Zev Radovan/BibleLandPictures.com

A stone’s throw from the Gamla synagogue in lower Galilee sits the Qatzrin synagogue. Although the two are close geographically, they date to different periods. The Gamla synagogue dates to the Second Temple period—before the Temple was destroyed. The well-preserved synagogue at Qatzrin, however, dates to the early sixth century C.E. The Qatzrin synagogue has the features typical of a synagogue built after the destruction of the Temple. Benches line the wall, and the focal point of this synagogue is the Torah Shrine, which sat on a raised platform along the hall’s southern wall that faced Jerusalem.