סודות חוקוק נחשפים: תערוכה חדשה מספקת הצצה ראשונה לכפר היהודי הקדום שבמרכזו בי"כ עם פסיפסים מרהיבים

"Secrets of Hukuk" - a new exhibition inaugurated at the Yigal Alon House Museum in Ginosar, offers the public a first glimpse into one of the most intriguing and spectacular archaeological sites uncovered in Israel in recent years. The exhibition - a joint initiative of the Israel National Foundation (KKL), the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research with the support of the US government and the Israel Antiquities Authority, invites the public to discover Horbat Hukuk - an ancient Jewish village that reached its peak in the Roman-Byzantine period, located in the heart of the open space of the Amiad Forest and near Ein Hukuk. Horbat Hukuk, which can be seen from the museum's windows, is best known for the impressive synagogue that was uncovered at the site during the excavations of the Hukuk expedition, led by Prof. Judy Magnes from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The excavations of the ancient synagogue uncovered mosaics of extraordinary beauty and narrative richness, including rare biblical and extra-biblical scenes. At the center of the exhibition is the original Samson mosaic - the only mosaic from the Exodus currently on display to the general public. Alongside the mosaic, which shows Samson carrying the gates of Gaza on his shoulders, are spectacular photographs of other mosaics from the site, courtesy of Professor Magnes. According to Professor Judy Magnes of the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina: "The Huqok mosaics are some of the most exciting finds I have had the privilege of uncovering. I am delighted that the original Samson mosaic, along with photographs of other mosaics from the site, are now on display to the public near where they were uncovered. For me, they are still part of an ongoing research effort, and the exhibition invites the public to join the journey of discovery as it unfolds." The exhibition seeks to broaden the perspective beyond the mosaics themselves, and to present Huqok as a complete living space: a village, a community, a spring, agricultural facilities, mikvahs, shelter systems, and the open landscape around them. Through artifacts, photographs, a scaled-down model of the settlement, and an experiential space that simulates part of the underground world at the site, visitors are invited to enter the story of a place that is still being discovered. Alongside the mosaic, the exhibition also presents, for the first time to the public, a hoard of bronze coins discovered during excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority within a hidden system from the time of the synagogue's existence. The hoard joins other artifacts from the system, including a ring and a knife, and sheds light on another aspect of the life of the Jewish community during times of distress, hiding, and threat. In recent years, Hukuk has also become the focus of extensive educational and community activity led by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the North and in collaboration with the KKL-JNF. Students, families, soldiers, volunteers and residents of the area participated in excavations, screening and field activities, and became part of the process of discovering the site and reconnecting with its story. According to Dr. Einat Ambar-Armon, curator of the exhibition on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority: "Hukuk is a small site that tells a big story about the Galilee in the Roman-Byzantine period: about a living Jewish community, about an extraordinary artistic creation, and about an entire settlement area whose life revolved around the synagogue. Since preparing the site itself for public visitation is expected to take several years, the exhibition serves as the first gateway to the place and the archaeological and human story that was revealed there, close to the site itself. The opening of the exhibition is also part of a broader move at the museum: the second floor is now defined as the archaeology floor and bears the name 'When the Galilee was the center'. Alongside The 'Sanhedrin Trail' exhibition, also on display on this floor, allows visitors to see Huqok within a broader picture - the Galilee as a space of Jewish life, creativity, community, and learning in the Roman-Byzantine period."