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.