JD: This is the season of Passover there in Israel and in fact across the world but in Israel in Jerusalem the Sanhedrin reenacted the Passover sacrifice. They weren’t on the Temple Mount which is what the Bible calls for but instead a location overlooking the Temple Mount; they did that at the time of Passover. But this last week tens of thousands gathered at the Western Wall for the priestly blessing. Now this is a part of the plan that the Jewish people have and they prepare for the Temple to be there so all these things will be authentic. Events happening that are simply preparation for that aren’t they?
DD: Yes, Jimmy and remarkably so because when I moved to Israel in 1980 and there was no existing Sanhedrin then. There was talk of a new Temple you heard it every so often but very rarely any action. The priestly blessings were taking place of course then but much much smaller and not so much attention on all of this. And as you have documented yourself and many others too over the past 30 years the moves to prepare for a new Temple have been gaining force every year. The excitement about it seems to be growing.
But the realization that this will probably only come about after a massive war is pretty wide spread in Israel. People understand that, they know that the Muslims are never going to willingly give up any part of the Temple Mount. We saw them reoccupy the Golden Gate a couple months ago and the fighting that took place over that. So it will have to be a major change on the ground before that can happen. But certainly Orthodox Jews in particular and even many Secular Jews would like to see a Temple rebuilt but Orthodox Jews particular do and are very longing for it and very excited at the prospect of it happening.
JD: David Dolan with the details of the tens of thousands of Jews and Christians gathering at the Western Wall for the annual priestly blessings.
