Sadducees

When King Yannai found himself without a Torah scholar to lead a blessing after dinner, his wife, Shlomtzion, had a surprising solution. This incident marked the beginning of a shift in his reign.

King Yannai anticipated a fierce backlash when challenging the heart of the people, and preemptively stationed thousands of foreign mercenaries who emerged to massacre Jews. On that day, 3,000 innocent Jews perished to prove that Yannai was in charge, not religious law or the Oral Torah.

*How a Political Dinner Led to a Devastating Turn in Jewish History*

Ancient scrolls with rare texts found in the Judean Desert have become Israel's most prized archaeological exhibit.