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Dr. Jodi Magness, classical and biblical archaeologist and scholar of religion, will present “Ancient Synagogues in the Land of Israel.” In this slide-illustrated lecture, Dr. Magness will explore the origins and development of ancient synagogues up to the Muslim conquest of the Land of Israel in the early seventh century C.E. She will examine various synagogue sites (including Masada, Capernaum, Hammath Tiberias, and Beth Alpha) and pay special attention to the figured decoration and pagan motifs — such as Helios and the zodiac cycle — that adorn the mosaic floors of some of these synagogues.

Our Sunday Brunch Speaker Series is open to the community. Brunches are free for members; we kindly request a donation with a suggested amount of $18 for community members.

If applicable, please list any food allergies or restrictions in the “Notes” section and we will try our best to accommodate requests.

About our speaker
Jodi Magness is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An archaeologist specializing in Palestine in the Roman, Byzantine, and early Islamic periods, her research focuses on synagogues, Jerusalem, Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Roman army in the East. She has directed and co-directed more than 20 excavations in Israel and Greece, including the Roman siege works at Masada, the fort at Yotvata, and since 2011, the ancient synagogue at Huqoq. Magness is the author of numerous award-winning books, including Masada: From Jewish Revolt to Modern Myth, The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and most recently Jerusalem Through the Ages (Oxford, 2024). A past president and Honorary President of the Archaeological Institute of America, she has also been featured in National Geographic’s film Jerusalem and the series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.