For centuries, Jews have lamented the destruction of their holy city Jerusalem and their temple by the Romans, which they believed was the beginning of their long 2000 years of exile. Exile is not only a religious Jewish belief but for millions of Jewish and non Jewish alike it is a historical fact. But what has been considered as fact for centuries is now being challenged by archeological evidence unearth across Israel. Here in the ancient town of Sepphoris just 70 miles from Jerusalem evidence points not to a people driven into exile but on the contrary to a population that not only survived but flourished. So why has exile been seen as a reality for thousands of years? and if it did not take place exactly as told, then what accounts for the millions of Jews who over the centuries have settled around the world? and perhaps the inevitable question, what happened to the inhabitance of places like Sepphoris who were never exiled.

Until 1948 a predominately Muslim Palestinian village stood on the ruins of Sepphoris, the village was destroyed and its inhabitance barred from returning. Is it possible that some of the Palestinian residence are descendants of ancient Jews who were never exiled?