, a tel is a site where an ancient civilization is buried. There are several places in Israel whose names begin with “Tel” and are the sites of archeological excavations. Research them and see if you can name five.

Which very famous “Tel” in Israel is in fact not a mound with a buried settlement found below it (make sure you take it off your list above when you realize!)?

For a bonus point, why was this place named “Tel” if it is in fact not a real “Tel”?

In this lesson we learned some basic archeological skills and we discovered six objects relating to ancient Jerusalem.

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Lesson 2

Establishing a Capital

In this lesson we will learn about the establishment of Jerusalem as the capital of ancient Israel.


• Understand the factors behind King David’s choice of Jerusalem as his capital

• Appreciate the religious and political significance of the Temple in Jerusalem

• Learn about the Jewish people visiting Jerusalem

• Identify the location of the Temple in Jerusalem

The Jewish people's connection to Jerusalem goes back to the time of Avraham. However, the first person to establish it as a Jewish city was King David when he made it the political and spiritual capital of his kingdom.

Why did he choose Jerusalem as his capital?

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Activity 1

You are King David

It is often said that the three most important things in real estate are: Location, Location, and Location. If you were King David, what three criteria would you look for when choosing your political and spiritual capital?

In the year 1004 BCE, King David conquered Jerusalem in a battle against the Jebusites and renamed it דודעיר. Jerusalem had unique features that made it a prime choice for his capital city for the following four reasons:

1. Defense

2. Water source

3. Central (and neutral) location

4. Religious tradition

Defense

Jerusalem was an ideal location to establish a city mainly because it is surrounded by mountains. At this spot, two valleys converge to create a natural barrier on three sides of the city. The Valley (Tyropean) protects the western side of the city and the Kidron Valley protects the eastern part, and these two valleys meet at the southernmost part of the city. This made the city easier to defend because all approaching enemies would be seen down below and would have to climb up from the valley. The only weak spot in Jerusalem’s defense was from the exposed northern direction. The king therefore ordered

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Kidron Valley

The Valley (Tyropean)

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the building of a fort to give the city extra protection.

In those times people lived within the city walls for safety reasons. While many people farmed in the fields nearby, everyone returned before the sun set. The gates of the city were then locked to protect the residents.

The topography of Jerusalem can be seen in the accompanying Second Temple picture. This picture shows you the hills and valleys of the area.

Activity 2

Topographical Adventures I

With the help of the picture above, use clay or play dough to build a model of David’s City with its landscape.

Water Source

In ancient times a vital factor when establishing a city was access to drinkable water. While most modern cities today have technologically advanced water systems to provide their populations with water, ancient civilizations had to choose the location of their settlements very carefully based on access to natural water sources.

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This is one of the reasons so many cities are located near rivers, such as London on the Thames and Paris on the Seine. Even New York which was settled much later than these European cities was located on the Hudson River.

In the Kidron Valley to the east of Jerusalem is a spring called the Gihon. It is a natural source of water that is available all year long.

The Gihon Spring is the place where Shlomo was anointed king (see I Kings 1:39).

Did You Know?

Although the people of Jerusalem also collected rainwater into big cisterns near their houses, the additional discovery of the Gihon Spring made it easier for people to live in Jerusalem. The water gathered into a man-made pool outside of the wall, and people took buckets to collect the water!

Activity 3

Topographical Adventures II

Use blue paper to place the Gihon Spring on your model.

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Central Location

Another reason for selecting Jerusalem as the new capital of David's kingdom was to unify the twelve tribes of Israel. Jerusalem was geographically located in the center of the tribes, thereby making it a logical place to congregate. Since it is in the middle of the country, almost all Jews could make a trip to visit the king or visit the holy site without great difficulty. It was also considered an extraterritorial location (not belonging to any one of the twelve tribes), and this would further serve to unite the tribes behind David. In a similar way, Washington DC became the capital of the United States, in order to unite the thirteen northern and southern states after the War of Independence.

Religious Tradition

According to Jewish tradition, Mount Moriah in Jerusalem was where Abraham brought Isaac to be sacrificed, as described in chapter 22 of Bereishit. When Jerusalem is later conquered by King David, he settles just south of Mt. Moriah and plans to build the Temple (המקדשבית) on the site.

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Today, the company that supplies Jerusalem’s homes with their water is called The Gihon!

Did You Know?

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Activity 4

Discussion - The Cradle of Monotheism

Points to consider:

1. Why do you think the location of the binding of Isaac is so important to Judaism, that David chose it for his capital?

2. What are the other three holy cities to Judaism? Do you know why each one is considered “Holy”?

3. Why do you think Jerusalem is considered the holiest of the four?

King David's Religious Revolution – The Building of the Temple

King David wanted to unify the twelve tribes of Israel around his new capital and wanted it to be more than just a political center. In addition to building strong walls and palaces, King David had an idea that would change Jerusalem’s religious status forever:

איביו. ל מכ ביב מס לו הניח וה' ביתו ב לך המ ב יש י כ ויהיארזים בית ב ב יוש אנכי נא, ראה ביא הנ נתן אל לך המ ויאמרא-ב ז’, ב’ שמואל תוךהיריעה בב וארוןהא-להיםיש

it came to pass, when the king dwelled in his house, and the

Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around about,

That the king (David) said unto Natan the prophet: 'See now, I

dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within

curtains.'

Samuel II 7:1-2

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Although King David was a mighty warrior he demonstrated that he was also sensitive and spiritual. He felt uneasy that he lived in comfort in his luxurious palace while the Mishkan of God was a simple structure with no permanent place of rest.

King David wanted to show his appreciation to God for his accomplishments in battle. He purchased a special piece of land on the top of Mt. Moriah (2 Samuel 24).

King David wanted to build a temple to God on that spot. However, he was told by Natan the prophet that while his idea was a good one, he was not the appropriate person to start the project. He was a soldier and had killed many people in war. The prophet explained that the House of God was to be a house of peace, so the builder could not be a warrior. How this must have disappointed King David. However, his son King Solomon was granted permission to build the המקדשבית.

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Activity 5

Discussion - Town Planning

In pairs, consider what are the most important buildings in your community. Then ask yourselves the following questions:

1. What are the buildings used for? How often are the buildings used?

2. Where are the buildings located in your town? Does this matter?

3. How large are the buildings? Does the size of the building matter?

4. What do these buildings look like? Are they basic or ornate? Is this important?

The Plan

King Solomon embarked on what was an extravagant and ambitious construction project to build a house fitting for God. No expense was spared, as he imported the best quality building materials from across the region, and appointed the most renowned expert engineers to oversee the project.

The Bible describes how King Solomon carefully planned the building of the Temple, raising taxes to pay for it, importing the strongest and most impressive wood from Lebanon, and hiring engineers to coordinate the details of such a large and important project. It took many thousands of workers to complete the construction over a seven year period. The dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem was a moment that changed the city’s reputation forever. Jerusalem became (and remains) the spiritual center for the Jewish people. Even after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, Jerusalem remained the central focus for the Jewish people and is so to this day.

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Activity 6

The Temple and Your Synagogue

The key vessels used in the First Temple are described in detail in the book of Shemot. These items were used in the portable Mishkan throughout the wandering in the desert. According to tradition, they were later installed in King Solomon’s Temple. The key vessels are:

The MenorahThe Shulchan (Table)The Aron (Ark) with CurtainThe Hand/Feet washing stationThe Ner Tamid (Eternal Flame)

These symbols are found in almost all synagogues around the world. Can you think of your synagogue and clearly indicate where these symbols are found? Then compare with your friends to see if there is a common pattern.

Can Jews Survive Without Jerusalem?

Soon after the death of King Solomon, a rift developed between the ten northern tribes of Israel and the tribe of Judah in the south. The Ten Tribes eventually split and created their own kingdom in the north. Their king however, was concerned about the magnetism of the Temple in Jerusalem. He felt that his people would still go on aliyah le'regel, pilgrimage, to Jerusalem and continue to consider it their center. He feared that this would lead to the reunification of the kingdom and to the loss of his leadership. Therefore, he created alternative places of worship in his kingdom and forbade his people to go Jerusalem. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was eventually destroyed and its inhabitants, the ten northern tribes, became lost to the Jewish people. Today they are called the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The rejection of Jerusalem led to this disaster.

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Samaria

Jerusalem

Med

iter

ran

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Sea

N

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David's Capital Today

If you wanted to visit the ancient capital of David today, you would have to travel to a part of Jerusalem just south of the Temple Mount and the Kotel, known as דודעיר.

The location of the Temple was at the highest part of David’s city. The royal palace was further to the south and the homes continued, down towards the bottom of the valleys. The archeologists who explored this location in the 1980s mapped out the site into a grid, with each square labeled with a different letter, in order to keep track of the dirt that was removed. In the ancient city

of David several areas were marked off, but many significant items were found in one particular region labeled Area G.

Archeologists are still digging in דודעיר today to try and find King David’s palace, and many very exciting finds have been made over the years.

To this day, Jews continue to recognize the centrality of Jerusalem. For example, synagogues are built to face Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, and even when praying outside of the synagogue, Jews face Jerusalem.

Did You Know?

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Area G

RUSSIA

USA

ARGENTINAAUSTRALIA

AFRICA

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Activity 6

Assignment: The Kohanim (Priests)

One of the six findings that you searched for in the first class were two small silver amulets that are inscribed with the biblical priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26) in ancient Hebrew.

Using resources such as the internet and any of your friends or family that are Kohanim, write a short paragraph on the role of the Kohen in the Temple and a further paragraph on their role in the synagogue since the Temple is no longer in existence.

In this lesson we learned about דודעיר and the importance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people until this day.

Over the next two lessons we will continue to analyze some of the items that were found in Area G of דודעיר, in order to enable us to gain further knowledge about the history of the city.

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In December 2008 a volunteer found 264 gold coins from the seventh century C.E. hidden in the latest dig site. Many of the artifacts that you searched for in the first class were originally found in Area G.

Did You Know?

Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel

RUSSIA

USA

ARGENTINAAUSTRALIA

AFRICA

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Lesson 3

Hezekiah's Strategy

In previous lessons we learned about King David and King Solomon establishing and solidifying Jerusalem’s importance. In this lesson we will fast-forward almost 200 years to see how the city is doing in the 700s BCE. This lesson will focus on the dramatic events that almost saw the collapse of Jerusalem at the hands of the Assyrians and how it survived due to the strong leadership of King Hezekiah.


• Learn about the decisions that led to Jerusalem’s survival during the First Temple Period

• Explore Biblical events that have also been recorded in archeological finds

• Gain an appreciation for a great feat of engineering during those ancient times

Introduction

During our first lesson you found a stone with ancient cuneiform writing. It was originally found in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). The writing on this Cuneiform Stone (Cuneiform is an ancient form of writing, and stones were used for historical records in the pre-paper age) depicts events that were described in the Bible. Let's discover what actually happened.

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Background to King Hezekiah's Reign

In the 720s BCE, Assyria was the new superpower in the region. It began to flex its political and military muscles in the Middle East. Its aim was to challenge Egypt. The two Israelite kingdoms were in the way.

When the Assyrian king sent his top general Sennacherib to Israel in 721 BCE, the northern Kingdom of Israel was quickly defeated and conquered. Its inhabitants were banished and became known as the Ten Lost Tribes.

The southern Kingdom of Judah was ruled at that time by King Ahaz. He was soon succeeded by his son, Hezekiah. Upon seeing what happened to their northern brethren, they realized that it was only a matter of time before the Assyrians would move southward towards Jerusalem. Many people from the north had fled south and made their new home in Jerusalem, so much so that the walls of the city were expanded westward to accommodate the large influx of residents.

Activity 1 - Discussion

You are now a member of the Strategic Planning Session of the Military Council of Jerusalem. In small groups, file an oral report to King Hezekiah with your recommendations for action in response to Sennacherib's imminent invasion. Do you recommend:

• Attacking Sennacherib before he attacks?

• Fortifying the city against the impending attack?

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Expended City of Jerusalem

Temple Mount

City

of D

avid

Egypt

Juda

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North

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Southern

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• Paying the Assyrians a tribute in order for them to leave your city in peace?

• Making a pact with the Egyptians to fight off the Assyrians? By joining with Judah, the Egyptians can prevent the Assyrians from attacking them.

Discuss the pros and cons of each possible strategy and then report your recommendations to the rest of your class. Take a class vote to see which strategy should be implemented.

Hezekiah's Plan – Stage 1

When Hezekiah became king of Judah, he developed a twofold strategy to get ready for the battle with the Assyrians.

It is important to understand how wars were fought in Biblical times to understand Hezekiah's plan.

One of the most common battle strategies in those days was to lay a siege around your enemy's city, thereby cutting off all food and water supplies to it. The next stage was to launch large boulders at the city's walls, ultimately breaking the wall. That is how the northern cities had fallen. Hezekiah took

action to combat this impending reality. He ordered the building of what is called a “Broad Wall” to strengthen the city’s defense system.

This wall was discovered in the Old City by Israeli archeologists after the Six-Day War in 1967. Look how thick this wall was.

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The Broad Wall

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Activity 2

Archeologists Become Civil Engineers

In pairs conduct the following experiment:

Take a pile of popsicle sticks. Ask your partner to hold a single stick at each end, while you try and chop it with two fingers. Assuming you have been eating your vegetables, you should be able to do this without too much difficulty. Now take two sticks and let your partner try to chop them in one strike. Take turns to see how much harder it is each time you add a stick.

Now you can understand why it was important for Hezekiah to reinforce Jerusalem's defenses with a "Broad Wall."

Hezekiah's Plan – Stage 2

Hezekiah realized that his army was not strong enough to attack Sennacherib in a direct battle. If he could not strike first, he must ensure that Jerusalem is ready to withstand an attack.

The Tanach tells us:

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, intent

on making war against Jerusalem, he consulted with

his officers and warriors about stopping the flow

of the springs which were outside the city: and they

supported him. A large force was assembled to stop up

all the springs and the brook that flowed through

the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come,

and find much water?

…Hezekiah-stopped up the source of the waters of the

upper Gihon, and he led them straight down on the

west to the City of David

II Divrei Hayamim 32:2-4, 30

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The rest of the events of Hezekiah and all his mighty

deeds, and how he made the conduit and the pool, and

he brought the water into the city, they are written in

the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah

II Melachim 20:20

Hezekiah built an underground tunnel that would divert the water from the springs outside of the wall and bring the water under the wall into the city. By doing so he also deprived the besieging Assyrian troops of the natural water source.

Archeologists discovered this tunnel in 1838. Today you can walk through it - just make sure to bring a flashlight and clothing that you don't mind getting wet.

The digging of the tunnel was a tremendous undertaking that was begun simultaneously from both ends - one inside the city and the other by the source of the Gihon Spring outside the city. It is thought that this method of digging was employed to speed up the process in anticipation of the battle. Without the

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help of modern technology, the two teams of diggers carved their way beneath the ground of דודעיר towards a central point, covering almost a third of a mile (1750 feet). This was an amazing engineering achievement which enabled Jerusalemites to survive the attack.

An ancient stone plaque commemorating the meeting of the two teams diggers was discovered in 1880. It was found near the southern end of the tunnel. It captures the excitement and great emotion the diggers felt when they met.

This is the ancient tunnel inscription on the plaque that you discovered in our first lesson. The original plaque disappeared from Hezekiah’s tunnel and was sold illegally more than 100 years ago. Today it is on display at the Istanbul Archeological Museum.

The plaque states: "Behold the tunnel. This is the story of its cutting. While the miners swung their picks, one towards the other, and when there remained only three cubits to cut, the voice of one calling his fellow was heard - for there was a resonance in the rock coming from both north and south… and the water flowed from the spring towards the pool, 1,200 cubits. The height of the rock above the head of the miners was 100 cubits." A cubit is approximately 18 inches. This means the tunnel was 15 feet high!

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Activity 3

Plaque Exploring

Explore your school to see if you can discover any plaques. - How many did you discover?- What do they commemorate?- How do they compare to the plaque in Hezekiah's tunnel? - What is the point of a plaque? - Is this also true for the plaque in Hezekiah's tunnel? How so?

In 2003, the tunnel was examined by experts using the most scientific methods possible and verified that it was dug around the time of Hezekiah’s reign in Jerusalem.

The Cuneiform Stone

We are now going to examine the Cuneiform stone that you discovered in the first lesson. This stone was not found in Israel but in Iraq, the home of the ancient Assyrians. An inscription on the stone speaks of the battle from the Assyrian perspective.

It states that they went to war against Hezekiah and trapped him “like a bird inside a cage.” However, Jerusalem did not surrender and indeed survived for at least another 130 years thanks to the smart thinking of King Hezekiah. The archeological discoveries have helped us to understand how.

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Activity 4

Homework Assignment

So far you have mastered the professions of archeology and civil engineering. Time for a new career - journalism!

Write an eye-witness report for your local newspaper describing the historical events surrounding the completion of Hezekiah's tunnel. Include a background

portrait of what life was like in Jerusalem at this time, the larger geopolitical background facing the Jews

of Jerusalem at this time (i.e., the threat they faced from the Assyrians), and testimony from witnesses at the tunnel completion.

In this lesson we learned about King Hezekiah's measures to defend Jerusalem from the Assyrian onslaught. We also saw how archeology has helped us better understand the events.

In the next lesson we will continue our examination of some artifacts discovered in Area G of דוד that will help us understand more about ,עירJerusalem's destruction.

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-997 -960 -923 -722 -612 -586

David rules, establishes Jerusalem as the capital

Solomon rules, builds the First Temple in Jerusalem

Division of the Kingdom, North (Israel) and South (Judah)

Assyria conquers the northern kingdom of Israel

Babylon conquers the Assyrian Empire

Babylon destroys the First Temple


Lesson 4

Jerusalem's Destruction Remembered

In this lesson we will focus on the final chapter of ראשוןבית - the first Temple period. We will fast-forward another 130 years from our last lesson. Here you will learn about some of the causes and effects that led to Jerusalem's destruction at the hands of the mighty Babylonians in 586 BCE (the Babylonians had previously defeated the Assyrians and were now the superpower).


• Learn about some of the tragic events of 586 BCE

• Explore the reasons why Jerusalem was destroyed

Introduction

We will now look at the final chapter of the First Temple period in Jerusalem and we will see what happened to this incredible and holy city.

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Activity 1

Memories

Close your eyes and think back. Try to explore your earliest memories as a young child. Try to remember a time when you were very happy and a time when you were very sad.

Which is easier to remember - a sad event or a happy one? Are there events in your life or the life of your family that you remember each year?How do you remember and celebrate the happy ones?How do you remember and commemorate the sad ones?

Jerusalem Falls

The Bullae that you discovered in our first lesson was one of the special hardened clay insignias that scribes used to seal letters during this time period. This was a lump of clay that was molded around a cord and stamped with a seal while the clay was soft. Once dry and hardened, if the seal is tampered with, it will leave obvious signs. The seal proves that the accompanying letter is authentic.

The Bullae that was found by archeologists in דוד bears the name of עירGedaliah Ben Pashchur, a person mentioned in the Bible. It can teach us something about the last days of Jerusalem's independence.

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, came to Judah in 597 BCE, and, according to the Babylonian Chronicles, "captured the city [Jerusalem] and seized its king. He appointed a king of his liking [Zedekiah] and took heavy taxes from him."

The fortunes of Jerusalem had changed dramatically from the times of King David and Solomon. No longer was Jerusalem independent, but rather under

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the complete rule of the Babylonians. They forced the Jews to pay a special tribute tax to Babylon and even decided who its kings would be.

King Zedekiah was always seeking ways to rid Judah of Babylonian rule and regain independence. However, the Prophet Jeremiah warned that this was a mistake. Jeremiah maintained that Zedekiah should abide by his oath of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, and not betray him by allying himself to Egypt (Babylon’s enemy).

We know from the Bible that Gedaliah Ben Pashchur, the name of the person on the seal that we found, was an officer of the king. He wanted to have Jeremiah executed because of his views. This was not a positive chapter in Jewish history.

Jeremiah survived. Nevertheless, Zedekiah led a revolt against the mighty Babylonians and refused to pay them the required taxes. He also made a treaty with Egypt. Zedekiah believed that Jerusalem should be independent and that God would never allow the city to fall.

The Babylonians sent their army to suppress the rebellion. Egypt did not come to Judah's rescue. In the summer of 586 BCE, on the 17th of Tammuz, the Jerusalem city walls were breached by the Babylonian army. Three weeks later Jewish resistance to Babylonian rule was crushed and Nebuchadnezzar burned down the holy Temple to symbolically show his conquest of the city. Zedekiah was forced to watch his sons killed and afterwards his eyes

were gouged out. Nebuchadnezzar then took Zedekiah back to Babylon to further humiliate him and the Jewish people.

The arrowheads that you discovered in the first lesson were recently found in They were brought by Babylonian soldiers and were used against the .עירדוד

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Jews of Jerusalem. They and the burnt wooden beam have been scientifically analyzed and dated to be from the 6th century BCE. Both artifacts authenticate the story of the brutal capture of the city by the mighty Babylonians.

The great political and spiritual capital of the Jewish people was crushed. Thousands of Jews were dragged away from their homes to Babylon, (present day Iraq). Jerusalem was left in ruins. The destruction of the city on the 9th of Av made it a day of tragedy, mourning, fasting and tears until this day.

The prophet Jeremiah, according to tradition, composed the poem lament (How!) upon contemplating the loss of the Temple and Jerusalem:

How the city sits solitary, that was so full of people!

How she has become as a widow!

She that was great among the nations, and princess among

the provinces,

how is she become tributary!

Eicha 1:1

The poem does not ask the question, "Why was Jerusalem destroyed?" We have already learned the technical answer to this question – the Babylonians overtook the Jerusalem army. More significant is how something that was so important and holy could be burned to the ground in an instant. “Eicha” reflects not anger against the Babylonians, but rather frustration at the Jewish people that they did not care for one another and cherish their city to prevent its destruction.

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Mourning over Jerusalem

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However, the loss of political control of Jerusalem did not extinguish the spiritual connection of Jews; this will continue to inspire people to talk, sing and dream about the city for millennia.

Final Conclusions

Today, Jerusalem is once again the capital of the Jewish state and many Jews from around the world come to visit and follow the steps of our great biblical ancestors. Even though Jerusalem was destroyed so many years ago, Jews still feel a strong connection to it. This is because the memories of past events have remained alive in the hearts of Jews from generation to generation. Our generation is fortunate that archeology has allowed us to understand our history so much better.

Activity 2

Remembering Jerusalem of Old and Celebrating Jerusalem of Today

On the branches of the Knesset Menorah there are various scenes from Jewish history. You have been

commissioned to design a new Menorah in the same style as the Knesset Menorah. This one, however, should consist of images that

commemorate Jerusalem’s history, and will be placed at the entrance to the city. The images can be of

the stories we have learned in this unit, or others that you know or researched.

Your teacher may decide to divide the class into groups with each group designing a different scene.

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The Knesset Menorah

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Activity 3

Final Project

You have now proven yourselves as successful archeologists. But your work is not yet complete. Now you must publicize your findings. This would normally be done in an academic paper published in a journal. Begin organizing your notes for the writing of this paper by recording exactly what each artifact looks like (include drawings or photographs) and what conclusions we can learn from each finding:

1. Bullaes2. Cuneiform Stone3. Tunnel Inscription4. Silver Amulets with Birkat Kohanim5. Burnt Wooden Beams6. Bronze Arrow

In these lessons we have used archeology to help us learn about ancient Jerusalem. דודעיר is still being excavated today and the archeologists

are discovering new items and are constantly learning more details about the city's past.

דוד is now a major attraction to עירall visitors to Jerusalem. It is open for you to come, visit and discover more for yourself.

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Jerusalem - David’s Capital42

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Eretz Yisrael Throughout the Year 43

דוד א וכס עולם נין ב ימינו ב קרוב ב אותה ובנהכין. מהרהלתוכהת

May You rebuild it soon in our days as an

eternal structure, and may You speedily

establish the throne of King David within it.

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The Lookstein Center for Jewish EducationSchool of Education, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900 Israel

Tel: 972-3-531-8199 | Fax: 972-3-535-1912 [email protected] www.lookstein.org

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david's capital

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