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Matthew Kalman
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Waging Holy War, Women and Children First

Even before the dust settled after another stand-off between the Women of the Wall and their detractors on Monday, activists concerned about the future of the Temple Mount had unleashed a powerful new weapon: Jewish children.

Invitation to the "Special children's tour of the Temple Mount" from the Joint Committee for Temple Mount Movements
Invitation to the “Special children’s tour of the Temple Mount” from the Joint Committee for Temple Mount Movements

150 children responded to a call from the Joint Committee for Temple Mount Movements to spend the morning of the 1st of Av on a special tour to the Temple Mount. Once there, to the fury of the organizers, the children were divided into three groups, urged not to talk to each other, and banned from bowing or engaging in other religious activity that might upset the delicate arrangements between the Israeli police and the Waqf Muslim authorities responsible for the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding compound, known to Muslims as the Haram Al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary.

The tour prompted the Al-Hayat newspaper to warn of “extremists” seeking the “destruction” of the mosque.

Kids also star in The Children are Ready II a new video from the Temple Institute that shows playschoolers tooling up and dragging their dads out of 9th Av prayers to go off and build the Third Temple.

“The building of the Holy Temple is a fundamental tenet of Judaism, central to our faith. A house of peace and prayer for all nations,” the Institute tweeted. “Obviously can’t build now.”

But Amir Mizroch, editor of the Israel Hayom English edition, said the institute appeared to be “inciting armageddon thru use of kids.”

“It reminds me of Hamas videos making use of children,” Mizroch tweeted.

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About the Author
Matthew Kalman, a former Middle East correspondent for international media, is chief content officer for OurCrowd, the world's largest equity crowdfunding platform and Israel's most active high-tech investor.