In a special ceremony held this evening, a stone from the Western Wall was returned to its historic resting place. The stone, weighing approximately five tons, was toppled by the Roman Tenth Legion during the destruction of the Second Temple, and had been displayed in recent years at the Knesset and later loaned for display at Ben-Gurion Airport.
The decision to return the stone was made following a discussion held before Rosh Hashanah, attended by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and the Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said at the ceremony: "If stones could speak, this heavy stone, with thousands of years of history upon it, would tell of generations of Jews who came to pray at the Temple. We wish to close this chapter of its wandering and place it in a permanent location, where it can tell the stories it has witnessed."
The Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, added: "Returning this stone to the ruins here is a great rectification. It is a declaration that we do not forget the holy stones and we maintain their sanctity."