The Temple Mount Sifting Project was an extraordinary experience. It was a wonderful addition to our tour of Israel and it also was a way for me (us) to be a part of the history of the country. Each of us learned the importance of uncovering possible ruins and antiquities and I was delighted at how much fun it was for all. Everyone really “dug in” and got so excited as they uncovered even the smallest of finds. Time flew by too quickly. It was interesting, fun, a huge learning experience, and a wonderful way to give back to the Temple Mount. Thanks so much to the terrific leaders of the TMSP. They inspired us!

Participating in the Temple Mount Sifting Project was an exciting way to experience the work of an archeologist while helping find artifacts which continue to shape our understanding of the history of Israel. Plus, it was a lot of fun imagining what each piece of clay pottery or mosaic tile would have been a part of.

When I found out we would have the opportunity to take part in this I was incredibly excited. The fact that we were searching through piles of history that were removed from the Temple Mount was surreal. Each find we made was exciting, whether small or large. It brought history to life for me, and I could easily have spent so much more time there! The staff were great – friendly with a wealth of information.

On a recent trip to Israel, we had the pleasure of participating in the newly revived Temple Mount Sifting project.  After watching an informative introductory video, we were led to a comfortably shaded area (hard to find in the hot Jerusalem summer!). The staff archeologist (Yoav) and his on-site staff then showed us how to sift out the treasures from the rubble.  Our little group of three found some fascinating little items like a fish bone, a nail, a piece of mosaic, a piece of Ottoman pipe and copious amounts of pottery pieces.  We also learned how to discard pretty, but archeologically speaking useless rocks and how to recognize modern cement.  The other teams from our tour group and the young families with children at other stations near by seemed to having just as much fun.  Someone even found an ancient coin.  Before we left, Yoav debriefed the group on the significance of some of the finds.  For them the hard work of cataloguing is just beginning. For us it was fun, educational and very relaxing.  A great way to spend an hour or two or even a whole summer.

I was very impressed with the Temple Mount sifting project & would recommend it to other groups . We had knowledgeable people informing us about the project and a geologist on site that could identify what era particles came. It was well organized and novices & children could participate. As we washed& sifted through our bucket of rubble we had help in identifying pottery, Mother of Pearl to ancient coins. The valuable things were sorted & sent to the University for further identification

My family loves this activity! We’ve done this 3 times over the past few years. Thank you for having us again Yuval, Esther, Lev and team!

One of our favorite family activities in Jerusalem. Great group of people. Great cause. Great learning experience for the kids. The adults have a blast, too!