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Biblical Museum of Natural History

Coordinates: 31°45′15″N 34°59′43″E / 31.7542°N 34.9953°E / 31.7542; 34.9953
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Biblical Museum
of Natural History
Map
Established2014[1]
Location5 Ha-Tzaba Street,
Beit Shemesh, Israel
TypeNatural history
DirectorNatan Slifkin
WebsiteBiblicalNaturalHistory.org

The Biblical Museum of Natural History, currently located in the northern industrial zone of Beit Shemesh, Israel, was founded in 2014 by Natan Slifkin, affectionately referred to as the "Zoo Rabbi."

Vision and purpose

The establishment describe itself as "part natural history museum, part zoo" and is meant to "enhance the appreciation and understanding of biblical scripture and Jewish tradition via the natural world."[2] Visitors are able to gain insight into the animals that lived in Israel during biblical times even if they no longer exist there now, such as bears and crocodiles.[3][4]

Visitors to the museum are currently directed by special tour by appointment only. Features include live animal, taxidermy and skeleton exhibits, as well as audio/visual presentations. Tour topics include unraveling incidents of misidentification of animals by biblical scholars of species mentioned in both the Five Books of Moses and the Talmud due to their lack of familiarity with different families that are not represented in places like Europe, where much of the Jewish medieval biblical commentary was written.

History

In 2017 the Museum held a "Feast of Exotic Curiosities," at which foods including locusts, guineafowl, and water buffalo, that are described as kosher in the Bible but rarely served, were prepared by chef Moshe Basson of The Eucalyptus, a restaurateur known for his contemporary preparations of biblical foods.[5]

Complementary text

Slifkin has authored the first volume of what will be a large collection of information related to the interplay of Judaism and zoology entitled The Torah Encyclopedia of the Animal Kingdom. The encyclopedia will attempt to cover all animals mentioned in the Jewish scripture and highlight little known historical facts such as population diversity and habitation during biblical times.[6]

  • Group presentation to school children by museum staff
    Group presentation to
    school children by museum staff
  • Hands on tour of small animals
    Hands on tour of small animals
  • Presentation by Natan Slifkin
    Presentation by Natan Slifkin

References

  1. ^ Jerusalem Post 'Zoo rabbi' opens museum of biblical animals in Beit Shemesh, October 14, 2014
  2. ^ Jewish Action On and Off the Beaten Track in...the Biblical Museum of Natural History, March 9, 2015
  3. ^ JNS.org Hippos in Israel? New museum re-animates forgotten biblical wildlife Archived 2015-05-05 at the Wayback Machine, February 27, 2015
  4. ^ JewishJournal.com To Animal Kingdom Come, March 11, 2015
  5. ^ Rudee, Eliana (3 October 2017). "Biblical Scripture Comes Alive in Feast of Ancient Exotic Curiosities". Israel News. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  6. ^ JewishStandard.com Where the Wild Things Are, July 30, 2015

31°45′15″N 34°59′43″E / 31.7542°N 34.9953°E / 31.7542; 34.9953

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