In The Land Of Ancient Prayer

Ruins from over 90 synagogues have been uncovered in Israel — some restored, some barely ever visited. Here are five awe-inspiring trips through the sites of Sabbath past

From a distance, it looks like just another pile of basalt rocks. Get a bit closer, however, and you are in for a surprise: those stones once belonged to an elegant synagogue in the ancient Jewish village of Ein Nashut.

Located near a flowing spring, Ein Nashut was one of hundreds of Jewish towns that flourished in the land of Israel thousands of years ago. Ruins from over 90 ancient synagogues have been uncovered over the years, quite a few of them as little-known or as little-visited as the Jewish house of worship at Ein Nashut.

None of the following are inside official National Parks or Nature Reserves, so if you live in Israel, or are touring the country, you can take a look any day, any time, for free.  The one exception is the synagogue at Marut, where, due to military limitations, you can stop in only on the Sabbath.

Read the full article over at The Times of Israel