Khirbet Midras Caves

Nestling in the Judean Foothills (the Shephelah), Khirbet Midras is an archaeological site rich in finds, yet even its name in antiquity is not known.

History and Archaeology of Khirbet Midras

Khirbet Midras was settled in the Hellenistic period, and like its neighboring site, Maresha, it had an underground city. The soft local limestone enabled quarrying on a large scale, forming spaces for different purposes: water cisterns, olive presses, dovecots, burial, storage, and more. During the Bar-Kokhba revolt (132-135 CE) the rebels added tactical tunnels for a guerilla war against the Romans. Some of them are marked and are popular among youth groups. The southern end of the site was used for burials, and possibly cultic activity.

The Synagogue that Became a Church

In 2011 Israel Antiquities Authority conducted salvage excavations to rescue a structure that was being looted. It proved to be a Byzantine-era church, whose mosaic floor was well intact. Beneath it the archaeologists unearthedgfoundations of an earlier public structure, possibly a synagogue. Unfortunately, the finds were covered for their protection and cannot be any more.

Touring Khirbet Midras

The site is open year-round and is free of charge. It is located next to road 38, and Tzafririm village. Crawling through the Bar-Kokhba caves requires flashlights, preferably headlamps.

A tour of Khirbet Midras can be combined in a guided day tour in the Judean Foothills (the Shephelah).