Wow......

[patgund]

That's DAMN offensive.

Fate of Obama note alarms rabbis

"A note, or prayer, jammed into one of many cracks in the wall, is considered a sacred act - whether or not the worshipper is Jewish.

Even though he is a practising Christian, Barack Obama's last act on his high-profile trip to Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories this week was to pray at the Wall.

The decision by an Israeli newspaper to publish a note, apparently left by Senator Obama, was criticised by the senior rabbi in charge of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitz.

He said a written message was a private matter between God and the individual and the removal of Mr Obama's note was highly inappropriate."

Israeli paper publishes Obama Western Wall prayer

"A written prayer that Barack Obama left this week in the cracks of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, asks God to guide him and guard his family, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday.

"Lord — Protect my family and me," reads the note published in the Maariv daily. "Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will."

The paper's decision to make the note public drew fire. The rabbi in charge of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitz, said publishing the note intruded in Obama's relationship with God.

"The notes placed between the stones of the Western Wall are between a person and his maker. It is forbidden to read them or make any use of them," he told Army Radio. The publication "damages the Western Wall and damages the personal, deep part of every one of us that we keep to ourselves," he said."

I've got enough friends that are Jewish and know just enough about beliefs to know how sacred the Western Wall - and the act of putting a note in there for G-d to read - is very special and sacred. This is pretty damn near a slap in the face.

I wonder if the person who removed it did so because they either wanted to find something to attack with, or was offended that Sen. Obama would dare leave a prayer to G-d like anyone else.......

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

I'm appalled and a little shocked. Just when I think my colleagues in the media could not sink lower. I've never heard of anything thing like this happening at the Wailing Wall before, and it's not like Obama was the first non-Jew to leave a note for the Lord there. All prayers go to one place after all.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when I read it I literally felt sick to my stomach. And that was the reaction from someone who's NOT Jewish, but knows a bit about the faith, culture, and customs.

Someone who is Jewish, either culturally and/or spiritually, I can't even begin to understand how they feel.

Hate someone if you will - but to interfere and defile their relationship or prayers to the one they hold Divine? That's beyond simple hatred.

[silkensteel.livejournal.com]

More likely the jackass wanted a souvenir, and/or wanted to sell it to the highest bidder.