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Aramaic

Dr. Asaf Gayer from the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Ariel University, examines a cave near the Ein Gedi National Park in the Dead Sea region, featuring an ancient Aramaic inscription, possibly dated to the Bar Kochba Revolt, that was first revealed to the public in August 2025. (Asaf Gayer)
August 7, 2025, 10:31 am
‘Abba of Naburya has perished’: Unique 1,900-year-old inscription found in Dead Sea cave
Four-line Aramaic text, one of the few legible inscriptions from the era, may be tied to the Bar Kochba Revolt. The words were spotted only inches away from hidden Roman swords
By Rossella Tercatin
Syrian Christians gather for Sunday Mass at the Church of Saint George in the town of Maaloula, Syria, January 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
February 28, 2025, 2:17 pm
Christian town in Syria keeps Aramaic alive, amid fears for future under new regime
Residents of Maaloula, one of the few places where the ancient language is still spoken, worry they’ll be blamed for ousted leadership’s abuses, targeted in ‘revenge’ attacks
By Kareem Chehayeb
Teenagers hang out outside a computer store in Jish on August 5, 2024. (Canaan Lidor/Times of Israel)
August 7, 2024, 10:53 am
In Jish, an indigenous Christian minority defiantly stays in Hezbollah’s crosshairs
Instead of fleeing the Galilee, hundreds of Zionist Arameans are digging in as they brace for a major escalation
By Canaan Lidor
Illustrative photo of a Talmud page. (Mendy Hechtman/Flash90)
June 3, 2024, 5:19 am
Rashi was right: Machine learning confirms unique status of some Talmudic tracts
New study shows that the ‘special tractates’ of the Babylonian Talmud have distinct linguistic features, as commented on by medieval sages
By Gavriel Fiske
Three 1,500-year-old 'magic' incantation bowls created in the 5th-7th centuries in present day Iraq that were seized from an alleged illegal antiquities' dealer's home in Jerusalem (Yoli Schwartz, Israel Antiquities Authority)
March 7, 2022, 1:41 pm
‘Magic’ bowls among trove of ancient artifacts seized in raid on Jerusalem home
Ramat Shlomo resident suspected of illegal antiquities trade had three 1,500-year-old incantation bowls from Iraq, hundreds of other rare treasures
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
(Wikimedia Commons; collage by Grace Yagel/ via JTA)
October 15, 2021, 11:44 pm
Oxford courses on 12 rare Jewish languages aim to keep heritages alive
The classes, which began this week, run for an hour a week online and are free for all students
By Michelle Krasovitski
A national flag and portraits of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are pictured in the village of Maalula, north of the Syrian capital Damascus, on June 29, 2021. (LOUAI BESHARA / AFP)
July 11, 2021, 4:47 pm
Aramaic-speaking Syrian town prepares for return of pilgrims after years of war
Thousands used to visit Maalula churches and monasteries before the 2011 civil war; volunteers begin to clear rubble ahead of August 15 Assumption
By AFP
The inscription as it was found in the excavation near the Jerusalem International Convention Center, winter 2018. (Danit Levy, Israel Antiquities Authority)
October 9, 2018, 3:27 pm
Earliest known stone carving of Hebrew word ‘Jerusalem’ found near city entrance
Unearthed in what was an artisan’s village 2.5 km from ancient Temple, inscribed column from 100 BCE features Aramaic, Hebrew, two of the languages used by Jerusalemites of the era
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
A 5th century ‘curse’ tablet written in Jewish Aramaic from Antioch, Turkey, which was recently deciphered by Tel Aviv University doctoral student Rivka Elitzur-Leiman. (Princeton University)
May 16, 2018, 5:53 pm
Ancient Jewish gambler’s chariot race curse found in decoded 5th Century scroll
A nailed-shut amulet uncovered in Turkey in the 1930s, written in Jewish Aramaic and newly translated, pleads for help from Balaam’s ass at the track
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Illustrative: This undated photo provided by Sotheby's in New York shows the first-ever printing of the Talmud in Venice in the 1520s. (Sotheby's via AP)
April 23, 2016, 12:34 am
‘Thirst for wisdom’ makes Talmud in Italian a best-seller
Publisher cites mounting interest in Jewish culture in Italy for ‘extraordinary demand’ in early sales of translated text
By Angus Mackinnon
One of the artists performing in Frontline, during the Jerusalem Season of Culture (Courtesy Jerusalem Season of Culture)
July 24, 2015, 12:45 pm
Unhindered by war, Jerusalem looks to inject culture into city
From Aramaic heavy metal and Talmud punk to the abandoned Palestinian village of Lifta, city festival celebrates diversity
By Luke Tress
French Mezzo-Soprano Isabelle Druet as she performs during a dress rehearsal of Jacques Offenbach's "La Grande Duchesse", at the Theatre de l'Athenee in Paris. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO/KENZO TRIBOUILLARD)
April 16, 2015, 8:26 pm
French singer channels Kaddish In US debut
Isabelle Druet hopes a piece by Ravel, based on the Aramaic Jewish prayer, will help her gain a wider audience
By AFP
'Ostara' by Johannes Gehrts, created in 1884 and published in 1901. (public domain)
April 5, 2015, 3:54 pm
The pagan goddess behind the holiday of ‘Easter’
Most languages use Aramaic to describe Jesus’s resurrection. Why is English different? Meet the ‘woman’ to blame
By Amanda Borschel-Dan
Eighteen month old Iraqi Christian refugee Maryam at the Shevet Achim headquarters in Jerusalem, February 2015 (photo credit: Lazar Berman/Times of Israel)
February 26, 2015, 4:27 pm
Israeli doctors try to save Christian baby who fled Islamic State
A refugee running out of time and options for her sick daughter, Aramaic speaker Lina hopes her prayers will be answered in Jerusalem
By Lazar Berman
The Holy Trinity Church in Istanbul, Turkey. (screen capture: YouTube)
January 3, 2015, 11:32 pm
Turkey greenlights first new church in century
Decision comes three months after pope warns against Middle East ‘Christianophobia’ during visit
By Burak Akinci
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