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During my recent trip to Israel, an Orthodox rabbi took me to see something that most outsiders do not usually see. It was Friday night (Shabbos, the Jewish Sabbath), and he wanted to go to pray at the Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem. Before that, he took me to see Kotel Katan an older, smaller, less well known section of the Western Wall located within the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalems Old City and from therewe went to one of the gates that serve as an entrance to the Temple Mount.

Walking through the Muslim Quarter, the air was thick with tension. Since I am a Christian, nobody bothered me. But there were people who went out of their way to bump into and shove my friend, who is easily identifiable as a Jewish rabbi. They were trying to start a fight. So I was surprised, upon arrivingat the gate to the Temple Mount, to find a large gathering of Jewish students. There, deep within the Muslim Quarter, these Jewish students wereprotesting about how they are not allowed to pray at Judaisms holiest site. Armed guards were there to keep Jews out. This is what he wanted me to see.

The Temple Mount, of course, was the site of the first and second Jewish Temples and where according to the faithful the third Temple will be built. I had some understanding about the rules governing the Temple Mount. According to theTimes of Israel, Under the current 52-year-old status quo at the site, Muslims can pray at the site while Jews are allowed to visit under heavy restrictions, in a predetermined route and only for several hours on weekdays but not pray there.

I wanted to know more about these students, who are brave enough to fight for change. So I was told to contactTom Nisani, the Israeli-born leader of Students for the Temple Mount and head of campus activity in the Im Tirtzu organization. I interviewed him briefly:

Mitsotakis (SM): What is happening on the Temple Mount and why?

Nisani (TN): The Temple Mount was liberated by the Israel Defense Forces in 1967. [There was] a total lack of interest among the Israeli public, and due to various historical realities that caused the national consciousness among the average Israeli, and even among the political leaders and military personnel of Israel, to be drawn simply to theKotel(Western Wall) despite it being only a retaining wall for the Temple Mount. The Mount itself was forgotten and the Jordanian Waqf that abandoned it during the battles was brought back to administer it by the State of Israel itself! Today, more than even 50 years later, basic freedoms such as prayer and freedom of movement are still ignored for all those ascending the Mount who are not Muslim. The Temple Mount is a place where these basic human rights and others are trampled on in the most outright and direct way. And this is happening in the holiest place for the Jewish people in the Jewish state! And just like in the other holy places for Jews in Israel, improvement is a process we are trying to hasten but at this stage on the Temple Mount, there are clear human rights violations and infringements of the rights of all non-Muslims.

SM:What is your organization, why do you do what you do, and what do you hope to change?

TN: Our organization was established about five years ago and includes students and young Israeli adults secular, religious, and so forth. We are from all over the nation of Israel. We want to return the Temple Mount to its fitting place in Israeli society. This means, practically, that we work towards normalizing the Temple Mount under full Israeli sovereignty and once it is, all other challenges, problems, and difficulties will cease. It would be beneficial to all involved parties for the Temple Mount to be under complete Israeli sovereignty. Today, as the Jordanians, Qataris, Hamas, and so many more, all attempt to influence what happens on the Temple Mount, we all lose. Peaceful tourists are routinely assaulted, Jewish worshippers are restricted and oppressed, and even the Muslims suffer from the corruption of their leaders including the Jordanians and the senior Waqf members. We will not rest until we change this situation, and we have already begun seeing change.

SM: I amtold that your group is secular. Yet this is an issue of enormous religious significance. Is the religious community supporting you?

TN: In our movement, we have members who are from all the types and stripes of Israel. And this is the beauty in our movement, Students for the Temple Mount. We reflect the Israeli public and understand the import of our mission. The Temple Mount is a place for all of the nation of Israel and so too will it be in the future. Even the most secular among us, or those who would be considered less religious, are connected to our faith and Jewish nationality and see those as important aspects of our identities. In fact, it is the Temple Mount that connects us the most.

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MITSOTAKIS: Meeting The Jewish Students Fighting For Freedom On The Temple Mount - The Daily Wire

Diane Smith @DianeSmith_RC

ThursdayJan30,2020at2:53PMJan30,2020at10:59PM

RAVENNA One of Ravennas international companies is planning to expand.

The citys planning commission recently approved site plans for Saint-Gobain to add a storage building and a new truck lane at its property at 335 N. Diamond St.

Ted Manfrass, architect for Saint-Gobain, said plans were approved by the city panel in 2018, but the company delayed funding for the expansion, and has since changed its plans. Originally, the company wanted another storage building to house waste materials, such as paint, until they could be properly disposed of. But since then, the company has changed its procedures for having such materials hauled off its site, and that building is no longer needed.

However, Manfrass and Dale Sibert, facilities manager at the Ravenna plant, said the plant needs more storage for the items that it manufactures.

The Paris-based company designs, tests and manufactures a variety of products, including airline equipment.

Ravenna Mayor Frank Seman, who has toured the plant many times, said he has a hard time going between the companys buildings because of traffic, something that the truck lane will help address.

Sibert said there will be a retaining wall between the truck lane and the storage building.

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Saint-Gobain to expand in Ravenna - Business - Wooster Daily Record

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Across Walt Disney World Resort, arrival enhancements are underway at each park. These projects will improve guests overall arrival experience and are set to be complete before the resorts 50th anniversary.

For Magic Kingdom, a major component of many guests arrival experience is a trip through the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Lets take a look at the work going on there now.

The biggest change we noticed was in the area by Mickeys Gift Station, which was recently closed. The store is still open, but guests have been rerouted around construction to reach the stores entrance. Construction hedges blocked the exit by Mickeys Gift Station just a few days ago.

Black material has been taped over the windows for protection from the ongoing work. The planter by the store has been stripped to its base. The concrete surrounding the planter has been removed and new concrete has begun to be poured. Areas have been framed out for more new concrete.

Where the tram loop once was, large sections of pavement have been ripped up.

The retaining wall has more sections completed since ourlast update. Not much paving work has happened on the new guest walkway.

Well be keeping an eye out for any changes at the TTC. If you want to see more of the front entrance construction projects from the other parks, check out the new security structures at Disneys Animal Kingdom and EPCOT. Keep checking WDW News Today for all of the latest construction updates!

Related

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PHOTOS: Construction at Transportation and Ticket Center Extends to Mickey's Gift Station - wdwnt.com

There has been a partial collapse of the construction pit retaining wall that borders the Congee Noodle House restaurant building, located at 141 East Broadway in Vancouvers Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

A photo taken byRachel Atherton and shared with Daily Hive shows the building rears ground-level parking lot, facing East 8th Avenue, progressively caving into the construction pit next door.

Sinkhole forming next to Congee Noodle Houses building in Vancouver on January 31, 2020. (Rachel Atherton / submitted)

A video submitted by another Daily Hive reader shows the construction area in daylight Saturday morning.

The adjacent property at 138 East 8th Avenue is currently under construction for a new infill six-storey, 18-unit residential building by Green Oak Development.

According to the city, there were no injuries and damaged vehicles, and the surrounding buildings are not at risk of collapse, but the immediate area has been closed as a precaution. Earlier in the evening, Daily Hive phoned bordering businesses; some of the businesses next to the construction site have been able to remain open, and Congee Noodle House was the only business that did not pick up our calls.

Such incidents of construction pit retaining walls caving in and severely affecting adjacent properties are exceptionally rare.

The Citys Engineering Services Department was notified late this afternoon of an issue regarding excavation at a private development site, reads an email from the municipal government to Daily Hive.

The side of the excavation wall caved in which compromised the adjacent surface parking lot, as well as the storm connection on site. There were no injuries or damage to vehicles. A geotechnical assessment has confirmed that there is no risk to the surrounding buildings. The City has secured the site and closed the south side of the sidewalk as a precaution.

The next steps towards stabilizing and restoring the property will be determined tomorrow between the developers geotechnical engineer and staff from the citys Development and Business Licensing department.

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Collapse of construction pit next to Congee Noodle House in Vancouver | Urbanized - Daily Hive

Congee Noodle House, located on East Broadway near Main Street, was ordered by officials on Saturday to shutter its doors and bar entry to all individuals until further notice after thecave-in of the construction site next door.

The retaining wall of the construction pit collapsed late Friday afternoon, and caused much of the restaurants ground-level parking lot at the rear of the building to fall into the pit.

There were no injuries nor damage to any vehicles, and the building itself does not appear to have sustained any major structural damage at this time.

Site of the construction pit collapse at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

Site of the construction pit collapse at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

On Saturday, officials from WorkSafe BC and the City of Vancouvers engineering services, development, and licensing departments convened with the building developers geotechnical engineer to determine the next steps.

In a follow-up email to Daily Hive, the municipal government stated the geotechnical engineer has provided directions to the construction contractor to begin remedial work to the construction pit, where the wall caved in.

That work has begun and the excess water has been pumped out from the site, said the city.

Congee Noodle House forced to close by City of Vancouver and WorkSafe BC. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

Site of the construction pit collapse at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

According to the city, after an assessment was made on the on-site conditions, WorkSafe BC has issued a Stop Work Order to the restaurant. As a further precaution, city officials also provided the restaurant with a Do Not Occupy notice.

However, the restaurant was already closed at the end of the week for other reasons; as it turns out, Congee Noodle House informed customers it would be closed starting Friday onwards to allow for BC Hydro maintenance work.

Such incidents of construction pit retaining walls caving in and severely affecting adjacent properties are exceptionally rare. It is unclear whether Fridays heavy rainfall was a contributing factor in the collapse.

Site of the construction pit collapse at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

Congee Noodle House forced to close by City of Vancouver and WorkSafe BC. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

The construction pit is being excavated for a project named Grand a new six-storey infill building with 18 condominium units, as well as two underground levels for vehicle parking.

Construction was originally scheduled to reach completion by Summer 2020, as the buildings structure will be made out of prefabricated modular units stacked together. The modular construction process carries a far shorter timeline than conventional construction methods.

Artistic rendering of Grand at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Ankenman Marchand Architects)

Artistic rendering of Grand at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Ankenman Marchand Architects)

Artistic rendering of Grand at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Ankenman Marchand Architects)

Artistic rendering of Grand at 138 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver. (Ankenman Marchand Architects)

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Congee Noodle House ordered to close after construction cave-in (PHOTOS) | Urbanized - Daily Hive

POCATELLO (KPVI) Nearly a year after its groundbreaking, construction on a local temple is making progress.

The framing of the structure outlines the shape of what the new temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Pocatello will look like.

Elder Roger Prewitt, who oversees the construction, says that since they broke ground last March, they are right on schedule for the two to three-year project.

Weve done a lot in a year. You can tell that now we have the temple up, so it actually looks like a temple and unfortunately, a lot of the things that have been done now are the things that get done quickly to make it look like a temple and some of the other processes take a lot longer. You wont see as much change in the temple as youre seeing right now, Elder Prewitt says.

RELATED | Latter-day Saint leaders break ground on Pocatello temple

The site for the LDS churchs sixth temple in Idaho is located several miles off the Pocatello Creek Road exit at 2140 Satterfield Drive in a neighborhood overlooking the city.

The announcement for the Pocatello temple was made in April 2017 by then church president Thomas S. Monson. The 67,000-square-foot building will occupy a 12-acre site on the citys east side and serve more than 64,000 members of the church in eastern Idaho.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from the meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. A temple, according to a news release from the church, is considered a house of the Lord, where Christs teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism, and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. Inside, members learn more about the purpose of life and make covenants to serve Jesus Christ and their fellowman.

Around 80 construction workers are on-site daily. Some are from Idaho and others come from locations around the globe, like Brazil.

Construction workers are placing anywhere from 40 to 550-pound stones onto the temple. The stone they are using is called Temple White Granite and comes here from China. Elder Prewitt says it can be a challenge placing it on the temple.

When the pieces are cut in China, they are cut to fit, each of them are individually numbered and the pieces are put together like a puzzle and so you hope that everything that comes, fits in its place, says Elder Prewitt. Its timeless. Its just a beautiful stone that will look fresh for a long time.

Right now, the temple is 189 feet high, but once the Angel Moroni statue arrives and is mounted on top, it will stand just under 200 feet in the air and will be visible from many locations around the area.

The temple, as its complete, is going to really stand out on the hillside, especially during the day when its bright, or at night when the temple is all lit up. I think its going to be a beacon for people to see, says Elder Prewitt.

Thousands of visitors have visited the construction site of the temple and leave with a small token to remember their visit: A small bag that contains some of the groundbreaking sand, a pebble that represents the foundation of the temple and a picture of the temple.

Its really helped us being far away from home to feel so welcome and the people are so enthusiastic about having a temple built here and were so excited to have them come up and see us. Weve made so many friends here, just in this short time, and it makes us feel like were home, says Rogers wife, Glenda.

Elder Prewitt says you are going to see a continuation of the stonework. The next step will include installing windows on the exterior of the temple and then the roofing.

An exact date of completion has not been announced, but construction is expected to last up to three years. An open house will be held once the temple is built, where members of the community will be able to tour the inside prior to its dedication.

More information on the temples construction is available by clicking here.

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Construction crews making progress on Latter-day saint temple in Pocatello - East Idaho News

SALT LAKE CITY Major renovation work has begun on the St. George Utah Temple, the longest-operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A crane smashed a 20th-century addition off the west side of the sacred 19th-century building, unveiling an exterior window that hasnt been seen since the 1970s and marking the start of a project designed to preserve and retain the historic nature and feel of the temple.

Crews also removed a modern addition on the north side of the building, according to a news release.

One of the aspects of this project is preserving the original building, project manager Eric Jamison said in the release. The structure of the building is in fantastic condition given its age. Despite its age, the temple has endured very well.

The St. George Temple opened in 1877, making it the first completed temple in Utah. The church abandoned the two temples completed before it, leaving the Kirtland Ohio Temple in 1838 and the original Nauvoo Temple in Illinois in 1846.

Once the church reached Utah, it again began to build temples. The Salt Lake Temple was announced first in 1847, followed by the St. George Temple in 1871. But the Salt Lake Temple was not completed until 1893.

The church closed the St. George Temple in November. The renovation will include extensive work on the structure and finish as well as mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

Plans for the renovation were released in May 2019. The temple renovation is scheduled to be completed in 2022. Following a public open house, the temple will be rededicated.

The Salt Lake Temple also is under reconstruction. A special visitors center is now open in the Conference Center. The Salt Lake Temple renovation is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

Both projects aim to retain and even restore the original pioneer craftsmanship.

The point of all of this is to preserve the building while making it safer and more functional, the churchs historic sites curator, Emily Utt, said in a statement.

The work of historians has uncovered dozens of small details being used in the reconstruction.

For the first time in 100 years, were able to see where the original door openings were in this building, what the floor plan was, what the paint colors were, she said.

Grant Mackay Demolition Company is taking down the additions that are being removed.

It feels amazing to me to have the opportunity to be able to work on temples, to be able to feel the love that the Lord has for His house and for each one of us, said Jason Cobb, a church member who is the companys on-site foreman.

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St. George Temple renovation is underway. See the images - Deseret News

Published: 2/1/2020 6:30:12 PM

Renovations to St. John the Evangelist Church on South Main Street are nearly complete after months of intense construction, which for a period of time forced worshippers to hold services under a tent.

Services inside the church resumed in November, and Christ the King parish on Friday invited the Monitor in to see the progress.

Passers-by will notice a new gathering space at the entrance, known as a narthex, which includes stained-glass windows from the old St. Peters Church building. A glass partition and doors separate the narthex from the worship space, allowing it to be used by parents with young children during services. The extension of the narthex is made of glass, making the inside of the church visible from outside and more welcoming to visitors.

Inside, the entire church was washed and was painted with the original color palette and original stenciling design.

The pews from St. Peters, which was demolished in 2019 to make way from a new residential development, were used throughout the church.

Other project features include a replacement of two-thirds of the slate roof, the raising of the front terrace, new ramps from the parking lot and new access to the prayer garden.

St. John the Evangelist Church, completed in 1869, was the first Catholic church built in Concord.

For more details about the project, visit rrmmchristtheking.wordpress.com.

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Concord church restored to its former splendor - Concord Monitor

NAIROBI, Kenya The Catholic Church in Rwanda is set construct a new cathedral in the capital on the grounds of a former prison.

The construction will be done by the church; it has received the land (from the government), said Father Jean Pierre Nsabimana, the rector of the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Rwanda.

The new building will be short distance from St. Michel, the current Kigali Catholic cathedral. In the past, church officials have said St. Michel was small and old.

St. Michel Cathedral is near the statehouse and, recently, all other structures near the statehouse were removed, because government officials viewed the buildings as a security threat, sources told Catholic News Service.

Catholic bishops resisted tearing down the cathedral but, with the offer of the prison acreage, agreed to a deal, the sources added.

The people are happy with the news of the cathedral on the prison premises. They have been hoping for a bigger church, Father John Bosco Ntagungira of Regina Pacis parish in Kigali told CNS.

Father Christophe Ntagwabira, a Rwandan priest studying at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, told CNS he believed the church would construct a monument to commemorate the old prison on the site.

Colonial authorities built Nyarugenge Prison on a 5.5-acre site in 1930, but in 2018 the last batch of inmates were moved to a new facility.

According to news reports, Kigalis urban planning officials asked the church to produce a design by the end of February. The construction would be completed by the end of 2021.

Some priests said the latest developments are a sign of good relations between state and the Catholic Church in Rwanda. Relations had been strained since the 1994 genocide, during which more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. Some Rwandan clergy including Catholics were accused of playing a key role during the killings.

In 2016, the countrys nine Catholic bishops apologized for the role played by individual clergy during the genocide.

The news of the cathedral comes at a time when Rwanda has moved to control the number of churches in the country.

Hundreds of churches were closed because of safety and health concerns in 2018. The closure had affected Catholic churches, especially those in rural areas, with Masses being suspended for some time.

Crux is dedicated to smart, wired and independent reporting on the Vatican and worldwide Catholic Church. That kind of reporting doesnt come cheap, and we need your support. You can help Crux by giving a small amount monthly, or with a onetime gift. Please remember, Crux is a for-profit organization, so contributions are not tax-deductible.

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Rwandan Catholic Church to construct cathedral on land where prison stood - Crux: Covering all things Catholic

Could the underground cities in Cappadocia, Turkey date back to 12,800 years ago? In 1963, so the story goes, a man living in Cappadocia excavated some large stones from his basement while renovating his house. Behind them he found an ancient tunnel that led to more tunnels, and then more tunnels, and more after that. When he reported his find and the experts descended, what they discovered was a complex underground city that once was home to some 20,000 people, their livestock, wine and oil presses, storage cellars, and chapels. A large 180-foot (54 meters) ventilation shaft insured fresh air.

Derinkuyu underground city in Cappadocia, Turkey ( ninelutsk/Adobe Stock )

There is evidence that suggests the city, long after its construction, might have later been used by Christians who built a religious school and a church. They named the complex after the city that had been built over it on the surface, Derinkuyu. After more exploration it was discovered that Derinkuyu is only one of several more such underground cities, spread out over Cappadocia in Turkey. Who built them? And why? And when?

Interior of underground city in Cappadocia, Turkey ( byheaven/ Adobe Stock )

It seems as though Cappadocia, in central Turkey, was home to an entire underground civilization. A few years ago, the Hurriyet Daily News announced the biggest archeological finding of 2014 when another ancient city near Kayseri was discovered beneath the Nevehir fortress, expanding out into the surrounding countryside. At least 3.5 miles (seven kilometers) of tunnels and chambers hide churches, escape galleries, and dwelling places that were constructed at least 5,000 years ago and perhaps much longer.

Nevehir province was already famous as the home of Derinkuyu. Now it appears that the whole area may have been home to a thriving underground community, much of which is still to be discovered. Archaeologists are calling it the largest underground civilization in the world. To think that it was first built at least during the time of the traditional dates given for construction of the Giza pyramids , and possibly much earlier, is almost mind boggling. How did they ever do it? More than 200 underground villages contain secret passages, rooms, ancient temples, and storage facilities. There were full-blown kitchens and wineries, along with presses for producing lamp oil for lighting.

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This is the second of a series of eight articles written by Jim Willis which will detail aspects of the history of various ancient sites in Turkey and Anatolia. In September, 2020, Ancient Origins Tours is partnering with award-winning tour operator Travel the Unknown to provide its readers with comprehensive escorted tours throughout the mysteries of the region, visiting classic destinations as well as more obscure locations where the magic of the past remains as strongtodayas it did thousands of years ago. Your hosts are Jim Willis, author of Lost Civilizations: The Secret Histories and Suppressed Technologies of the Ancients , and Micki Pistorius, Premium Editor.

Top Image : Colorful hot air balloons flying over Red valley in Cappadocia, Anatolia, Turkey ( Svetlana Nikolaeva / Adobe Stock )

By Jim Willis

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Who Built This City? Underground Derinkuyu, and the Rock Churches of Greme - Ancient Origins