In the wee hours of the morning of August 8th, 2005, (Av 3, 5765), an ambitious group of Americans landed at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, and headed straight for a pre-arranged appointment with Rabbi Chaim Richman of The Temple Institute, at the foot of the Temple Mount. Led by Rabbi Leib Schaeffer, of Worcester, Massachusetts, the group, comprised of people affiliated with the various branches of the entire religious spectrum of American Jewry: Haredi-religious Jews, Hassidic Jews, Reform Jews, Conservative Jews, and Young Israel (Modern Orthodox) Jews, together ascended the Mount, many for the first time. A number of Righteous Gentiles, staunch supporters of Israel, also formed part of the contingent. The photographs below document their visit.

Included in the group who ascended the Temple Mount were: Leib Schaeffer, Akiva Marks, Rebbetzin Devora Klar, Sidney Kulick, Norma Shafer, Fran Hisler, Binyamin Flam, Jeff & Julie Dicks, and David & Rebecca Hardt.

To read more about the group's activities during their stay in Israel, click here.

To arrange a trip to the Temple Mount, in accordance with the strict requirements of Jewish law, click here to contact Rabbi Chaim Richman.

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