The Temple Institute will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a gala dinner and art auction Wednesday November 14th in Dallas, Texas. The organization, known in Hebrew as Machon Mikdash, has been at the forefront of both educating and raising awareness about the centrality of the Holy Temple, as well as actually preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple by creating the sacred vessels necessary for conducting the Divine service, one of the most well-known being the giant gold menorah in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The art auction will feature a new painting especially commissioned by the organization which is unlike the style depicted in the Temple Institute’s many books. The popular artwork displayed in such books as “The Holy Temple in Jerusalem” depicts scenes of life during the time of the Second Temple. The new painting depicts the Holy Temple on the backdrop of the familiar modern day Jerusalem skyline.
"It's called 'Going up to the Third Temple', and depicts the aliya l’regel, the pilgrimage of both of the Jewish people and the nations of the world," stated Rabbi Chaim Richman, the international director of the Institute and the co-host of Israel National Radio's Temple Talk podcast. For the latest podcast episode click here.
The painting is being offered in a silent auction and will be sold to the highest bidder. The funds will be used to benefit the work of the Institute which includes the re-creation of the Kohen Gadol's vestments to exact specifications as detailed in the Torah and other implements used in the Holy Temple.
"This 25th anniversary gala is a celebration to give honor to Hashem and the Beit HaMikdash, and to show our appreciation to all those who have supported our endeavors in this past quarter century," Rabbi Richman stated.
The Temple Institute was founded in 1987 by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, who was one of the Israel Defense Force paratroopers who helped liberate the Temple Mount in the Six Day War of 1967. The Institute’s goal encompasses Biblical, archeological and scientific scholarship pertaining to the history of Jerusalem and its unique significance for the Jewish people as well as its place in the collective human consciousness. The Institute’s research places particular emphasis on the concept of the Temple of Jerusalem’s relationship to all mankind, highlighting the idea that, in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
The Institute’s International Department is charged with educating English-speaking people the world over about the Holy Temple. Its members travel across the globe, lecturing and teaching. The department maintains an award-winning website that receives thousands of visitors each day. This comprehensive website is the most educational Temple resource available on the Internet in the English language. The department also broadcasts weekly internet radio and video Torah classes with regular viewers in over 150 countries. Over 800 quality educational videos have been produced. In June, 2012, the Institute’s International Department created a viral video for Tisha B’Av, ‘The Children are Ready,’ seen by 400,000 people the world over. This video countered the notion of mourning for the Holy Temple, infusing Jewish people everywhere with a vision of hope.
For the latest Temple Talk podcast click here.
Temple Talk with Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven covers the Temple's history and significance today for both Jews and non-Jews. Also discussed are the weekly Torah portion, Bnei Noach issues and new projects of the Temple Institute. The Temple Talk podcast airs Tuesdays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Israel time / 1-2 p.m. U.S. EST on Israel National Radio. For show archives click here.
INR staff writer Ben Bresky contributed to this report.