Israel: June 1, 2017. (PCP) Rabbi Richman, director of the International Department of The Temple Institute, says he is committed to rebuilding Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israeli Brigade Commander Col. Motta Gur captured the Temple Mount in 1967. After the capture, he announced: “The Temple Mount is in our hands! The Temple Mount is in our hands!” Retaking the temple was important to the Jewish world because the site was where King Solomon built the first Jewish temple. When that temple was destroyed, a second temple was built, only to later fall in 70 AD to the Romans. Recapturing the site meant the Jews could have their long-awaited third temple. "It would be hard, I think, not to see what's happened in the past 50 years as a tremendous – not just fulfillment of prophecy – but a tremendous jump start, a tremendous fast forward," Richman said. "It's more than prophetic. It's like a kiss from Heaven. It's like a divine kiss. It's like an intimate brush with the reality of God's compassion and love. He keeps His promises." The Institute is already working on blueprints for the new temple. "Today there's a lobby in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) of how many members of Knesset that are constantly speaking about Jewish rights to pray on the Temple Mount," Richman said. "There are members of Knesset that actually talk about the rebuilding the Holy Temple. Do you realize that 20 years ago these people wouldn't have been given a moment on prime time television to say these things. They would have been laughed out.”