Migdal (town)
Encyclopedia
Migdal is a town
in the Northern District
of Israel
. It was founded in 1910, and granted local council status in 1949. In 2008 it had a population of 1,627.
Migdal is located near Ginosar
, and about 8 km north of Tiberias. It has a shoreline on the Sea of Galilee
, including the Tamar, Ilanot and Arbel beaches.
on Tiberias-Rosh Pina road.
In 1908, a small group of German Catholics who identified the site as the birth place of Mary Magdalene
settled there. They left after a year and the land was bought by Russia Zionists who founded a farm, Ahuzat Moskva (Moscow Estate) in 1910. A few years later, the land was sold to private investors. An encampment of Gdud HaAvoda
workers who built the Tiberias-Rosh Pina road was established there in 1921.
prior to the construction of a hotel revealed an ancient synagogue
believed to date back some 2000 years, from 50 BCE to 100 CE. In the middle of a 120 sq.m. main hall, archaeologists discovered an unusual stone carved with a seven-branched menorah. It is the first of its kind to be discovered from the early Roman period. In addition to the engraved stone, the walls are decorated with brightly-colored frescoes.
Local council (Israel)
Local councils are one of the three types of local government found in Israel, with the other two being cities and regional councils. As of 2003, there were 144 local councils in Israel, these being settlements which pass a minimum threshold enough to justify their operations as independent...
in the Northern District
North District (Israel)
The Northern District is one of Israel's six administrative districts. The Northern District has a land area of 4,478 km², which increases to 4,638 km² when both land and water are included...
of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. It was founded in 1910, and granted local council status in 1949. In 2008 it had a population of 1,627.
Migdal is located near Ginosar
Ginosar
Ginosar , , is a kibbutz on the western banks of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Located north of Tiberias on Highway 90, it falls under the jurisdiction of Emek HaYarden Regional Council...
, and about 8 km north of Tiberias. It has a shoreline on the Sea of Galilee
Sea of Galilee
The Sea of Galilee, also Kinneret, Lake of Gennesaret, or Lake Tiberias , is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and it is approximately in circumference, about long, and wide. The lake has a total area of , and a maximum depth of approximately 43 m...
, including the Tamar, Ilanot and Arbel beaches.
History
The town is named after the old city of Migdala Nunia (Aramaic: "fish tower"), home town of Mary of Magdala (Luke 8:2), and is situated just west of the KinneretKinneret
Kinneret or Kineret may refer to:* Sea of Galilee, Israel's largest freshwater lake** Kinneret, Israel, village southwest of the lake** Kvutzat Kinneret, kibbutz southwest of the lake** Kinneret College, college south of the lake...
on Tiberias-Rosh Pina road.
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
settled there. They left after a year and the land was bought by Russia Zionists who founded a farm, Ahuzat Moskva (Moscow Estate) in 1910. A few years later, the land was sold to private investors. An encampment of Gdud HaAvoda
Gdud HaAvoda
G'dud HaʿAvodah VeHaHaganah ʿAl-Shem Yosef Trumpeldor , commonly known as Gdud HaAvoda, was a socialist Zionist work group in Mandate Palestine.The group was established on 8 August 1920, with the three focuses of work, settlement and defence...
workers who built the Tiberias-Rosh Pina road was established there in 1921.
Archaeology
In September 2009, a salvage dig of the Israel Antiquities AuthorityIsrael Antiquities Authority
The Israel Antiquities Authority is an independent Israeli governmental authority responsible for enforcing the 1978 Law of Antiquities. The IAA regulates excavation and conservation, and promotes research...
prior to the construction of a hotel revealed an ancient synagogue
Migdal Synagogue
The Migdal Synagogue is an ancient synagogue, located in Israel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. The synagogue was in use in the Second Temple period , one of several found to date from that period and includes a carved stone representing the menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum that was...
believed to date back some 2000 years, from 50 BCE to 100 CE. In the middle of a 120 sq.m. main hall, archaeologists discovered an unusual stone carved with a seven-branched menorah. It is the first of its kind to be discovered from the early Roman period. In addition to the engraved stone, the walls are decorated with brightly-colored frescoes.