Barkat and Leon at the Western Wall
Barkat and Leon at the Western WallWestern Wall Heritage Center

The candle marking the second night of Hanukkah were lit on Monday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem by Rabbi Aryeh Stern, the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, outgoing Mayor Nir Barkat and incoming Mayor Moshe Leon.

Rabbi Rabinowitz congratulated outgoing Mayor Nir Barkat. "You saw this light of Jerusalem and worked every day to increase it and spread it, especially at the Western Wall. With every mission and challenge you said 'I am with you.' You rejoiced with us for every exposure and every archaeological discovery. You set the vision of 15 million people at the Western Wall. And indeed, since you entered the position, the number of visitors has increased from 8 million a year to nearly 12 million, and your hand is on the increase. Your connection to the Western Wall is so deep and so obvious that we have no doubt that that is how it will be.

He also welcomed incoming Mayor Moshe Leon. "May you merit that Jerusalem in your time be remembered as a city of love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. Your success is our success. I have no doubt that you will contribute to Jerusalem and the development of the Wailing Wall. May it be that the verse will be fulfilled: 'May peace be with you in your palaces. For the sake of the house of the Lord our G-d I will speak o you in peace. For the sake of the house of the Lord our G-d, I will seek your well-being.'"

Nir Barkat said at the event: "I remember the tremendous excitement of being reunited after two thousand years of exile. Here I had my bar mitzvah. Here I was sworn in the paratroopers. Time after time I find myself excited to be here at the Western Wall. I remember how 17 years ago, I decided to drop what I was doing and to focus on the mission of my life - to help our Jerusalem succeed. I thank you and bless the incoming mayor, who will continue to see Jerusalem develop. "

Moshe Leon, the incoming mayor, added that this is a unique and exciting position for him."Only here in the most holy place can I understand the weight of the office of mayor of Jerusalem, and I was privileged to receive the staff of leading the city in the next few years, and first of all I want to thank God for winning me."

"After two thousand years I stand here excited and commit that I will make every effort to unite all the residents of Jerusalem together, from all the colors of the rainbow. So that we as residents of Jerusalem will prove to the Jewish people that it is possible and necessary to live in unity.And certainly also to preserve the Jewish character of the city of Jerusalem," Leon said.