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In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the former rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Meir Yehuda Getz, of blessed memory, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Heritage led by Minister Amichai Eliyahu, along with Rabbi Getz’s family, held a memorial and heritage conference in his honor. The event was attended by the current rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the minister of Immigration and Absorption Mr. Ofir Sofer, the mayor of Jerusalem Mr. Moshe Lion, rabbis, public figures, his students, and family members.
During the event, the life story of Rabbi Getz, a great Torah scholar, halachic authority, and Kabbalist, was highlighted. His extensive efforts for the settlement of the land and for the public good were praised, as well as his work in promoting and uncovering the Western Wall during his 28-year tenure as rabbi of the Western Wall.
At the peak of the event, Rabbi Getz’s family handed over to the National Library the 12 famous “Western Wall Diaries” he wrote during his tenure as rabbi of the Western Wall. These diaries detail the events affecting the Jewish people as seen through the prayers and events that took place at the Wall, his daily management of the site, and his struggles to preserve its character and sanctity.
At the conclusion of the event, the family toured key points in the Western Wall Tunnels, guided by Rabbi Getz’s grandchildren, who are named after him, following in the footsteps of their grandfather’s teachings.
Remarks for the Centennial Birthday of the Former Rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Yehuda Getz, zz”l – 15th of Menachem Av, 5784
Dear Getz family, who are here with us today—descendants and loved ones of the Rabbi of the Western Wall,
These are difficult days, days when the heart aches and grieves, and prayers are soaked with tears. Anyone who has visited the Western Wall since Simchat Torah has undoubtedly witnessed the hundreds of emotional gatherings—soldiers, evacuees, families of the hostages and the wounded—who have come to the Western Wall to tear open the gates of heaven with their prayers. The Western Wall is the heart of the Jewish people, and this heart, full of love, is in deep pain.
In these days especially, I feel how we all walk the path paved for us by Rabbi Getz, of blessed memory. Every morning, when I enter my office, my eyes meet the warm and profound gaze of the Rabbi from the picture on the wall. This picture is not just an image—it is a daily reminder of the heavy responsibility he left on our shoulders. His gaze accompanies us in every step, reminding us “how awe-inspiring is this place”—how great the place, how great the responsibility, how great the people we serve, and how significant this moment is.
I did not have the privilege to know Rabbi Getz during his lifetime. As a young boy, I would see him on Friday nights at the Western Wall, arriving with his students from Yeshivat Beit El. Even today, when I close my eyes, I can see his image—dressed in white, like an angel descending from heaven to bring the Shabbat Queen and to adorn us all with new souls. How could such an image be forgotten?
But Rabbi Getz was also a man of action. A ladder set on the ground with its top reaching heaven. It is known that his head was in the secrets of the Torah, and his feet were deeply rooted in the soil of this land. A man of settlement, a man of education, a soldier, a rabbi who wore a gun under his coat. He passionately and fiercely fulfilled the command “do not fear any man.”
The responsibility that Rabbi Getz took upon himself was overwhelming. Rabbi of the Western Wall after the Six-Day War—how can one even comprehend the significance of such a role? How can one understand the historical responsibility towards hundreds of generations who dreamed of this moment and towards the generations yet to come? He felt the soul of the people, and the soul of every Jew. His heart was open to everyone. And precisely because of this deep connection to every person, he also knew how to stand firmly in defense of the sanctity of this place.
The battles to preserve the sanctity of the Western Wall did not begin now. Rabbi Getz faced, with courage and determination, those for whom the Wall was not a life’s aspiration but rather an opportunity to divide even at a place of unity. With his great wisdom, he knew how to protect the sanctity of the place without harming the unity of the people. This is a legacy we continue even today, in the spirit of his teachings—there is only one Wall, and it demands humility and reverence from everyone who comes to it.
Dear Getz family,
You, who lost your brother Avner, may his blood be avenged, in the battle for Jerusalem, know how deeply the pain Rabbi Getz carried in his heart ran. How high was the personal price he paid. You can also testify how, from this pain, from this terrible fracture, the Rabbi found within himself tremendous strength to uplift and elevate the entire Jewish people. To embody in his body and soul the prophecy “Shake off the dust, arise, put on your beautiful garments, My people.” The Western Wall is the symbol of these words. Rabbi Getz, of blessed memory, is the symbol of these words.
Even when it’s hard, even when it hurts, we rise, shake off the dust, and put on our garments of splendor. Because this is who we are—the Jewish people, the eternal nation, a people who know how to rise from the dust and illuminate the world.
What could be more fitting, in these days when light and darkness intertwine, than to entrust the diaries of the Rabbi of the Western Wall to the National Library in Jerusalem for eternal safekeeping—along with thousands of other eternal treasures of the Jewish people and the Torah of Israel. The Strength of Israel will neither lie nor repent, for He is not a man to repent.
In these diaries, one can see how important it was to Rabbi Getz to connect the future generation to the chain of generations. He saw it as a life’s mission, to pass on the rich heritage of our people to future generations. And we, with humility and great pride, continue in his path. Every day, in every tour, in every educational activity, we keep this great mission in mind—to connect every Jew to their roots, to their heritage, and to their future.
Rabbi Getz’s life’s work, to uncover the glorious past of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, is reaching extraordinary dimensions. I want to bless our friend, Suli, may he live a long and good life, who has been leading this tremendous endeavor with determination and dedication since the days of Rabbi Getz. The exciting discoveries we witness every day are not just about uncovering ancient stones. We are not uncovering stones—we are uncovering roots. Every stone revealed is another link in the chain of generations, another testimony to the deep and unbreakable bond between the Jewish people and their land, and Jerusalem, its capital.
We continue Rabbi Getz’s path also in our firm stance to uphold the rabbinical decree against ascending the Temple Mount. Rabbi Getz invested all his strength and soul into this, and we will continue to loudly and proudly voice the Torah’s stance on this matter. Because we know, as Rabbi Getz knew, that the sanctity of the place is not a matter of politics or personal desires. It is the essence of Jewish existence, and it requires us to be vigilant and uphold the halacha at all times and in every situation. This also includes protecting the sanctity of the Western Wall from those who seek to desecrate and harm its sanctity.
Moses blesses Judah and says, “And this to Judah, and he said: Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people; let his hands be sufficient for him, and may You be a help against his adversaries.” The holy Ibn Ezra interprets “sufficient for him” as “his hands shall suffice for him, and he shall have no need of anyone to assist him, except for the help of God alone.” My teachers and rabbis, Rabbi Getz, Rabbi of the Wall, had no need for anyone to assist him, except for the help of God alone. His hands were sufficient for him.
Let us pray together that we may grasp the hem of his holy garment. That we may continue his path—here at the Western Wall and everywhere.
I will conclude with the words of Rabbi Getz from a very emotional recording of one of his tours in the Western Wall Tunnels. He concludes the tour with these words:
“Throughout generations, the people of Israel hoped to touch these stones, hoped to see from afar, hoped to see up close, and not all of them managed to reach this place. And today, thank God, day by day, hour by hour, with complete freedom, in sacred awe and joy, we have the privilege to touch this holy place. This confirms for us the hopes envisioned by our prophets of blessed memory, that this place will yet be rebuilt. That the people of Israel will yet return to this place and gather from all the corners of the earth. That from this place, a call will go out for world peace—for all of humanity in general, and for the people of Israel in particular. And we strengthen our faith in the prophetic vision that we have seen its beginning—its completion will come soon, and we will be privileged to behold the pleasantness of the Lord and visit His temple.”
I pray that in these times of trial, let us live as he did—with love, faith, and courage. Each of us, in our place, can light a small candle of light. And together, we will illuminate the whole world.
The path to redemption passes through the heart. Through unconditional love, through good deeds, through compassion. Let us commit, here and now, to live this way. To be strong in faith, to stand tall in the face of every challenge, and to always remember the holiness within us and around us.
May the memory of Rabbi Getz be for eternity. May we be privileged to continue his path, to illuminate the world with love, and to bring the redemption closer through good deeds. We will rise from the dust and don our garments of splendor.
Amen and Amen.
