Republished from Jewish Business News
The new Jewish Temple will offer millions of pilgrims underground parking, according to a new plan that just received the endorsement of hundreds of supporters who put their money where their faith is.
An Israeli right wing organization known as the Temple Institute has announced on Sunday that its Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign to support modern architectural plans for the third Jewish temple in Jerusalem has concluded successfully on Rosh Hashanah, having picked up $104,814 in 60 days. The campaign’s goal had been $100,000.
The first Jewish temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BCE; the second in 70 CE.
The Temple Institute campaign began on August 5, which was the first day of the Jewish month of Av, the time of year associated with the destruction of both temples.
According to the Institute press release, nearly 900 pledges have come in from more than 30 countries. The indiegogo campaign page received 10,000 shares on Facebook, and their pitch video, depicting a digital rendition of the way the Temple would look in modern Jerusalem has received 160,458 views.
Ingrid Jaradat Gassner, of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem, has told Vice News that the plan is “illegal” according to international law.
“Israel is the only country in the world that considers East Jerusalem to be part of Israeli state territory,” she stated. “Under international law, Israel’s annexation of occupied East Jerusalem is illegal, and no state in the world recognizes Israeli sovereignty there. Numerous UN resolutions affirm that East Jerusalem, including the Old City and its religious sites, are part of the occupied Palestinian territory, where sovereignty belongs to the Palestinian people.”
According to Vice News, Gassner called on Indiegogo to remove the campaign from its site. “The project clearly promotes conflict, destruction and hatred, and not peace,” she said. “Indiegogo should be informed that this is an illegal campaign as defined by their terms, violating international law and human rights, resulting in the destruction of property, inciting for religious intolerance, hatred and violence.”
According to the Temple Institute press release, the funds raised via Indiegogo will be used to continue regular research at the Institute, as well as to commission additional architectural plans.
“The architects will fuse Jewish law with modern technology to prepare for a fully modern third Temple, Kosher to the letter of the law, but including mod-cons like underground parking, heating and computerized washing stations that minimize water waste.”
Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute, was delighted with the success of his crowedfunding campaign: “We are constantly looking for ways to include as many people as possible in our mission to rebuild the Holy Temple, this is not about one group or organization, it’s about bringing about a spiritual reunification of mankind, today with the help of the internet our message is resonating across the globe. Our decision to use Indiegogo for this campaign was an extension of our success on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.”
The Third Temple campaign comes against the background of increasing clashes on Temple Mount, where Palestinian demonstrators have been facing Israeli police since last Wednesday. And while Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home) declared that Israel should “know how to strengthen sovereignty” over Temple Mount, Palestinian Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned his declaration, stressing that he is working to mobilize regional and international condemnation of plans to divide the compound between Muslims and Jews.
Perhaps he should try crowdfunding…