Have any modern candidates for a red heifer been presented or evaluated (dates and organizations)?

1. What people actually claimed and why it mattered — the core assertions laid out

Reports and organizational statements coalesce around a few clear claims: that five red heifers were located in Texas and brought to Israel in September 2022, that rabbinic inspectors examined them for halachic perfection, and that by 2023–2025 at least some of those animals were disqualified for having non‑red hairs or other defects, leaving no fully qualified candidate ready for ritual use ^{[1] [2] [4]}. The Temple Institute frames this search as a necessary step toward restoring biblical purification rites and, for supporters, a prerequisite for rebuilding the Temple; critics and secular commentators place the effort in a wider political and prophetic context. These factual points drive interest because the red heifer is both a rare religious requirement and a potent symbol tied to contested visions of Israeli sovereignty and eschatology ^{[2] [5]}.

2. The timeline that emerges when you line up the most consistent reports

The clearest temporal anchor is September 2022, when five red heifers reportedly arrived in Israel after being sourced in Texas ^[1]. By March 2023 the Temple Institute publicly acknowledged inspections and reported at least one disqualification, leaving four candidates under observation ^[2]. Through 2024–2025 the status shifted again: multiple sources document that several animals later developed disqualifying white hairs or other flaws, and by mid‑2025 the Temple Institute announced the disqualification of all five Texas heifers, necessitating a restart of breeding and selection efforts ^{[6] [4] [3]}. These sequential reports show an active multi‑year evaluation process with evolving outcomes, not a single definitive affirmative identification of a kosher red heifer.

3. Who did the evaluations and how transparent were they? — institutional actors and practices

The Temple Institute and its Red Heifer Project are the most visible organizations conducting examinations, coordinating inspections by rabbis, and issuing public updates; they also worked with American ranchers and nonprofits that sourced the animals, such as Boneh Israel and Texas ranchers identified in reporting ^{[6] [1]}. Coverage describes rabbinic inspections marking qualifying animals and logistical steps like securing, transporting and caring for the heifers, yet accounts vary on detail and timing of formal declarations—some Temple Institute updates note disqualifications while other outlets reported lingering candidates into 2024 and early 2025 ^{[2] [7]}. Transparency has been partial: the Temple Institute released findings but also shifted to more guarded statements as candidates were disqualified, and outside observers continue to track the story through media and organizational releases ^{[5] [3]}.

4. Why candidates were rejected — consistent factual reasons across reports

The recurring technical reason cited for disqualification is the appearance of non‑red hairs or white hairs, which halachic authorities consider blemishes rendering a heifer unusable for the Numbers 19 purification rites; other requirements include age, lack of physical labor and absence of other defects ^{[2] [4]}. Reports specify that animals initially identified as promising later developed disqualifying features as they matured, forcing repeated assessments and delaying any ritual timetable. Multiple sources emphasize that perfection is stringent and that even minor deviations eliminate a candidate; therefore, thebotanical cause is not at issue—consensus narratives point to hair color/blemish standards as the decisive disqualifier ^{[2] [5]}.

5. How different actors interpret the same facts — religious, political, and prophetic readings

Organizations like the Temple Institute present the search as a religious‑legal project aimed at enabling purification rites and potential Temple renewal; their communications emphasize technical halachic criteria and readiness planning ^{[2] [5]}. Supporters, including some U.S. donors and Israeli activists, frame the arrivals as spiritually significant and sometimes time‑sensitive, linking candidates’ ages to possible near‑term ritual use ^{[1] [7]}. Secular commentators and analysts stress pragmatic limits—the repeated disqualifications and breeding timelines mean no imminent ritual is technically feasible—and note political ramifications, cautioning that Temple restoration narratives intersect with contentious Israeli domestic and regional politics ^[3]. These divergent lenses reflect differing agendas: devotional urgency, scientific breeding realism, and political risk assessment.

6. Bottom line: what is settled, what remains open, and what to watch next

Settled facts: five heifers from Texas arrived in Israel in September 2022 and underwent rabbinic inspection; multiple authoritative updates from 2023–2025 report progressive disqualifications, culminating in statements that none of those animals currently meet the strict biblical criteria ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Open items: whether new breeding programs or undisclosed candidates will produce a qualifying heifer soon, how the Temple Institute and allied groups will proceed, and how Israeli political shifts might influence timing or public disclosure. Key near‑term watchers are official Temple Institute announcements and independent reporting on breeding projects and rabbinic rulings; those will determine whether the narrative moves from repeated near‑misses to an affirmed, inspectable candidate.