Then, based on biblical geography, historical documents, and Arabic references, they found the site, left their homes, their livelihoods, everything they had, and moved there to reestablish a settlement, a town, and a community in Israel after 2700 years, and to begin historical excavations.

"I was only a few years old when my father woke me up in the night. Something extraordinary was found in Shilo,"

Our guide recalls the moment when archaeologists stumbled upon the special jars and vessels thousands of years old that were most likely used by the prophets and the priests who served around the Tabernacle.

Now home to thousands of people, a very sophisticated visitor centre has opened near the town. Pilgrims from all over the world come to see where Eli the high priest served, where the prophet Samuel's mother Anna prayed silently.

Many still feel a sense of God's presence today - Moriah says that God's glory does not just disappear without a trace from the places where it has been present for hundreds of years.

She also tells a story of an evangelical Christian couple in Mexico who couldn't have a child for 13 years, until they prayed here and finally got pregnant. The following year, when the father returned to give thanks, he found a special coin on the ground. It later turned out to be from the time of the Maccabees. That's the kind of place Shilo is.

But what's really interesting is that it is here that the red heifers are kept, one of which will be sacrificed at a historic moment, its ashes being a key part of the purification ritual. The animals are also special because, by law, they have to be perfectly red, they cannot have any defects, and they cannot wear a yoke for the rest of their lives. For two thousand years, there was no knowledge of such heifers existing, but recently, five have been found in Texas, where a Christian farmer decided 30 years ago to raise perfectly red cows so that they could one day serve the Temple.

Moriah shows us the cows, they are playful animals, bellowing to show that they want to be part of the interview.

We can't touch them, that's the request, and we're happy to comply - to avoid any cuts or injuries. They are all three years old, past the age when it would have been appropriate to bless one of them - now there are essentially two perfect specimens left, but there is no reason to be sad, says Moriah, because only one perfect specimen is needed, the grey hairs can fall out and they are now being artificially inseminated to produce more little red calves.

They are called Tikva (hope), Geula (salvation), Techia (life-giver), Nechama (consolation), and Segula (virtue).

When I hear that the Hamas spokesman has also recently stated that the war was essentially started partly because of the red heifers, I immediately ask myself whether they should not be better protected? Moriah says that the place is relatively well guarded and that Shilo is surrounded by mostly Israeli settlements, so there is a military presence. But what is the greatest protection is God - they believe that He will take care of this, as He has done so far.

When the need arises, there will be a perfect heifer to be used for the sacrifices of a new Temple, the House of prayer, to be a blessing to all nations.