Possibly the most breath-taking piece in the vast collection assembled by the
Temple Institute in the Old City is the
massive solid gold menorah displayed
inside a transparent case in the Jewish Quarter, overlooking the stairs that
lead down to the Western Wall plaza and the Temple Mount. Not just a model of a
menorah, it is made out of 45 kilograms of 24-karat pure gold and is valued at
several million dollars. The video shows an interview by the
iTravelJerusalem.com team and is the first ever interview inside the cage
housing the Menorah.
The menorah was crafted following years of
painstaking research by
Temple Institute scholars, who combed copious amounts of
archaeological evidence, textual sources and more before they arrived at the
right formula.
The
Temple Institute, based in Jerusalem’s Old City, has created
replicas of many of the ritual objects used in the Jewish temple, including many
of the vessels, trumpets and priestly vestments, all built, hewn and sewn
according to excruciatingly exacting Biblical specifications and prepared to be
pressed into service immediately should the need arise.
The menorah is a
unique Jewish symbol bringing light into the world. In preparation for the
festival of Hanukka, the streets of the Old City are already lined with
menorahs that will transform the darkness of the winter with their holy,
beautiful, radiant glow.
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places to stay in Jerusalem.