Are any preparations to rebuild the Temple taking place now?

Yes. Two Jerusalem-based institutions are concerning themselves with the rebuilding of the Temple. The first group is known as “The Temple Mount Faithful,” whose members have sworn never to surrender the sovereignty of Mount Moriah to anyone outside of the Jewish people. The second group is “The Temple Institute.” Their task is to duplicate the utensils and priestly garments required for the Temple ceremony. However, these two groups, in addition to various splinter groups, are not officially recognized by the Jewish religious authority. They do not represent Judaism. I have been told that the largest following of these organizations is a group evangelical Christians who are fascinated by the success of manufacturing utensils for the new Temple. Nevertheless, these two institutions show that Israel's desire to have the Temple on Mount Moriah must not be taken lightly. We must remember that Israel is located in the center of the world, Jerusalem is the center of Israel, and the Temple is the center of Jerusalem. Contained in the Temple was the Holy of Holies and the Ark of the Covenant, where the two tablets on which the Law of God was written. In other words, the center of Israel for worldwide Judaism is still missing.