Eyal Freiman, Deputy Staff Officer for Archaeology in Israel's Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, spoke at the Arutz Sheva NYC Summit, held in cooperation with Chazaq in Queens, about how archaeological discoveries provide tangible evidence of the Jewish people's connection to the Land of Israel and help counter efforts to erase that history.
"The truth shall spring from the earth," Freiman said, citing King David's words from Psalms. "That is exactly what we're doing in archaeology. We excavate and we find the physical evidence of the stories, the history, the heritage."
Freiman said that uncovering artifacts transforms biblical narratives from stories into documented history. "If you find the coin of Alexander Jannaeus, king of the Hasmoneans, you suddenly understand that the Chanukah story is not just a story told to children so you can light the candle and be quiet. It's a genuine miracle that happened to the Jewish people 2,000 years ago. When you find pure evidence of when the Patriarchs walked the earth, and when David ruled Israel, and when you find the palace of Ahab in Samaria, you feel connected. You understand that all of those stories are not just myths. They're history."
During the discussion, Freiman also addressed what he described as an academic boycott targeting archaeological research conducted in Judea and Samaria. "When I looked at what people published - purely academically, purely scientifically - they talked about the Kingdom of Israel, but they didn't talk about Israel. They talked about Phoenicians and Assyrians, but nobody spoke about Samaria, Shiloh, or Tel Hebron because nobody excavated there.
He claimed the boycott extends beyond disagreement over interpretations and into the publication process itself. "There's an academic boycott. People are trying to silence the past and silence our history. They don't only ignore it - they refuse to publish it. If I have a publication from an area in Judea and Samaria, they refuse to publish papers I've written or to place them in their libraries or online. At the last ASOR convention in Boston, just this past September, they refused people from Israel - all of Israel, not just Judea and Samaria - to be acknowledged and affiliated with their universities. They said, 'You can publish, but don't say where you're from.'"
Despite those challenges, Freiman encouraged attendees to educate themselves and engage directly with the evidence. "The main goal is to be aware. Don't just be silent and accept it when people shout wrong facts at you. Learn for yourself. Come and learn and be more aware. Because of the strong connection, I invite them to come and excavate themselves and publish for themselves. Nobody can argue with what you uncover with your own hands."
He described participation in excavations as a unique opportunity to connect physically and emotionally with Jewish history. "Come excavate. Feel the land. Feel the truth. And even if you know the truth, it's worth it. It helps. It's worth it. Always understand and be really true about the facts."