MAJESTIC MODELS
from page 73
CONEY ISLAND
Greek and American Cuisine
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
154 S. Woodward, Birmingham
(248) 540-8780
Halsted Village
(37580 W. 12 Mile Rd.)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-2360
6527 Telegraph Rd.
Corner of Maple (15 Mile)
Bloomfield Township
(248) 646-8568
4763 Haggerty Rd. at Pontiac Trail
West Wind Village Shopping Center
West Bloomfield
(248) 669-2295
Detail: The Nicanor Gate in front of Herod's Temple.
841 East Big Beaver, Troy
(248) 680-0094
SOUTHFIELD SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Nine Mile & Greenfield
15647 West Nine Mile, Southfield
(248) 569-5229
FARMINGTON SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Between 13 & 14 on
Orchard Lake Road
30985 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills
(248) 626-9732
UPTOWN PARTHENON
4301 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield
(248) 538-6000
HERCULES FAMILY RESTAURANT
33292 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills
(248) 489-9777
Serving whitefish, lamb shank,
pastitsio and mousaka
Mn MIMI
i
1
.:.„:„.
r
1
11111111 NMI MI Mill MI MOP AIM 111101 •11
Receive
1
o
co Off' 1
1
.
. any other
--I:00-
b- , g ° with
offer I
with coupon
Expires 12/30/99
ism No ail ant lit 'aim iris
1999
76
I
I
el
Adelman asked Ritmeyer to join
the project after reading articles about
the archaeologist's work in Israel.
When solicitations for funds brought
only a small amount of money,
Adelman decided to provide the
$100,000 necessary for completion
and devoted considerable retirement
time at every stage of development.
The Temple Mount is the site of
Solomon's Temple and Herod's
Temple, both of which also are shown
as separate models. Solomon's Temple
(the First Temple), built from 970 to
963 B.C.E., was destroyed by the
Babylonians when they captured
Jerusalem in 586 B.C.E. Rebuilt in
515 B.C.E., the Second Temple was
used until Herod the Great built a
much grander building between 20
and 18 B.C.E.
Herod's Temple, plated with gold,
was complemented by Herod's expan-
sion of the Temple Mount west and
south to its present dimensions.
Also part of the exhibition, but on
a much smaller scale, are two models
of the Tabernacle used for worship in
the Sinai Desert after Moses received
the Ten Commandments.
"This exhibition is a highlight of
my life because I've been able to put
together all the research I've done for
23 years," says Ritmeyer. "My spe-
cialty is architectural reconstruction,
and I began this project by making
plans and drawings of all the remains
of the walls, which are still standing.
"Next, I took into consideration
the debris that had fallen off the
walls onto the ground. I tried to look
for other buildings built at the same
time to use as a parallel for compari-
son. Finally, historical information,
some from the Mishna and some
from the writings of Josephus
Flavius, and a bit of imagination
helped complete the picture."
Part of that imagination was the
use of figurines to give a sense of
scale and show some of the activities
of the time.
Once the sketches were prepared,
Ritmeyer worked with York
Modelmaking in England to build the
Temple replicas, which will be dis-
played on the first level of the Janice
Charach Epstein Museum/Gallery.
Educational materials for both chil-
dren and adults will be on view along
the second level.
"I've heard it said that many slaves
must have been used to complete the
original Temples, but that is not true,"
Ritmeyer says. "The stones were cut,
transported and put in their place by
priests especially trained to be stone
masons. Nobody else was allowed to
manufacture stones.
1 )
Changes to the Temple
Mount since its completion have
been mainly destructive or have
attempted to conceal its Jewish
nature, according to Adelman.
One of the largest structures
ever built, equal to 18 stories
high, Herod's Temple was cap-
tured by the Roman legions in
70 C.E. and gradually
destroyed. After the Muslims
defeated the Byzantines in 613
C.E., they captured Jerusalem
and brought their own religious
symbols to the grounds. The
Dome of the Rock Shrine was
completed in 691 C.E., and the
El Aqsa Mosque was completed
in 735 C.E.
Today's visitors see the shrine,
fountains and plants.
"Wherever the excavated
remains are portrayed in model,
they are absolutely accurate, "
Ritmeyer says. "The whole foundation
of the Temple Mount model is
absolutely correct. In completing the
upper part of the model, we relied
heavily on the [written] descriptions,
and I don't think we are very far off
the mark. But the buildings are more
than just the stones together. There's
spiritual value." El
"The Mountain of the Lord"
will be on display through Jan.
31 at the Janice Charach
Epstein Museum/Gallery in the
D. Dan and Betty Kahn
Building of the Jewish
Community Center in West
Bloomfield. Gallery hours are
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, 11
a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-
Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Thursdays. (248) 661-7641.
\ nk,MS.'
View of the Temple Mount from the south with the double and triple gates in the
Southern Wall and the Royal Stoa above. The Temple Complex is in the center and
the Antonia Fortress at far left.