“As the navel is set in the centre of the human body,so is the land of Israel the navel of the world situated in the centre of the world, and Jerusalem in the centre of the land of Israel, and the sanctuary in the centre of Jerusalem, and the holy place in the centre of the sanctuary, and the ark in the centre of the holy place, and the Foundation Stone before the holy place, because from it the world was founded.”

Ezekiel 38-39

The most holy site on earth for the Jewish people is the Temple Mount, in the city of Jerusalem. Traditionally, Jews believe that the ‘Foundation Stone’ is the foundation that God used when he created the world. The holy temple is said to have been constructed around this stone and the Ark of the Covenant was placed on it. The Temple has played an integral part in the lives of the Jewish people since it was first constructed in 957 B.C.E. Today you will find jews across the world praying facing in the direction of ‘Mizrach’ - the location of the holy Temple Mount.

Modern-day Jewish weddings incorporate our longing for the temple into the ceremony. Before the couple is officially married, the entire wedding party sings this song:

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget it’s skill. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my utmost joy"

The groom them smashes a glass with his foot to symbolize our sorrow for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, even at the height of our joy & happiness.

So, any nation who sought the destruction of the Jewish Temple, most certainly understood its significance. It wasn’t just a building they were destroying; it was the heart & soul of the Jews. The most holy, important location to the Jewish religion, culture and people as a whole. Destroying the Temple was a clear attempt to also destroy the Jewish nation by removing the one thing that tied them all together.

History shows us how the Jewish connection to and longing for the Temple was such a crucial part in Jewish survival throughout the years. When other nations came & went, the Jewish Nation remained against all odds.

“For whereas the people of Greece and Italy, of Sparta, Athens and Rome and others who came so much later have perished so long ago, these still exist, despite the efforts of so many powerful kings who have tried a hundred times to wipe them out” - Blaise Pascal

And what was the secret of their survival? - The Temple and everything that it represents. The Temple is what connects the Jewish people to Jerusalem and to Israel.

Come be a part of blessing Israel & spreading the light and glory of the temple in Jerusalem to the world. Your donations help us to rekindle the flame of the temple in the hearts of the entire Jewish population through formal and experiential education. And may we merit the rebuilding of the Third Holy Temple speedily in our days.