Written by Mike
In my hand is an ancient piece of pottery thousands of years old. We are in a national park in Israel, looking through dirt that came from the Temple Mount, in the Old City of Jerusalem. It’s one of the most significant sites in Jewish history, where both the First and Second Temples stood.
We are participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project. This program recovers and studies archaeological material from 9,000 tons of soil removed illegally in 1999 by the Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian-funded administrative religious group that oversees upkeep of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The soil was recovered by Israel and taken to Emek Tzurim National Park where archaeologists created a sifting process that lets volunteers search for artifacts.
A group of us spent time sorting through buckets of soil for pieces of history hidden among little shards of clay, stone, metal and glass. Then came the discoveries: Sophia found a tiny glass bead, and I found a pottery-vessel handle. Both dated to the First Temple period, roughly 3,000 years ago.
Think about that. We were holding objects made and used by our ancestors from another civilization and era. In that moment, history wasn't confined to a textbook or museum exhibit. It was tangible. Personal. Right there in our hands.
Our families have experienced antisemitism and the consequences of lies about Jews, which makes preserving and understanding Jewish history especially important. Today we are witnessing big lies about Israel and the Jewish people, claims about who is indigenous, who belongs, and how history is told. We owe it to ourselves and our children and grandchildren to learn the history, visit the places, examine the evidence, and listen to people whose families have carried this history for generations.
Knowing our history is about more than remembering the past. We need to recognize the truth and make sure it’s not lost, or rewritten, for the future.
Mike’s find while participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project in Jerusalem: An ancient pottery jug handle.
Sophia’s glass bead find while participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project in Jerusalem.
Searching for ancient artifacts on the Temple Mount Sifting Project in Jerusalem.
Participants look for artifacts in the Temple Mount Sifting Project in Jerusalem.
