The Maccabees, led by Judah, fought the much more formidable Greek army in Samaria and in the area around Jerusalem. Two sites that are well known to us today are Nebi Samuel and Park Canada. Park Canada, originally the Roman city of Emmaus and before that a Jewish town called Hirbet Aked, was the headquarters of the Greeks. It is down in the valley, not far from the Hellenized cities on the coast and close to the Seleucid fortification in Gezer. It is also close to the major east-west road Maale Bet Horon.
Where is Biblical Mitzpah?
Judah Maccabee gathered his forces in the hills near Jerusalem. Like his predecessor the prophet Samuel, Judah chose to bring his army together at a site called Mitzpah. Here, like Samuel, he prayed to God for forgiveness and for success in battle. Where is Mitzpah? Today many scholars agree that the site we call Nebi Samuel is not the grave of Samuel the Prophet (i.e., Ramah) but another important Biblical site called Mitzpah.
For a long time archaeologists doubted if Nebi Samuel was a Biblical site at all since most of what can be seen there is from the massive Crusader quarry and structure. But about thirty years ago an excavation at the entrance to the site revealed a beautifully preserved neighborhood dating to the 4th-2nd centuries BCE. In the fill underneath the houses were many items dating back much further, to the First Temple times. Mitzpah means a high lookout point and that is exactly what Nebi Samuel is. From here you have amazing views to Jerusalem, the coast and the Shomron.
Judah gathered his men at Mitzpah and after they prayed they ventured down to the Greek camp in Emmaus. Meanwhile the Greek general Gorgias had taken some of his men to Mitzpah to attack Judah! He of course found no one there. Judah attacked the remaining Greeks in Emmaus and routed them. From there the battles moved south to Bet Tzur, in Gush Etzion of today.
Beautiful Sites to Visit – Leave Your Armor and Elephants at Home
Today you can visit these sites and you don’t have to wear armor or bring any elephants with you. Nebi Samuel is now a national park and it is located just outside the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot. Besides the incredible view from the roof of the structure, there is the fascinating archaeology, both of the Crusaders and the Muslims who replaced them, as well as the Hellenistic neighborhood which has recently been opened up and developed.
Park Canada on a nice day, is usually full of bikers and walkers. It is located right next to Latrun and the Armored Corps Memorial and Museum. This is the Ayalon Valley, where centuries before the army of Joshua pursued the Canaanites and Joshua called out to God to make the sun stand still so that he could continue his victorious pursuit.
In the park is a lovely path through the water systems of ancient Emmaus. In the spring it is filled with blossoming almond trees. The water installations were preserved by the residents of the Arab villages who lived here until the Six-Day War. With the IDF conquest of the area, they fled and the villages were turned into a park. On the edge of the park, down a hidden path, is a perfectly preserved Roman bathhouse. Emmaus was known as a place of hot springs and of the good life. One of the Sages, Elazar ben Arakh, chose to live here rather than with his colleagues in Lod and Bnei Brak and as a consequence he lost his edge in learning and teaching.
There isn’t much left from the Maccabees in these sites but with a little imagination and a good map, you can understand how the battles unfolded. A perfect Chanukah excursion.
Shulie Mishkin is a tour guide and educator in Israel. She can be reached for tours, lectures or to search for Maccabees at [email protected]
