Jay Rogosin defines himself as a field archeologist. The Native of Brooklyn New York first came to Israel to participate in an archeological dig in 1984, after being enamored by the field when he was living in the States. He since immigrated to Israel and joined archeological excavations in Caesarea, The Golan Heights and more recently in Jerusalem's City of David.
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He rides his bicycle to work every day through the Old City's Jaffa Gate, to the site excavated by the Tel Aviv University and the Israel Antiquities Authority, "I need the exercise," he says. "I love working with my hands. Its funny, when I was a little boy, my mother would tell me not to get my hands dirty and now I am paid to do just that," he says.
Rogosin worked with quite a few world-renowned archeologists in his day. "I learned a lot. I think I know more than kids who have a degree in archeology, but I don't have such a degree and that's my story."
Before moving to Israel, Jay worked as an operations manager in the retail business and ran department stores. Now he says he loves working in the City of David. "It is important for me to dig here and find my roots," he says. "I've found all sorts of Jewish ritual artifacts. People continue to say that we were not here and that we simply placed these artifacts in the dirt," he says.
But recent events in Israel have given him pause. "To me, Tisha B'Av – the commemoration of the destruction of the holy temples in Jerusalem – this year has a different meaning to me. "During the destruction of both temples, Jews who lived in Jerusalem had food and water stored but some among them, destroyed the store and that is what is happening now. I am living with history and I hope it will not be repeated," he says.
Rogosin who spends time off work mountain climbing or Kayaking will not reveal his age. Say I'm 52 he suggests. But when asked about his plans for the future, he says he does not know. "I need more time to think about what I might do when I grow up," he says.