Location Israel Width 8.5 m (28 ft) Founded 4th-century CE Address Israel | Length 14.5 m (48 ft) Material hewn stone Abandoned 8th-century CE | |
 | ||
Similar Yatir Forest, Synagogue d'Ein Gedi, Maon Synagogue, Eshtemoa synagogue, Beth Alpha | ||
The Anim Synagogue, located 19 km (12 mi) south of Hebron in the Yatir Forest, Israel, was an ancient Synagogue in use during the 4th–7th centuries CE. The site is recognized as a National Heritage Site of Israel.
History
The synagogue is located at an ancient site identified with the 'Anim mentioned in the Bible (Joshua 15:50). It is also believed to be the site of the large Jewish village of Anaya during the Roman-Byzantine period.
The synagogue was discovered during an excavation conducted in 1987. It consists of a rectangular prayer hall orientated towards Jerusalem measuring 14.5 by 8.5 metres (48 ft × 28 ft), an entrance portico and a courtyard with rooms on both sides. Hewn stone walls still stand to a height of 3.5 m (11 ft) and two entrances on the east side survive with their lintels intact. Evidence of a mosaic floor was found beneath the current stone slab flooring and fragments of an inscription remain. The building functioned as a synagogue until the seventh or eighth century when it was turned into a mosque.