The Arbel synagogue is located at the
heart of a large scale settlement stretching over a 100 Dunam compound, and is
identified with the ancient Jewish settlement of Arbel. In the second temple
period (538-70 BC) the Arbel settlement is mentioned in many sources and was
probably one of the important settlements in the lower Galilee region.
Yosef Ben Matityahu mentions in his books that the trusties of the house of
"Hashmonai" in used to take shelter at the Arbel caves during their war against
Hordus, and in the year 66 during the preparation for the big rebellion at the
Romans, during his time as a the Galilee commander, he fortressed the Arbel
caves.
The Arbel synagogue was first founded during the second century BC.
The synagogue was made out of lime stone and was very eminent because most of the settlements houses were made
out of common black volcanic stone. At the southern wall that heads towards
Jerusalem a hole was made and the floor was heighted to put a closet
were the Torah scrolls were held. The Arbel settlement and the synagogue were
destroyed in the ancient Muslim period (638-1099 AC).