Editing Modi'in Illit (section)

=== Khirbet Badd ‘Isa ===
An archaeological site now known as Khirbet Badd ‘Isa was discovered during a salvage dig by the archaeology department of the Civil Administration in Modi'in Illit in 1994. The excavations eventually revealed what is believed to have been a large Jewish village from the [[Second Temple period]] with a public structure in the center, which probably served as a [[synagogue]], at least three [[Mikveh|ritual baths]], private homes (some built with [[Herodian architecture|Herodian blocks]]), an oil press, warehouses, and a collection of 145 Roman coins from the first century CE. Archaeological data indicate that the village was established during the [[Hellenistic period]] and existed up until the [[First Jewish–Roman War]] ({{circa|66–73}} CE). It was resettled by Jews who later took part in the [[Bar Kokhba revolt]] ({{circa|132–136}} CE). The site was destroyed during the revolt and remained uninhabited up until the third century. This settlement gap may mark the end of the Jewish settlement and the arrival of a new population at the area.<ref>{{Cite book |last=רביב |first=דביר |title=מחקרי יהודה ושומרון |publisher=אוניברסיטת אריאל בשומרון, מו"פ אזורי השומרון ובקעת הירדן |year=2014 |editor-last=ביליג |editor-first=מרים |volume=כג |location=אריאל |pages=165-166, 177 |language=Hebrew |chapter=היישוב היהודי בפלך תמנה משלהי ימי הבית השני ועד מרד בר-כוכבא |issn=0792-8416 |author-link=}}</ref>

The excavations at the site were first protested by the Haredi community, but after the discovery Khirbet Badd ‘Isa was designated "a heritage site for the Haredi public" in 2011, and the Israeli government contributed NIS 3 million to develop the site, with another NIS 1 million reportedly coming from the Civil Administration. According to Mod'in Illit's Mayor Yaakov Gutterman of the [[Degel HaTorah]] party, the site "will operate according to the doctrines of our forefathers, according to the Jewish historical sources presented by the Bible, the Gemara and ancient Jewish sages only [and] will be open only to the Haredi public, which will keep it a proper place for them to visit and connect to their Jewish roots, without the distortions and disruptions of other places, where there is fear of hearing false opinions."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/modi-in-ilit-mayor-secular-israelis-unwelcome-at-our-historic-sites-1.459544 |title=Modi'in Ilit mayor: Secular Israelis unwelcome at our historic sites |author=Ettinger, Yair |date=21 August 2012 |access-date=12 April 2013 |work=Haaretz}}</ref>