Tram to The City with No Name!

Ron Ross
Bridges for Peace News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com

13th April 2007

Imagine setting out for work. Your task is to prepare the ground to make way for the new Jerusalem tram line.

This is the kind of work undertaken by many throughout the world everyday, but when you are digging in Jerusalem anything can happen, and it did!

Workers unearthed the remains of an ancient Jewish city from the first century AD and it is under what is now Shuafat, a Palestinian suburb of Jerusalem. That is some tram ride!!!

Shuafat is a well known location to those who argue over locations in Israel. It is a wealthy Arab village located northeast of Jerusalem.

In 1948 the UN described Shafuat as the most northern part of the Jerusalem area.

"In view of its association with three world religions" Shafuat they said was to be "accorded special and separate treatment from the rest of Palestine and should be placed under effective United Nations control."

Then after the 1967 Six-Day War Shafuat was brought into the municipal area of Jerusalem.

Most media publicity surrounding Shafuat in recent years has been focused on its status as an Arab refugee camp. The struggles of `the Palestinians' living here has been well documented.

Now a Jewish city has been unearthed, more questions will be asked and the truth for some will be much clearer. Shafuat concealed a secret. It took workmen digging a tram track to bring enlightenment.

They unearthed a Jewish `city with no name.' Curiosity has ignited skilled archaeologists who are in great haste to discover its treasures. You see, they must make their findings before that new light-rail comes along.

Already we know the city dates back to the second Jewish temple. Scholars have gravitated to the spot to enquire, debate and analyze the history and exciting significance of the location.

Some say it is the site of the biblical Nob, where Saul was anointed King of Israel.

Articles published about the fan-base of this discovery are rich with enthusiasm. "No one knew of a city of this importance just a few kilometers (miles) north of Jerusalem, and its name remains unknown," beamed Rachal Bar Nathan, an archaeologist from the Israel National Antiquities Authority.

She is one of three archaeologists now at the site. If the location was unknown before it has surfaced with great excitement now. The city is believed to have been built after Roman legions sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the second temple of Herod in the year 70 AD, Bar Nathan told.

In a much publicized report, we learn the city was abandoned in the year 130, at the time of the last Jewish revolt against Rome, during the reign of Hardian.

Today it is the Palestinian suburb Shuafat and this history-rich site is preparing to make way for tram-lines.

Along those tracks people will travel to and from Jewish districts north of Jerusalem on land annexed after the 1967 Six Day War.

The thought of that tram journey, contrasts significantly with the activity in the area today.

Under a large tarpaulin, 50 Palestinian workmen are busy with spades, shovels, picks and brushes. They are digging for clues and searching for a history which will once again confirm the biblical credentials of the Jewish people.

Already uncovered walls have given up pots filled with coins.

A rare gold coin was found. It bears the face of the Roman emperor Trajan, who ruled from 98 to 117 AD.

Here is an interesting twist. A large number of water cisterns have been found.

Archaeologists have speculated that this might mean the city was a supply stop for travelers who traveled the north-south road. I wonder if anyone ever imagined it would be a tram stop one day. It may become a fully fledged tourist haven.

Archaeologists have found the remains of private homes, public buildings and stone cooking utensils used by the Jews of that day. Thermal baths decorated with colorful mosaics have also been found.

It all says, this place was a lively active Jewish location. This discovery proclaims once again the rich biblical history of the Jews and the land of Israel.

This is a unique town, and one day soon, you will be able to get there by tram.

Ron Ross resigned as Senior Pastor of Noosa Baptist Church to become National Director of Bridges for Peace Australia. Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com