Migdal, Israel

Migdal
Hebrew transcription(s)
- Hebrew	מִגְדָּל
- ISO 259	Migdal
Migdal
Coordinates: 32°50′20.68″N 35°29′57.46″E / 32.8390778°N 35.4992944°E / 32.8390778; 35.4992944Coordinates: 32°50′20.68″N 35°29′57.46″E / 32.8390778°N 35.4992944°E / 32.8390778; 35.4992944
District	North
Founded	1910
Government
- Type	Local council (from 1949)
Area
- Total	11,395 dunams (11.4 km2 / 4.4 sq mi)
Population (2008)[1]
- Total	1,627
Name meaning	Tower

Migdal (Hebrew: מִגְדָּל‎‎, lit. Tower) is a town in the Northern District of Israel. It was founded in 1910, and granted local council status in 1949. In 2008 it had a population of 1,627.^[1]

Migdal is located near Ginosar, and about 8 km north of Tiberias.^[2] It has a shoreline on the Sea of Galilee, including the Tamar, Ilanot and Arbel beaches.

History

The town is named after the old city of Migdala Nunia (Aramaic: "fish tower"), home town of Mary of Magdala (Luke 8:2), and is situated just west of the Kinneret on Tiberias-Rosh Pina road.^[2]

Bilu pioneers in Migdal, 1912

In 1908, a small group of German Catholics who identified the site as the birth place of Mary Magdalene settled there.^[3] They left after a year and the land was bought by Russia Zionists who founded a farm, Ahuzat Moskva (Moscow Estate) in 1910. A few years later, the land was sold to private investors.^[2] An encampment of Gdud HaAvoda workers who built the Tiberias-Rosh Pina road was established there in 1921.^[4]

Archaeology

In September 2009, a salvage dig of the Israel Antiquities Authority prior to the construction of a hotel revealed an ancient synagogue believed to date back some 2000 years, from 50 BCE to 100 CE. In the middle of a 120 sq.m. main hall, archaeologists discovered an unusual stone carved with a seven-branched menorah. It is the first of its kind to be discovered from the early Roman period. In addition to the engraved stone, the walls are decorated with brightly-colored frescoes.^[5]

See also

• Al-Majdal
• Magdala

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Locality File" (XLS). Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. 2008. http://www.cbs.gov.il/ishuvim/ishuv2008/bycode.xls. Retrieved 2010-06-22. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} About Migdal. Flags of the World
3. ^ Ancient Menorah
4. ^ Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel Herzl Press and McGraw-Hill,New York 1971, Volume II, p. 784
5. ^ Ancient Synagogue Found in Migdal

The town of Migdal is featured on the right, and Haram on the left From Mount Arbel.