First baseman Adam LaRoche's three-run shot lifted the Nationals to a
5-0 advantage early versus the Diamondbacks last night. That kind of
rush of offense, and runs for Gio Gonzalez, had been rare so far this
season.
LaRoche said the fact that he was able to really crank it was a welcome change from his recent at-bats.
"I am starting to feel better," LaRoche said. "I got some hits last week, but not really driving the ball."
"We
haven't jumped off with five or six runs, but we have jumped out with a
couple of runs early and shut it down for five or six innings, and got
ourselves in trouble," LaRoche pointed out. "We are saying (to) keep
pouring it on. How many runs we get early going into the next inning
like it is a tie ball game and keep scoring.
Tuesday's three-run
shot was LaRoche's first homer since May 28. He had seven home runs in
May and three in April. Could this be a sign that LaRoche will get on a
power streak? LaRoche said it has happened before.
Minor league
note: The promotion of right-handed starting pitcher Taylor Hill from
high Single-A Potomac to Double-A Harrisburg demonstrates that team's
need for another starter in the rotation.
It would appear that
also points to right-hander Taylor Jordan getting the call-up to the
Nationals for Saturday in New York against the Mets. The other move was
Paul Demny being placed on the temporary inactive list and Brian
Broderick transferred to Potomac.
Miriam Siebenberg lives in a
very unusual house – unusual because of the fact that her home was built
on top of another home, one that existed over 2,000 years ago. Within
the ancient walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, Miriam and her husband Theo
purchased a house after the Six Day War, eventually discovering that it
contained a treasure trove of history buried deep underground.
In
the Siebenberg’s house, a collection of archaeological artifacts
discovered after years of digging in the basement, appear on display.
Arrowheads, ink-wells, coins, ancient pottery, a glass cup and pieces of
jewelry including a bronze key ring, likely used in the Second Temple
era by a woman to unlock her jewelry box, can all be seen in the
display.
But even more intriguing is what lies beneath their
home. One can see the remains of an ancient Jewish residence and a way
of life that dates back to the days of King Solomon and the Second
Temple period. “The further we dug, the more history we uncovered,”
Seibenberg told Tazpit News Agency in an exclusive interview.
Siebenberg
credits her husband Theo with the drive to initiate the not-so-simple
years of digging under their modern four-story house that eventually led
to the archaeological discoveries
“When we moved into our finished home in 1970, Theo had a feeling that there was much more to this place,” said Siebenberg.
At
that time, archaeological discoveries by Hebrew University
archaeologists in the Jewish Quarter including the area around the
Siebenberg’s home were making headlines. The Siebenbergs believed that
perhaps there were artifacts buried under their home as well so Theo
applied to the Department of Antiquities for a permit to excavate
beneath their house.
“We invested our own money, brought in engineers, architects, archaeologists expert diggers, and donkeys to remove the rubble,
In home display digging up to 60 feet down to discover all this,” Siebenberg explains.
During
more than 18 years of unearthing, the Siebenbergs discovered a ritual
bath, known as a mikveh used by Jews during the Second Temple era, an
aqueduct, a Byzantine water cistern, and even empty burial chambers
believed to have been used by Jewish royalty in the 10th century B.C.
during King Solomon’s reign.
Eventually, the remnants of the base
wall of what is believed to be a Jewish home that stood 2,000 years
ago, were also uncovered as were ancient Hasmonean stones, including one
with a menorah engraving. Evidence of the Roman destruction of the
Second Temple in 70 C.E. was also discovered –a line of ash sealed into
sedimentary rock was sent to a special lab in South Africa for testing,
which found that the ashes were indeed from that time. In the 1980s, the
story behind the Siebenberg’s basement, which Theo had transformed into
a museum for the public in 1985, received much international attention.
National Geographic, the New York Times, BBC, ABC, NBC, and many other
international media sources devoted coverage to the history being
uncovered under the Siebenberg House.
“We had groups from all
around the world visiting our archaeological museum including European
parliamentarians, US Congressmen, foreign press and other leading
figures,” Siebenberg told Tazpit News Agency.
In addition to the
fascinating story of the Siebenberg House, the couple behind the digging
has their own unique tale. Theo, named after Theodore Herzl, came from a
wealthy diamond family in Antwerp that barely escaped Belgium following
the Nazi takeover. While not religious, Theo grew up in a traditional
Jewish family with a strong love for Israel. Siebenberg eventually
emigrated to the Jewish state in 1966 after a series of successful
international investments and married Miriam, who was born and raised in
Tel Aviv.
“Theo always felt homeless, having been uprooted from
his Antwerp home at the age of 16 by the Nazis,” says Miriam. “But he
always knew he wanted to live in Jerusalem and as close as possible to
where the Temple once stood – the most important place in Jewish
history. This was the only place he considered home in his lifetime.”
Today,
Miriam, continues to carry the legacy of the Siebenberg House. This
past June, Miriam, with the help of her assistant, 27-year-old Adi
Rabinowitz-Bedein, reopened the museum to the general public, providing
tours of the home’s unique history while showcasing the archaeological
finds. “This is our life’s work,”comments Miriam.
Click on their website
www.owon-smart.com for more information.