Prof. Yigael Yadin, former Chief of Staff of Israel’s armed forces and one of the country’s leading archaeologists, today described a new find in the Qumran caves near the Dead Sea not far from where the famous Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered more than 20 years ago. Gen. Yadin spoke at a meeting which dealt with military and archaeological aspects of southern Israel and the Sinai. Prof. Yadin said a tefilin (phylacteries) box was found in one of the caves. Ceremonial blessings were inscribed on animal hide in the style used now by the Rashi tefilin. He shared the platform with Deputy Prime Minister Yigal Allon, who described Israel’s three penetrations of the Sinai–in 1948, 1956 and 1967. He recalled the drive he led in the first war which captured Abu Ageila and the El Arish airport. But Israeli troops were ordered pulled back under international pressure. If there had been no retreat in 1948 there may have been no wars in 1956 and 1967, he said.
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