An ancient 5-ton stone that spent years displayed in the courtyard of the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv was returned to the Western Wall complex in a ceremony Monday morning. The stone, which fell during the destruction of the Second Temple, will be stored alongside other Wall stones uncovered in excavations over the years.
Defense Minister Israel Katz’s decision to return the stone came after an appeal from Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rabbi of the Western Wall. The move was done as part of implementing a call last year from the Chief Rabbis and the Chief Rabbinate Council to return all ancient Wall stones that are currently displayed at the President’s Residence, the Israel Museum, and Israel Antiquities Authority warehouses to the Western Wall complex.
“The Western Wall stones belong at the Wall, so it was clear the stone had to be returned to its natural place in the Old City,”said Minister Katz at the ceremony. “Every stone carries the story of the Jewish people—from the destruction to renewed sovereignty. Returning the stone expresses our commitment to Jerusalem.”
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, added that “The Western Wall stones aren’t just stones—they carry the soul of the Jewish people.” He said, “Even when they sought to bring some of this holiness to the heart of decision-making centers, its natural place is here, in its original home. This is a reconnection to the foundations of the nation.”
Israel Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido emphasized that the authority is committed to acting according to the Chief Rabbis’ ruling recognizing the stones’ sanctity, noting that “the authority will continue working with the Heritage Ministry to return the remaining stones currently displayed at various sites.”
UTJ Knesset Member Rabbi Meir Porush, who thanked those involved in returning the stone given the Wall’s importance to the Jewish people, added: “We stand here before these historic stones, which survived all the upheavals and regimes that passed through the Land of Israel—in these historic days when we merit to see God’s salvation, as the people of Israel fight with strength and might, and merit to defeat our enemies who rise against us to destroy us.”
According to Rabbinate instructions, the storage site for stones that were already found and for those that will be located going forward will be fenced off, and the public will be instructed to preserve their sanctity and refrain from using them.