Archaeologists used radiocarbon dating and chemical analysis of the volcanic layers covering the earlier building, which confirmed that the building predates the Vesuvian eruption in AD79.
While past years have celebrated freedom from captivity, this year the festival falls as some 133 hostages remain captive in Gaza after having been kidnapped by Hamas over six months ago.
Now over 2 years since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, and over 6 months since the hostages were kidnapped in Israel, the celebrations were said to hold a special meaning.
Rabbi Thaler, who ran the camp until 1997 and also served for 37 years as rabbi of Temple Gates of Prayer in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, died April 18. He was 91.