A red calf, "Tamima", born in the Galilee
StatusHappened
For Christians who expect a rebuilt Temple, every red calf born in Israel is a possible step toward the rite the Law describes, which requires "a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish" (). A calf born in the land, and reported as appearing fully red, shows that the search continues within Israel itself and not only through imported animals.
Happened (as reported in a single source). A contributor's blog post on the Times of Israel site (30 June 2026), whose facts the paper does not vouch for, reports that a calf named Tamima was born in May 2026 on a Galilee farm, from a black mother and imported US semen, and appeared fully red. Rabbi Azariah Ariel and others ruled her "disqualified for the current rite due to the ear tag blemish". Other reports say further calves were born in summer 2026.
Explore the counterarguments
The report rests on a single blog post, and the calf was ruled unfit. Like the other animals, she was bred deliberately for the purpose, so any later success would be the result of effort by people acting on the texts rather than an independent sign.