The top story in Israel today has to do with the Western Wall. Contrary to earlier promises by Binyamin Netanyahu and despite years of negotiation, in an attempt to reach a compromise concerning the representation of different streams of Judaism at the Western Wall, the Ultra-Orthodox in Netanyahus government prevailed. The arrangement that had been agreed upon previously has been frozen, in what is clearly an attempt to exclude non-Orthodox from official standing at the Wall. This is an occasion to reflect on the meaning of Judaisms most sacred site and most central religious geographic symbol.

I undertake this reflection as someone who for more than 45 years has not missed a Friday night service at the Wall, when in town and in good health. It is really the only synagogue I attend regularly. I am connected to it deeply on spiritual/mystical grounds and because it is a place that enables me to live a deep communion with the Jewish people, in all its variety. Actually, it allows me to connect not only to the Jewish people, but to all humanity. The Wall is the only place where members of other faiths come freely, pray regularly and exhibit a communion of prayer with Jews.

People occasionally comment on my strong attachment to the Wall, recalling the words of Prof. Isaiah Leibowitz, describing the Wall as idolatry. I have resisted this for 45 years. It is time to reconsider.