Following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the parts of the Land of Israel north of Jerusalem, and especially the Galilee, became major centers of Jewish life. Thus many archaeological finds from the talmudic era come from these areas. One exception is the synagogue found in Ein Gedi, an oasis and nature preserve located to the west of the Dead Sea. Nosson Shulman describes what has been found there:

The synagogue from Roman/Byzantine times was only discovered in 1965, when workers of nearby Kibbutz Ein Gedi were plowing the field and found a well-preserved mosaic floor. Excavations were started and they soon realized they had found the community synagogue from the 3rd to 6th centuries CE.

The designs of the synagogue testify to the wealth of the community. Several colorful mosaics were found portraying exotic birds such as peacocks and partridges, as well as grapes and the menorah. As Jewish law dictates, the synagogue faces northwards towards Jerusalem, where the aron kodesh (prayer niche which holds the Torah Scroll) was carved into the wall.

The findings which interested archaeologists the most, however, were the several inscriptions found by the entrance. As in synagogues today, it is common to find plaques commemorating the donors. Ein Gedi of 1500 years ago was no different, and the three sons of “Halfi” are praised for building the fashionable staircase “on behalf of the Merciful One.”

The community continued to grow until around 530 when the community mysteriously was abandoned. Remains of fire burn marks suggest that the community was attacked and destroyed by unknown invaders.

On Tuesday, a Hizballah drone attack injured three people in northern Israel. The next day, another attack, targeting an IDF base, injured eighteen people, six of them seriously, in Arab al-Amshe, also in the north. This second attack involved the simultaneous use of drones carrying explosives and guided antitank missiles. In both cases, the defensive systems that performed so successfully last weekend failed to stop the drones and missiles. Ron Ben-Yishai has a straightforward explanation as to why: the Lebanon-backed terrorist group is getting better at evading Israel defenses. He explains the three basis systems used to pilot these unmanned aircraft, and their practical effects:

These systems allow drones to act similarly to fighter jets, using “dead zones”—areas not visible to radar or other optical detection—to approach targets. They fly low initially, then ascend just before crashing and detonating on the target. The terrain of southern Lebanon is particularly conducive to such attacks.

But this requires skills that the terror group has honed over months of fighting against Israel. The latest attacks involved a large drone capable of carrying over 50 kg (110 lbs.) of explosives. The terrorists have likely analyzed Israel’s alert and interception systems, recognizing that shooting down their drones requires early detection to allow sufficient time for launching interceptors.

The IDF tries to detect any incoming drones on its radar, as it had done prior to the war. Despite Hizballah’s learning curve, the IDF’s technological edge offers an advantage. However, the military must recognize that any measure it takes is quickly observed and analyzed, and even the most effective defenses can be incomplete. The terrain near the Lebanon-Israel border continues to pose a challenge, necessitating technological solutions and significant financial investment.