Suppose that I want to found a newJewish temple in Rhode Island (just to choose a place at random). How do I go about doing it? For example, how do I get a Torah (or more than one-I’ve read in another thread that some have three)? Sorry if any of this is disrespectful-that’s certainly not my intent.
So can I assume you’re referring to a Jewish temple?
Yes, sorry. Let me reword the title.
EDIT: I I done it. Thanks, Dewey.
You would either buy a Torah or have one donated. There is no central authority in Judaism, I could open a synagogue in my basement if I wanted.
For most communal prayers you need a minyan, a group of 10 adults (over 13) for Reform or other egalitarian congregations or 10 men for others.
And to be clear you just want a temple, right? You’re not trying to found THE Temple?
Because if so, that’s gonna be much harder. And you can’t do it in Rhode Island.
Googling, there are scribes trained in writing out a new Torah. So I assume one can commission one to be produced?
No red heifers? 
Presumably, one could copy a Torah themselves?
Given “there is no central authority in Judaism”, founding the Temple in Rhode Island might be doable, but getting a minyan might be difficult. 
I think Rhode Island is the location of the first temple in America, so that may be what the OP was thinking of.
Making a kosher Torah is not easy. Special scrolls, inks, and pens and it has to be perfect. Someone called a Sofer Torah creates them.
Actually, this made me curious; is there anything saying that the Templehad to be built there?
The only reference I can find is that Solomon built the temple where David saw an angel; but did he do that because it seemed like an appropriate place or because there was a specific commandment? I wonder if you could just build the temple anywhere, then?
Also, isn’t what actually mattered about the Temple the Ark of the Covenant? IE you could build the Temple elsewhere if you had the Ark to keep in it? And with the Ark being lost, what would you do with a third Temple anyways?
Hmmmm.
There are various rites which all Jews are supposed to perform at the Temple.
Oh, yes, just a temple. Certainly not the Temple. From what little I know, I’d have to have a much different resume (so to speak) to do that!
Right, stuff like bringing sacrifices for the priests and such. And the roles of the Cohens and Levites and all that.
But unless I am mistaken, none of that has to happen at the Temple; it has to happen where the Ark is. And before Solomon, it would have just been in a tent (when under Jewish control). A very fancy tent, during the Exodus, made of hides of kosher animals whose identity is debated (I’ve seen it suggested to be Giraffe, or Okapi). But just a tent.
So if a Temple is reconstructed but the Ark is not recovered, what makes the Temple official?
IIRC Animal sacrifice can only be done at a space properly designated by God. The only such spot we can find is the Temple mount.
Do all Jews interpret that the same way?
Animal sacrifice was presumably happening in Judaism before the Temple/Tabernacle era though, right? Otherwise the story about Abraham and Isaac doesn’t make much sense.
Animal sacrifices were indeed happening at other places. Those places were designated by God. We cannot find any of them. I cannot recall if it is just legend and tradition, but I have read in quite a few places-the mountain Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac on and the Temple mount are the same place.
Of course not. We can’t even agree on a common definition of the word “Jew”. There is a very accurate saying “Two Jews, three opinions.” However, AFAIK all Orthodox and Conservative Jews interpret it that way.
ETA
The Torah has a passage saying a certain kind of locust may be eaten. The oral tradition explaining just what kind of locust is lost. So, Jews who keep kosher do not eat any locusts.
If we could be sure we had found a divinely designated place to carry out animal sacrifice, no doubt at least some Jews would do so. The only spot we can be sure of is the Temple mount. There are many obstacles to rebuilding the Temple there.
You could enlist the help of Harrison Ford. In addition to experience tracking down misplaced Arks, he’s also pretty good at making sure Torahs (and rabbis) get to their correct destinations.
Except that many Moroccan and Yemenite Jews who keep Kosher do eat locust, specifically the desert locus.
Eta: or at least, they consider locust kosher; they may not eat them for other reasons, the same ones that non Jews have for not eating bugs.