Guiding the ‘real’ Temple: The construction of authenticity in heritage sites in a state of absence and distance

Abstract

This paper discusses the ways in which heritage sites that deal with the memory of the Temple of Jerusalem claim authenticity despite the absence of the Temple and the distance between the location of the site and the original location of the Temple. The paper compares three sites adjacent to the Temple Mount: the Western Wall Heritage Tunnels, the Temple Institute, and the Davidson Center. Each of the sites forms a unique claim of authenticity that is supported by adjusted guided tour performance. The existing literature discusses authenticity as based on emotions or objects that cannot be replaced. This research expands this literature by introducing the concept of potential-based authenticity, authenticity based on future events and authentic objects that can be remade.