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Daniel | דניאל 🇮🇱 𓉱 Profile picture
Daniel | דניאל 🇮🇱 𓉱
@DanitheSett
Re-settling my ancestral homeland 🇮🇱 | Proud & tired father of 2 | History & archaeology enthusiast 📜 | scroll through highlights for previous threads 🧵
Jul 31 • 11 tweets • 6 min read
This incredible seal (bulla) was discovered through the Temple Mount Sifting Project (TMSP).

What is it and why is it the most important archeological undertaking of the 21st century?

Let's dive in 🧵 👇 1/ In 1999, the Waqf, overseeing Islamic structures on the Temple Mt, bulldozed 9,000(!) tons of soil to build the Al-Marwani Mosque, dumping it in the Kidron Valley without archaeological supervision, violating Israel’s antiquities laws.
This sparked the TMSP
>> Original Location of the Debris on the Temple Mount. Credit: Temple Mount sifting project
The 1999 illegal construction by the Waqf at Solomon’s Stables. Credit: Temple Mount sifting project.
Jul 23 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
Are Israeli towns in Judea and Samaria ("settlements") built on the ruins of Arab villages or stolen land?

Let's dive in 🧵👇 The Arab town known as Sebastia, near ancient Samaria. 2/ Context: Jewish land purchases in the region began in the late 19th century under the Ottoman Empire and continued under the British Mandate.
After 1967, when Israel gained control of J&S, military order #59 recognized previous Jordanian state land as now Israeli state land.
> Maps showing most Jewish towns were built on state or public lands.
Jul 14 • 10 tweets • 5 min read
1/ Beit Shearim, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Israel’s Lower Galilee, is a 2nd-4th century CE Jewish necropolis.🪦
Its catacombs and inscriptions offer a rare glimpse into Jewish life post-Second Temple.

Let’s explore its zionist significance and its wonderful tale 🧵👇 Beit Shearim National Park. The original uploader was בן הטבע at Hebrew Wikipedia. - Transferred from he.wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2047348 2/ Post-Bar Kochba Revolt (135 CE), Jews were barred from burials on Mt of Olives in Jerusalem.
Beit Shearim ("House of Gates") became a key burial site, drawing Jews from Yemen to Palmyra.
Its 30+ catacombs with ~300 inscriptions show a vibrant Jewish culture. 🕎
>> Wall inscription (epitaph) in Greek: "The tomb of Aidesios, head of the council of elders, from Antiochia" By איתן טל Etan Tal - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7892918
Chamber of burial niches By Davidbena - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79691583
Jul 8 • 11 tweets • 4 min read
1/ Benjamin of Tudela, a 12th-century Jewish traveler from Navarre, Spain, embarked on a 14-year journey across Europe, Asia, & Africa.

His book/journal is a window into medieval Jewish life, especially in the Land of Israel.

Let’s explore! 🧵👇 Bronze bust of Benjamin by Ricardo Varela Andrés in Tudela, Navarre, 1994 By Jialxv • CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_of_Tudela#/media/File%3ABenjam%C3%ADn_de_Tudela_(cropped).jpg 2/ Born in Tudela, little is known of Benjamin’s personal life except his father’s name, Jonah.

Around 1159, he left home, possibly for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but his journey grew into a grand quest, cataloging Jewish communities worldwide.
>> Depiction of Benjamin Metudelas' travels. By Paul Dumouza
Jun 25 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
Reviving ancient Israeli wine! 🇮🇱

Prof. Elyashiv (Shivi) Drori’s quest to discover ancient wine grapes, uncovered ~82 varieties from the Land of Israel, especially Samaria, bringing Biblical wines to life!

Here’s his amazing story 🧵👇 Prof Shivi Drori with his Vinyard. 📸 credit: Ben Yitzhaki 1/ As a biochemist at Ariel University, Drori’s love for wine sparked a mission to rediscover Israel’s ancient grapes. He trekked from the Negev deserts to the Galilee hills, collecting wild vines to trace their roots back to Biblical times. 🍇🔬
>> Prof Shivi Drori at his lab in Ariel University
Jun 11 • 14 tweets • 6 min read
A thread I've been meaning to do for a while: Masada!
One of the world’s most iconic archaeological sites.
Built by Herod (37-4 BCE), it’s a testament to ancient engineering and a symbol of Jewish resistance.

Let’s explore its key sites and its importance to Zionism🧵👇 A view of Masada from the north. By Godot13 • CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada#/media/File%3AIsrael-2013-Aerial_21-Masada.jpg 2/ The Northern Palace: Herod’s private retreat, a 3-tiered marvel carved into the cliff. With frescoed walls, mosaic floors, and stunning views, it showcases Roman-era luxury.
It highlights Herod’s wealth and Masada’s strategic importance as a royal stronghold.
>> A remodel of the northern palace by Berthold Werner
Remains of the northern palace. By Chris Smith from Auckland, New Zealand • CC BY-SA 2.0 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masada#/media/File:Masada_pillars_-_cmsmith_nz.jpg
May 28 • 13 tweets • 6 min read
Is there any archeological proof of the Jewish temples in Jerusalem?

Let's do a quick dive 🧵👇 Artistic painting of what a modern Jewish temple might look like. ¹ The Tel Arad ostracon dates to the 6th century BCE and mentions "The house of Y-a-h-w-e-h".
>> Arad ostracon By Bukvoed • CC BY 4.0 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arad_ostraca#/media/File:Bible-Lands-Museum-Yemen-2999.jpg
Image
Apr 28 • 15 tweets • 6 min read
Do Jews live in Israel just because of some fairytale book and the made-up kingdom of Israel?

Well, took me a lot of time, but here are all of the kings of Israel and Judah found in extra-biblical and archeological sources: 🧵👇 Map of Israel and Judah after the collapse of the United Monarchy, showing the Northern Kingdom in blue and the Southern Kingdom in gold (9th century BCE). By Oldtidens_Israel_&_Judea.svg: FinnWikiNoderivative work: Richardprins (talk) - Oldtidens_Israel_&_Judea.svghttp://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/map-of-israel-and-judah-733-bce, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10872389 The Tel Dan Stele (9th BCE) details the victory over Israel and Judea:

"...[I killed Jo]ram son of [Ahab]
king of Israel, and I killed [Achaz]yahu son of [Joram] of the House of David...".

This corroborates a few different kings mentioned in the Bible (2 Kings 5-8).
>> The Tel Dan Stele on display at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem By Oren Rozen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47055869
Feb 19 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
Were Jews persecuted in Muslim countries? Did Zionism ruin the good life Jews had under Muslim rule?

Let’s examine this through the story of the Mashhad Crypto-Jews. 🧵👇 The Aharonov family came to Jerusalem from Mashhad 1911-1912. Grandmother Malka sitting on the right. משפחת אהרונוב שעלו ממשהד שבאיראן. הסבתא מלכה יושבת על כסא (שנייה מימין), ירושלים, 1911-1912, סימול IL-INL-YBZ-0228-003 יד יצחק בן צבי (ישראל נגלית לעין), אוסף יהודים באירן, יד יצחק בן צבי (ישראל נגלית לעין), אוסף יהודים באירן;המקור נמצא ב:יד יצחק בן צבי, יד יצחק בן צבי, YBZ.0228.003. The Jewish community in Mashhad, Iran, traces its origins back to the 1740s.
Nader Shah, a ruler with a favorable disposition towards Jews, relocated 40 Jewish families from Qazvin (Iran) and Dilman (Azerbaijan) to Mashhad to guard the treasures from his Indian invasion >> Contemporary portrait of Nader Shah. Artist unknown, created in ca. 1740 in Iran
Jan 29 • 17 tweets • 7 min read
When did the modern "settlements" in Judea and Samaria start?
Are they built on stolen land?

20th century History of J&S part #1
Let's dive in 🧵 >>Ma'ale Efrayim, founded in 1978. Attribution: Stéphanie Gromann https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18176247 4 main settlement points pre-48:
In 1914 Jewish pioneers began settling land purchased in the hills north of Jerusalem next to Kalandia.
Their main goal was agricultural preparation (among the young pioneers was Levi Eshkol, future PM of Israel).
But after the outbreak of WWI >>Atarot in 1944
Jan 5 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
Who was Doña Gracia Mendes Nasi and was she the first "Zionist"?

Let's dive in 🧵👇 Portrait of Dona Gracia Nasi. Photo: Bronzino/Wikimedia Commons. Beatrice de Luna better known by her Jewish name Doña Gracia, was born in 1510 Portugal to a family of "conversos" (Anusim).
Conversos were Jews who were forced to convert to Christianity but kept their Jewish identity in secret.
Doña only found out she was Jewish at age 12 >> Painting of the Inquisition bursting in on converted Jews practicing Judaism in secret. Illustration from Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia (1906—1913).
Dec 30, 2024 • 16 tweets • 8 min read
Has there always been a continuous Jewish presence in Israel?

Let's break it down century by century: 🧵👇Roman Triumphal arch panel copy, showing spoils of Jerusalem temple. Image by Wikimedia Commons Joshua to the 10th Century BCE:

Joshua's Conquest of Cnaan (c. 1250 BCE) marks the transition from the Exodus to settlement, with the land being divided among the 12 tribes.
The earliest archeological mention of "Israel" is from this period on the Merneptah Stele >>Merneptah Victory Stele is exhibited in the Egyptian Museum. 𐰇𐱅𐰚𐰤, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Map of the conquest and the 12 tribes. credit: Steve Rudd https://www.bible.ca/maps
Dec 23, 2024 • 14 tweets • 7 min read
Is the story of Hanukkah historically and archeologically based?

Let's dive into the history surrounding Hanukkah 🕎 🧵👇 Maccabean troops attack a Syrian caparisoned elephant at the Battle of Beth Zur in 162 bc. Engraving after Gustave Doré. Background:
The Hasmonean (Maccabean) Revolt began in 167 BCE when Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king, tried to Hellenize Judea, including banning Jewish religious practices.
This led to widespread resistance among Jews who wished to maintain their traditions >> Painting of Matthias revolting in Modi'in Credit: Gustave Doré
Dec 17, 2024 • 18 tweets • 6 min read
What are the current laws and status of the land in Judea and Samaria?

To understand the complex legal landscape, we must delve into the historical layers. 🇮🇱👇

(Disclaimer: I've worked on this thread for the past few weeks, but I'm no legal expert) >> 🧵Ariel photo from Ma'ale Levonah. Photo credit: Eitan Melet The Ottoman Empire's land code was nonexistent until 1858 when they tried to make some order and created 5 categories:

1. Mülk - private land.
2. Miri - state property open to leasing.
3. Waqf - holy.
4. Metruka - land designated for public activities of villages. >>Image
Nov 13, 2024 • 16 tweets • 5 min read
What's it like being a "settler" in Judea & Samaria? 🧵🇮🇱

(This is my most personal threat yet, so I may delete) >> Yes, that's me. Living in Judea and Samaria is knowing that I walk in the very places Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and many after them once walked.
The place where the stories of the Bible come to life.
Shechem, Beit El, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Ancient Shomron (Sabastia) are just some examples >> The tomb of the patriarchs in Hebron
Oct 9, 2024 • 18 tweets • 6 min read
Do you know how we have gotten to the current Israel-Hezbollah war? or how many wars have there been? When and why was Hezbollah created? 🇮🇱🇱🇧

The answers aren't so simple, let's dive in:🧵
#IsraelLebanonHistory #MiddleEastConflicts A convoy of Israeli APCs heads to the Lebanon border last Tuesday, As each tank rolled by, Gershon Fried, 72, of Safed, Israel, handed soldiers small bags of apples and honey, the traditional treat of the Rosh Hashanah holiday that started Wednesday night. Heidi Levine for The Washington Post Background:
The territories of what would become Israel & Lebanon were once part of the Ottoman Empire which lasted from 1299-WWI.
The League of Nations officially gave the French & the British control over the areas they conquered in 1920 & Lebanon became independent in 1943🇱🇧The 1916 Sykes–Picot Agreement
Sep 25, 2024 • 18 tweets • 6 min read
Did you know Lebanon once had a rich Jewish history with ~16 synagoges in Beirut alone?
So what happened?🧵🇱🇧
#Lebanon #Historical #IsraelLebanonWar The Magen Avraham Synagogue in the Jewish quarter of Beirut, 2004 The history of Jews in Lebanon dates back to ancient times.
Of the 12 tribes of Israel, Asher & Naftali are believed to have settled in the region during the biblical period. However in the book of Judges (11;31), it is mentioned that cities like Tyre & Sidon weren't captured.> Image
Jul 8, 2024 • 10 tweets • 5 min read
🔍 Are Jews foreign colonizers in "eastern Jerusalem"?
The archaeological Marvels that lie beneath the City of David, may help us understand the true history of the city 🧵
#Archaeology #Jerusalem #History
Image
Arial view of Jerusalem circa 1936 Origins of Jerusalem: The City of David lies on the southern part of the eastern ridge of ancient Jerusalem. Scholars believe it was the original settlement core during the Bronze and Iron Ages > Image
Jun 17, 2024 • 8 tweets • 4 min read
Did you know that Israel once had vast oak forests, with species like the Holm Oak, Tabor Oak, and Kermes Oak dominating the landscape. They ranged from Tel-Aviv to Haifa and covered most of Samaria.
So what happened?

A short thread: 🧵
#Israel #Nature #History
PEF map 1880, central Israel, know then as the Arsuf region, today known as the Sharon.
Alonim forest, Keshet, northern Israel During the Ottoman rule, Israel’s forests faced severe deforestation. A tree tax was imposed to boost the empire’s lumber supply, leading to widespread tree cutting. #Deforestation #OttomanEmpire Image
May 24, 2024 • 16 tweets • 8 min read
Are Jews trying to "steal & colonize Al-Aksa from Muslims"?

Let's take a tour of the history of this little mountain that has a lot of history: 🧵
(The history is so vast I will probably forget some points, you are welcome to add them in the comments).Image Jewish tradition places the Temple Mt as the location of many Biblical events: the Binding of Isaac, Jacob's dream & the Foundation Stone from where the world was created.
But it's best known for being the site of both Jewish Temples.Image
Image
Mar 14, 2024 • 9 tweets • 7 min read
Has there always been a continuous Jewish presence in Israel?

This thread has taken me all week to compile, as the history is so rich, but I will try and address some main points of Jewish presence in Israel from each century.

Let's get started: 🧵🧵🧵The sack of Jerusalem depicted on the Arch of Titus, Rome 1st - 2nd century:
After the destruction of the temple (70 CE) by the Titus and the Romans, many Jews were taken to exile.

In 131 CE Emperor Hadrian renamed Jerusalem "Aelia Capitolina" and constructed the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the site of the former Jewish temple. Jews were banned from Jerusalem and Roman Judaea was renamed "Syria Palaestina", from which is derived "Palestine" in English and "Filistin" in Arabic.

But did any Jews stay?
Yes, as is evident by the Bar Kochba Revolt between 132 and 136 CE which ultimately failed. Many ancient coins were found in Israel & date to the revolt. This one has a picture of the Temple & reads 'To the freedom of Jerusalem'.Bar Kokhba's tetradrachm overstruck on a denarius. Obverse: the Jewish Temple facade with the rising star. Reverse: A lulav, the text reads: "to the freedom of Jerusalem"