menu_open Columnists
Rossella Tercatin

Rossella Tercatin

The Times of Israel

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

For hearing-impaired, recognition of Israeli Sign Language speaks volumes

For hearing-impaired, recognition of Israeli Sign Language speaks volumes

Academy of the Hebrew Language establishment of Department of Israeli Sign Language seen as major move promoting development and codification of...

01.05.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

As Israel shifts from sorrow to joy, rabbinic group offers new prayer for grieving nation

As Israel shifts from sorrow to joy, rabbinic group offers new prayer for grieving nation

Drafted by Tzohar, the prayer aims to help the public navigate the painful transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day amid ongoing trauma and...

30.04.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

As IDF draft battle rages, Haredim gather on Memorial Day to mourn their fallen soldiers

As IDF draft battle rages, Haredim gather on Memorial Day to mourn their fallen soldiers

Over 3,000 people attend special ceremony in Jerusalem honoring those who died while serving in army’s ultra-Orthodox tracks: ‘A Torah scroll in...

30.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Mysterious capital depicting menorahs found in 1,500-year-old Roman site in Jerusalem

Mysterious capital depicting menorahs found in 1,500-year-old Roman site in Jerusalem

Artifact, made of local limestone, was discovered in a settlement dating from a time when no Jew was allowed to live in the region

29.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Desecration of 17th-century rabbi’s Damascus tomb tests tolerance of new Syria

Desecration of 17th-century rabbi’s Damascus tomb tests tolerance of new Syria

Authorities commit to investigating after unknown perpetrators dig up burial site of Rabbi Chaim Vital amid push by country’s new leadership to shed...

29.04.2025 80

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Torah scroll honoring soldier slain on Oct. 7 completed ahead of Memorial Day

Torah scroll honoring soldier slain on Oct. 7 completed ahead of Memorial Day

Sgt. Segev Schwartz, 20, fell in the battle at the IDF’s Sufa outpost during the Hamas onslaught

28.04.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

At Jerusalem’s holiest church, Catholics mourn Pope Francis with solemn mass

At Jerusalem’s holiest church, Catholics mourn Pope Francis with solemn mass

Hundreds gather at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to pray for the late pontiff led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, seen by some as a...

23.04.2025 9

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

US universities pan Trump’s ‘political interference’ amid furor over funding cuts

100 institutions pen letter rejecting ‘government intrusion,’ vowing freedom of expression on campus as Washington cracks down on campus...

22.04.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Daily Briefing Apr. 22: Day 564 – Politics heat up over Shin Bet chief statement

Political correspondent Sam Sokol discusses the political uproar over Ronen Bar’s affidavit; archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin reviews the...

22.04.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Hundreds of artifacts, some nearly 2,800 years old, seized from suspected looter

In search of suspect’s home in Dimona, police also find metal detectors, guns and ammunition, and NIS 150,000 in cash

21.04.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

In early Christian Holy Land, private churches rose as acts of faith — and displays of power

During 4th-7th century CE, Christian elites built numerous private churches, while Jewish donors appeared to pool their resources in a communal...

20.04.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Could AI solve the enigmas of ancient Talmud-like Christian manuscripts in Aramaic?

An Israeli researcher uses computational technology to showcase that the scribes compiling Syriac texts made active editorial choices, similar to the...

19.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Made from snails and fit for kings: First biblical-era dye factory found on Israel’s coast

Ancient Tel Shiqmona site yields first evidence of large-scale purple dye production centuries before Roman times, possibly supplying First Temple in...

18.04.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Tens of thousands flock to Western Wall as ex-hostage Eliya Cohen says priestly blessing

During the ceremony, the young man holds up posters for two captives still in the Strip, Segev Kalfon and Alon Ohel, as the massive crowd recites...

15.04.2025 9

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Research center works to save myriad Hebrew dialects shaped by millennia of wandering

Israel’s Academy of the Hebrew Language has been preserving a treasure trove of accents and pronunciations that are swiftly becoming lost by its own...

15.04.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

In this Sicilian town, manna is a heavenly delicacy with deep roots

For centuries, the farmers in the Madonie region have harvested sap from ash trees. Once used for its therapeutic properties, the white, sugary...

12.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Spain’s public broadcaster calls for ‘debate’ over Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision

Spanish civil society has ‘concerns,’ due to war in Gaza, about Israel’s participation in annual song contest, writes Spanish RTVE network in...

12.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

IDF to allow rare visit to ‘Solomon’s Pools’ archaeological site in West Bank

The tour of the site, some four kilometers from the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, is set to take place on Thursday, during the Jewish holiday of...

12.04.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Iconic gold-encrusted Haggadah goes on display in Jerusalem for the first time

Original manuscript of the renowned Passover text created by artist David Moss is exhibited at the National Library of Israel

09.04.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

New Gaza archaeology exhibit opens in Paris, as most sites in enclave severely damaged

Artifacts on display include findings from Franco-Palestinian excavations initiated in Gaza in 1995, as well as items from the collection of Gazan...

03.04.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Thousands at Jerusalem rally demand all Israelis share burden of military service

‘Sanctify God’s name,’ says activist and bereaved mother in appeal to ultra-Orthodox; demonstrator holds up sign quoting Moses: ‘Are your...

03.04.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Major archaeological conference canceled after interference by far-right minister

Israel Exploration Society calls off event less than a day in advance due to Amichai Eliyahu’s objection to participation of archaeologist who...

03.04.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Western Wall cleared of thousands of visitors’ notes ahead of Passover

According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, notes include messages sent through its website by people from enemy countries, such as Iran and...

02.04.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Three-year-old girl finds Canaanite seal where Bible says David battled Goliath

Ziv Nitzan was hiking with her family near Tel Azeka when she picked up a small stone that her sisters later realized was shaped like a scarab,...

01.04.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Paleolithic kids’ finger painting in underground caves may have had a lofty purpose

New research from Tel Aviv University suggests prehistoric children were joint creators of European cave art, fulfilling a spiritual role for their...

01.04.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Archaeologists find first evidence of epic biblical battle at ‘Armageddon’

Pottery excavated at Megiddo in northern Israel suggests a military presence, possibly confirms the battle between King Josiah and Pharaoh Necho, and...

30.03.2025 100

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Report shows rise in attacks on Christians in Israel, but a willingness to tackle issue

Second annual Rossing Center report documents 111 anti-Christian incidents in 2024. Accompanying survey finds almost half of Christians under 30 want...

28.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Archaeologists unearth 1,200-year-old jug decorated with camels in Negev

Artifact daubed with red pattern and trio of animals discovered near olive press in Yatir Forest, considered advanced for its time

27.03.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Pew Research Center survey: A quarter of US adults raised Jewish no longer identify as Jews

Survey of 78,000 people in 36 countries on ‘religious switching’ in the world also shows that 20% of the US Muslim population are converts

26.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Religious Zionist Israelis growing increasingly critical of Haredim, new survey shows

Poll says that just over half of religious Zionists recognize ultra-Orthodox contributions to society, down since last year, as more respondents want...

26.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

‘Our shared nation is under attack’: A Haredi rabbi explains how to draft the ultra-Orthodox

Rabbi David Leybel has already registered significant achievements in integrating Haredim into the workforce. Now he’s turning his sights on...

25.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Enigmatic 2,200-year-old ‘pyramid’ near Dead Sea may have been fortress for ancient taxman

Excavations by Israeli archaeologists at the mysterious Judean Desert site reveal artifacts suggesting it served as a post for tax collection and...

25.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Poll showing religious teens are sexually active sparks rethink of when to have the talk

High numbers of students in religious Zionist schools, where sex education is often an afterthought, are having sex with their peers, including those...

24.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Echoing Gospel account, traces of ancient garden found under Church of Holy Sepulchre

A landmark excavation has offered unprecedented historical insights. Set to conclude in the coming months, ToI gets a sneak peek

22.03.2025 70

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

UK jails 3 for kidnapping Israeli music producer: ‘Felt like my own personal Oct. 7’

Judge says the trio were ‘motivated by events taking place elsewhere in the world’ and chose the victim based on their ‘understanding of his...

15.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Can a grand 1,600-year-old synagogue rewrite the history of Jewish life in Christian Rome?

New radiocarbon dating at the Huqoq sanctuary in the Galilee puts its construction after the empire embraced Christianity, and hints that Jews still...

15.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Burning Haman: The lost Purim tradition of India’s ancient Cochin Jewish community

For centuries, Cochin Jews marked Purim by burning effigies of Haman, while the holiday represented the day when Jews from all backgrounds celebrated...

15.03.2025 70

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Roman-era Jewish bath in Italy may be oldest outside of Israel, points to vibrant Diaspora

A newly excavated site in Ostia Antica, dating as early as the 3rd century CE, offers fresh insight and new enigmas about the city’s potential...

14.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Jerusalem gets ready for rare triple Purim: ‘The main goal is to take care of others’

In a sporadic occurrence that will next repeat itself in 2045, Jews in the capital get to celebrate a three-day holiday

13.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Sapiens and Neanderthals coexisted in prehistoric Israel, rare cave burials show

Using dentists’ tools, archaeologists painstakingly uncover evidence that Israel’s Tinshemet Cave housed hominins who shared rituals and...

11.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Chained in faith: 5th-century female skeleton may be world’s 1st self-mortifying Christian nun

Cutting-edge technology allows a team of Israeli researchers to determine that mysterious ironclad remains found in a church near Jerusalem belonged...

10.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Morocco’s Spanish-speaking Jewish minority illuminated in prizewinning book

National Jewish Book Award recipient Aviad Moreno’s work focuses on northern Morocco’s Hispanic Jews, whose yearning for a ‘homeland’ was...

10.03.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Religious Services minister backs down from bid to control city rabbi appointments

Following High Court petition by Tzohar and ITIM groups, Michael Malkieli rolls back regulations guaranteeing him control of selection committees

10.03.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Early humans in Israel really liked their steaks, new study shows

While the region offered a great diversity of fauna, Middle Paleolithic humans favored hunting the ancestor of cows, archaeological remains from the...

07.03.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Half of Israelis in rabbinical courts say they were wronged – survey

According to a study by the ITIM nonprofit, one in five Israelis also report their connection to Judaism was negatively impacted by the experience

06.03.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Jewish rebels and earthquake rubble: New dig aims to solve a pair of historical enigmas

Sartaba/Alexandrium was built by the Hasmoneans and expanded by Herod. A team of archaeologists has launched a first excavation in 40 years to probe...

06.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Biblical-themed exhibit inaugurated at Roman site under Damascus Gate in Jerusalem

A 2nd-century gate in the Old City’s Muslim Quarter offers a glimpse into the capital’s multilayered history — and complex present

05.03.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

For Rome’s Jews, ties with ailing pope are personal. And increasingly complicated

With 2,000 years of history between the Jewish community and the Catholic Church, relations have been positive in recent decades. But October 7 has...

04.03.2025 50

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Lost and found: Early commentary on Maimonides’s Mishneh Torah on display in Jerusalem

Now housed at the National Library, 15th-cent. Mezukak Shivatayim extensively quotes Jewish sages whose works are unknown to scholars, opening the way...

27.02.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin

Avoiding the Rabbinate, 3,000 Israeli couples married last year in Utah’s ‘Zoom weddings’

New report by group promoting religious freedom says 67% of Israeli public supports recognizing all types of marriages in Israel, including civil,...

21.02.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Rossella Tercatin