A team of researchers led by Dr Sarah Sallon, a physician at the Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, succeeded in growing a 2000 year old date seed. Findings of the team's research are published last Thursday in the prestigious "Science" magazine. They describe the germination process of the seed, its growth and initial genetic analysis.
Dr Sallon, Director of Hadassah's Louis Borick Natural Medicine Research Center (NMRC) pioneered this important discovery as part of its Middle Eastern Medicinal Plant project
The date seed was discovered 40 years ago by Prof. Yigal Yadin during the archaeological excavations of Masada, the palace built by King Herod on the shores of the Dead Sea.
In NMRCs program aimed at conserving, developing and researching the rich legacy of medicinal plants in Israel, the "Judean date " now extinct was of particular importance .
The ancient seed in Dr Sallons experiment was procured from The Bar-Ilan University. Germination was handled by Dr Elaine Soloway an expert on desert agriculture at the Arava Institurte of the Enviroment in Kibbutz Ketura, in the Aravah Valley.
When the seedling was 15 months old, direct radio-carbon dating on shell fragments, performed by Dr. Egli in Zurich University, showed an age compatible with the Roman siege of Masada almost 2000 yrs ago, thus making it the oldest seed ever to be germinated.
Early genetic analysis of the seedling performed by Dr Yuval Cohen of The Volcani Institute show differences from modern cultivated date species.
Further analysis is planned in the hope of discovering particular genetic characteristics which made The Judean dates famous both as a prized source of food and as a valuable medicine.
"Our next stage will be to grow more dates, in the hope of beter understanding their genetics, and possibly breeding the ancient JUudean Date as a modern one", says Dr. Sallon. "We need to reintroduce ancient crops and plants that once flourished in this region, and to scientifically investigate them for their properties".
"As much as Hadassah is involved in the most modern medical technologies", adds Dr. Sallon, "it also promotes our desire to discover new cures for diseases out of ancient Sources.
About Hadassah:
§ A state-of-the-art medical center incorporating all medical and surgical sub-specialties, with a tertiary care referral hospital at Ein Kerem and a community hospital on Mt. Scopus; conducts more than half the hospital research in Israel.
§ The flagship of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, which laid the foundation of Israel's medical infrastructure, initiated and maintains educational programs and youth institutions, and is the main supporter of The Hadassah Medical Center.
§ The largest employer in Jerusalem excluding the government: 850 physicians 1,940 nurses, 1,020 paramedical and support staff; two campuses with 1,000 beds, 31 operating theaters, 9 intensive care units and over 120 outpatient clinics. Committed to excellence in health care, medical research and medical education. Hadassah treats over 1 million people a year from all over Israel, and neighboring countries, and offers special programs for international patients.
§ Hadassah was and still is a pioneer in introducing in Israel, and in some areas in the world, innovative and unique medical treatment. The clinical and research achievements of Hadassah physicians gained fame all over the world.
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· Hadasit, the Technology Transfer Company of Hadassah, promotes and commercializes its continuously generated intellectual property (IP) and R&D capabilities. IP generated by Hadassah has already gained global recognition due to Hadasit’s successful enterprising of Hadassah’s biomedical technology, including novel therapeutics, diagnostics and devices.
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§ Welcomes every individual who requires medical attention without regard for race, religion, gender, ethnicity or political persuasion -- and has done so since its inception. Provides hospital services for nearly one million people annually; treated more than 2500 victims of the recent Intifada.
§ Partners with the Hebrew University in five medical academic institutions: the Schools of Medicine; Nursing; Dental Medicine; Occupational Therapy; Public Health and Community Medicine.
§ A Bridge to Peace - programs for medical personnel from the Palestinian Authority and students from Egypt, Jordan and 90 countries around the world. Was nominated for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize
§ www.hadassah.org.il
About Kibbutz Ketura:
Ketura was founded in 1973 by a settlement group from Young Judaea, an American Zionist youth movement, and about a quarter of Ketura's current members were members of Young Judaea. Our ideals of religious tolerance and gender equality are clearly rooted in this Young Judaea heritage.
Since 1968, Hadassah has been Young Judaea's sole sponsor, and as such has taken an active interest in Ketura's growth. In addition to substantial contributions to such projects as the dining hall and cultural center, Hadassah has also provided crucial political backing at various stages in Ketura's development.
Young Judaea's tradition of religious and political tolerance led it decades ago to forge an official alliance with the Israel Scouts -- the only similarly pluralistic youth movement in Israel. For much of the 1970s and early 1980s virtually all of the native Israelis settling on Ketura came from the Scouts.
No'am is the youth arm of the Israeli Conservative movement. Although Ketura has no official synagogue affiliation, our practices closely resemble those of Israeli Conservative Judaism, and groups from No'am are often hosted on Ketura. Our teenagers participate in regular No'am activities on the kibbutz, and often attend the No'am summer camp in the North.