Prof. Jodi Magness of UNC-Chapel Hill is Schechter’s 2026 Robert S. Rifkind z”l Visiting Professor

World-renowned archaeologist of the ancient Near East, Professor Jodi Magness of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, joined the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in June 2026 as the Robert S. Rifkind z”l Visiting Professor, bringing firsthand insights into one of the most important archaeological discoveries of ancient synagogue art in recent decades.

The Kenan Distinguished Professor for Teaching Excellence in Early Judaism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is internationally recognized for directing the excavations at Huqoq, just northwest of the Sea of Galilee, where she and her team uncovered some of the most remarkable, unique and visually stunning synagogue mosaics ever discovered in the Land of Israel.

At Huqoq, Magness and her team unearthed an extraordinary collection of mosaics depicting biblical scenes and stories. Among them are mosaics illustrating episodes from the Samson cycle, Jonah and the great fish, Noah’s Ark, and the spies carrying a cluster of grapes. They also uncovered the first known depiction of the oasis of Elim, mentioned in Exodus 15, as well as a mosaic featuring figures associated with Dionysus.

Mosaic showing Samson carrying the gate of Gaza, from the Huqoq excavation (image by Jim Hablerman)

Perhaps the site’s greatest mystery is a remarkably well-preserved mosaic depicting two opposing groups of male figures, elephants and other animals organized into three panels (the “Elephant Mosaic”). It is the first known non-biblical narrative scene discovered in an ancient synagogue, and its meaning remains the subject of scholarly debate.

Magness explained that the interpretation of many of the mosaics is still being finalized for publication, alongside the cataloging of coins, pottery, and other artifacts—a process that takes many years. She noted that scholars have already proposed around a dozen different interpretations of the enigmatic mosaic featuring the elephants and opposing men.

“Huqoq’s location and its almost continuous settlement since before the time of Jesus made it an excellent place to excavate,” she told an audience at Schechter. Situated near a natural spring, the site lies between the ancient settlements of Migdal and Capernaum, both important Jewish and Christian centers during the Second Temple period making findings from that period more exciting for historians and archaeologists.

Still, Magness admitted that she had no idea what extraordinary discoveries awaited beneath the soil. “If I had,” she joked, “I’m pretty sure I would not have been the one to excavate there.”

Prof. Jodi Magness standing on the same stone L: 2011, R: 2023 (photos by Jim Haberman)

As the Robert S. Rifkind z”l Visiting Professor, Magness delivered two public lectures and led a smaller workshop for Schechter faculty members and invited scholars.

Magness said she was delighted to join the Schechter community and appreciated the opportunity to receive “really helpful feedback on my Herod the Messiah project,” which is under contract with Oxford University Press.

Dr. Tamar Kadari, a lecturer in Midrash and Aggadah and a member of the Institute’s Art and Judaism MA program, also participated in the lecture series.

Magness had become familiar with Kadari’s research on a medieval midrash describing Jonah being swallowed by three fish. After having read the study, Magness contacted Kadari during the summer her team discovered the Jonah mosaic, inviting her to visit Huqoq to see the find firsthand. Since then, the two have developed a close friendship and an ongoing scholarly collaboration.

“I learned a great deal from Tamar’s presentation about midrash,” Magness said. “About how midrash sort of developed and circulated—or might have developed and circulated.”

Dr. Tamar Kadari presenting on Jonah being swallowed by three fish from Huqoq mosaic (photo by Josh Shuman)

Although excavations at Huqoq concluded in 2023, the site continues to move toward becoming a public archaeological park. Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), which owns the land, is working with the Israel Antiquities Authority to develop the area as a tourist destination. Magness noted that significant portions of the site remain unexcavated, and while she is unlikely to participate in future digs there, she is excited by the discoveries that may still await future archaeologists.

The Robert S. Rifkind z”l Visiting Professorship brings distinguished scholars from abroad to Schechter. The inaugural recipient was Professor Michael Fishbane, the Nathan Cummings Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Jewish Studies at the University of Chicago Divinity School and one of the world’s leading scholars of Jewish thought and biblical interpretation. In 2025, the second recipient was Professor Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies Emeritus at Harvard Divinity School and an internationally renowned scholar of the Hebrew Bible and its interpretation.