L.A. Family Donates Temple Model to Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem

The R. S. Zarnegin family, who came to Los Angeles from Iran, has donated a model of the ancient Jewish temple to Aish HaTorah’s world headquarters in Jerusalem. The model was first unveiled on Aug. 5 on the roof of Aish’s interactive museum, the Exploratorium, which overlooks the Western Wall.

Robert Zarnegin, son of the late R.S. Zarnegin, presides over the Beverly Hills-based real estate development corporation his father created. The model is built to a scale of 1:60 and was built according to rabbinic consultation provided by experts.

This unique model includes a hydraulic remote-controlled elevator that raises the entire heychal (outer sanctuary) to reveal the contents of the Holy of Holies (inner sanctuary), including the menorah (Jewish candelabra), table, altars and the Ark of the Covenant. It also has an extensive electrical light system to make it easy for guides to teach about the Temple and its service.

“The Jewish people contributed ideas to the world, like justice for all, monotheism, love your neighbor as yourself and universal education,” said Ephraim Shore, director of Aish HaTorah. “Those ideas were nurtured, studied and exported to all of humanity from here, the center of our spiritual world, in the Temple.”