“If a nation and a country have a soul – then Jerusalem is their soul,” said Ben Gurion. He imagined the many pilgrims making their way up to Jerusalem and to the Kotel and understood the longing, the joy, and the desire to touch the stones of the Kotel and pray near them.
Photo: Ben Gurion with Teddy Kollek (former mayor of Jerusalem) at the Western Wall, courtesy of Rabbi Shechter’s family
Ahavat Yisrael
The Walls That Rise – Tisha B’Av 5786
As Tisha B’Av reminds us of the destruction caused by baseless hatred, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz calls for renewed unity, mutual responsibility, and love of fellow Jews—showing that the path to redemption begins with opening our hearts to one another.
5 Av 5786
July 19, 2026
