Our group arrived to the sifting facility amidst cold temperatures, wind, and rain. Though we had been to the old site a number of years ago, we were not sure what to expect at this new site. In short, we enjoyed a wonderful, unique experience in this beautiful Jerusalem panoramic setting. We started out with a movie about the dig and toured artifacts in the warmth of a floor beneath the sifting area. Then we went up to the sifting location where we received a tutorial of how to sift and what to look for in the process. After our actual sifting work, one of the lead staff gave a historical review of the importance of our work, what has been found by others, and what treasures we found. This is not a prepared set-up so that you will find artifacts. It is the real thing—the participant is actually sifting dirt that does offer important archeological finds from thousands of years ago. It is exciting for all ages. And happily, it is under cover with protection from the rain. There was some discussion that the program may only continue through part of 2023. Check before going to sign-up and hopefully you will be able to participate as we did.

I was the only visitor (pre-book) on the day I went and this was actually an added bonus. The team were very kind and helpful and even invited me to have lunch with them though that is definitely not the norm. The slot started with a talk which was followed by a video and then we got down to the sifting part where it was explained what they are looking for. I am sure that this is meant to be a timed activity but as I was not taking up anyone else's booking, I was able to stay on. At the end one of the archaeologists sat and talked about some of the day's finds and how they fitted into a timeline. Very informative and this is a lovely unique experience for anyone.

This is literally a "once in a lifetime experience." You are able to sort through 3000 plus years of history from possibly the most contested and hallowed site on the globe. When this project is finished (sometime in the next few years) it is DONE. I can't imagine such an opportunity will come again. There were approximately twenty of us in total sifting buckets of soil filled with pottery shards, marble fragments, mosaic pieces, ceramic pieces, ancient glass, the occasional coin per day, etc. Wonderful and helpful staff that moves between sifting pairs. The conclusion is a mini-history lesson as the finds of the last 24 hours, including ours, are laid out as a timeline and an archaeologist uses them to walk you through time with the found objects. We loved it. One caveat, while taxis can find the location, they are not keen on finding you for a return trip. We had to walk about a mile to a electric train stop. The weather was great and this was not difficult, but one of our group members had recently had back surgery. So be sure to have an understanding of how to get here and how to leave! This was the favorite Israel activity for me. Its something of a "crowd sourcing" archaeological project. Its meaningful on multiple levels for history lovers and religious oriented travelers.

The Temple Mount Sifting Project is a great family activity. My four kids (ranging from 8-14) absolutely loved the experience. They would have stayed all day, if possible. It's so special to be able to contribute towards uncovering archeological findings. My husband and I also had a great time. The staff was wonderful and really helped enhance our visit.

Our family took part in the sifting project on a hot day in August and we all, ages 4 to 63 enjoyed the experience . Our archeologist guide Yuval managed to engage all ages with explanations, history and background. The children ( and the adults) especially enjoyed the sifting and were excited with their findings- one of which was a small fragment of the rim of a pot from the First Temple era. Despite the heat the area is shaded and comfortable and we also enjoyed the shaded picnic area. We highly recommend this activity for all ages .

The Temple Mount Sifting Project is such a unique experience. We absolutely loved it! This is a great activity for people of all ages. There were some younger families participating as well as older people. The Temple Mount Sifting Project was started after many, many truckloads (around 400) of debris were removed from the Temple Mount during an unpermitted construction build. Archeologists were not able to look at the site before the removal took place. You are sifting through the material that was removed. This is what makes it so unique! Once the debris is gone, the project will be over! After learning a little bit about the material and how the project came to be, you get straight to work. The process of explaining what to look for and how to do it is very straightforward. You pick a bucket of material that was taken from the site and start looking. Everyone found something - marble, nails, pottery, beads. I found a coin!! Even on a very hot summers day, it was comfortable working as it is a shaded area. If you are a fan of archeology or are just looking for something different, you will absolutely love this calm and fun activity!

Wonderful half day activity. We took our grandchildren (aged 6 and 8), and although some of the pre-sifting talk was a bit beyond them, the actual activity was great and they had a great time. There was also a great summary after the sifting of the items we had found. Easy parking and a great activity.

Amazing experience. Most museums give you a nice history lesson, but here it really comes alive. They tell the story based on artifacts they have found on the temple mount. But the best part is that YOU get to be part if that. You are the first person to sift through your bucket of rocks. You don't know what you will find there. It could be coins, it could be pieces of a mosaic floor from the first or second temple. It was the highlight of my trip.