Steven Wenick

Having reluctantly acceded to my wife’s wishes to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony of the recently uncovered (1996) Lod Mosaic, I steeled myself for a tedious and boring afternoon at the University of Pennsylvania Archaeology and Anthropology Museum. Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony I joined the rather eclectic and eccentric group of academic looking visitors who were scrutinizing the huge mosaic prominently displayed on the floor just outside the Canaan Exhibition Hall. Not wanting to look out of place, I mimicked what seemed to be the prevailing meditative pose they assumed as I too scrutinized the artistic worth of the myriad of tesserae, (multi-colored small stones) which make up the magnificent work.

While in thought, I overheard someone speaking Hebrew. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the speaker was a distinguished and well-dressed man standing close by me. The comments he made to his companion were about several ancient oil lamps, which had been discovered in Israel, now prominently displayed in the adjacent Roman Exhibition Hall. Never one to let a Hebrew speaking person pass me by without engaging them in one way or another, I echoed his remark in Hebrew just loud  enough for him to hear it with the expectation that he would react to me. He did.

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