The ancient synagogue - the focus of Jewish settlement in ancient En Gedi in the 3rd-6th centuries CE. The synagogue's floor - a mosaic - is decorated with animals and inscriptions. A visit to the synagogue can be combined with the beginning or end of any walks through the reserve.

The Synagogue, a street and a number of buildings are visible on the site. Some remains of the earlier Second Temple period settlement can also be identified.
The explanations below refer to the numbered signs on the archaeological remnants along the two circular routes; the green and the blue. Either of them may be chosen. Follow the arrows of your choice.

The Route
You have entered the street of the Late Roman and Byzantine periods (Sign 1). On your left is a ritual purification bath from the Late Second Temple period (Sign 4). Building remains line both sides of this street (Sign 3). On the right, steps (Sign 2) descend into a 2-meter deep pool to another ritual purification bath (Miqveh) of the Late Second Temple period.
You have now entered the western corridor of the Synagogue. A washbasin is on your left (Sign 6). A ceramic jug and a stone bowl were found near this basin. On the right, in the long corridor, lies the Synagogue's mosaic dedicatory inscription were found (Sign 7). It comprises eighteen written lines separated by four horizontal lines dividing the inscription into four sections. The fifth three-line section was added during later renovations.
Stand by the stepped benches of the Synagogue. You are facing the prayer hall with its leaf-pattern mosaic floor surrounding four birds within a medallion. The medalion is enclosed by a diamond shape inside a square. A pair of peacocks grasping a bunch of grapes in their beaks stand in each of the four corners. The mosaic does not contain any human form which one may conclude that the residents carefully heeded biblical precepts. For this same reason, the twelve zodiac signs are inscribed with their names but not depicted on the mosaic, as opposed to most other Synagogues of the same period in Eretz-lsrael. Between the Torah Ark (Sign 8) and the wall is the niche where archaeologists discovered the Synagogue's repository of out of use sacred writings, several scorched scrolls, many bronze,coins, a bronze cup, a small silver seven-branched menorah (apparently used as a decoration on the Torah Scrolls). Beside the Torah Ark is a stepped seat (Sign 9) for the head of the congregation or community leader, commonly referred to as the "Seat of Moses" or "Cathedrah de Moshe" (seat of honor). A bronze seven-branched menorah was discovered near the bamah (22 cm wide and 15 cm high) and was probably a decorative element. A raised wood and plastered platform (bamah) (Sign 10) stood before the Torah Ark. The bamah was encircled by wood decorative screens.
Near the bamah a mosaic floor depicted three small seven- branched menorahs. Columns (Sign 11), enclosed the prayer hall on the east, south and west and formed three long aisles surrounding the hall. The routes end at the eastern aisle.

Excavations at the site
In 1965, 300 meters northeast of Tel Goren, remains of a mosaic floor were discovered accidentally. The site was excavated between 1970-1972 by Profs. D. Barag and E. Netzer of the Hebrew University and Dr. Y. Porath of the Department of Antiquities (today, the Israel Antiquities Authority). Additional excavations were carried out in 1992 by G. Hadas on behalf of the Israel Antiquities-Authority, and between 1995-1999 by Profs. Y.
Hirschfeld on behalf of the Hebrew University.
The Israel Antiquities Authority Conservation Dept. preserved and restored the mosaics and the site during the years 1991 to 1996.
Historic and archaeological background
The ancient Jewish settlement with its Synagogue existed in the Third-Sixth centuries CE (Late Roman and Byzantine periods; also known as the Period of the Mishnah and the Talmud). Below these evidence was found of an earlier Second Temple period Jewish settlement which appears to have covered a larger area than the later Jewish settlement.
Eusebius, an early Fourth century father of the Christian Church, wrote of a "very large village of Jews" at 'En Gedi. Early manuscripts tell of 'En Gedi's inhabitants who grew date palms and persimmons. The persimmon bush (Commiphora opobalsamum) yielded a substance from which a valuable perfume could be extracted. Agricultural terraces and irrigation systems west of the settlement attest to 'En Gedi's agricultural past.
The Synagogue was completely excavated; nearby streets and buildings were partially uncovered. Buildings near the Synagogue may have belonged to Synagogue officials, or served as study halls and inn.
The Synagogue, a trapezoid shaped building constructed in the Third century CE and paved with a black and white mosaic floor, contained a moveable Torah Ark. The north wall, with its two entries, faced Jerusalem.
The Synagogue was renovated and its mosaic floor repaired at the beginning of the Fourth century. The central entry in the north wall was closed and converted into a niche for the Torah scroll. Columns were added in the prayer hall dividing it into a prayer hall and two aisles on the east and south. Three stepped rows of benches were built along the south wall. The Synagogue that we see today was built in the middle of the Fifth century. It has a central prayer hall bordered by three aisles - on the east, south and west and a long entry hall on the west. A Torah Ark was placed in front of the north wall opposite a rectangular bamah. A new decorative mosaic floor with a dedicatory inscription was put down. An outer staircase on the northwest wall led to a second story balcony.
The Jewish settlement and its Synagogue were destroyed by fire; signs of which were very evident during the excavation. A hoard of linen-wrapped coins was found in an adjacent building courtyard, the latest coin dated to the reign of Emperor Justinian the First (527-565 CE). Early in his reign, Jews suffered from official persecution. Archaeologists concluded that the Jewish settlement and its Synagogue were destroyed in this wave of persecution, in ca. 530 CE.