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Last update - 19:23 05/08/2008
Caught on film: How Obama's note was stolen from Western Wall
By Haaretz Staff and Channel 10
Tags: Western Wall, Jerusalem 

Barack Obama's two-day visit to Israel in late July was somewhat overshadowed by the removal of his prayer note from the Western Wall and its publication in the local daily Maariv.

The paper said a student at a religious seminary provided the note.

Rabbis condemned the note's removal as sacrilege, and pundits called it an embarrassment for Israel. The perpetrator subsequently apologized for his actions.
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But now, the removal of Obama's note itself can be seen, thanks to independent producer David Cohen, who documented the theft.

The notes are supposed to be removed twice a year, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and Passover, and placed in a repository "to keep them hidden from human eyes," Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who supervises the Western Wall, said after Obama's note was removed.

"This sacrilegious action deserves sharp condemnation and represents a desecration of the holy site. Notes placed in the Western Wall are between the person and his Maker. Heaven forbid one should read or use them."

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      1.   Don`t blame the student. 02:38  |  Maureen Ann 04/08/08
      2.   western wall prayer theft 04:23  |  dano 04/08/08
      3.   Obama`s sacrid note 08:36  |  Mel (M) 04/08/08
      4.   To Dano: why embarrassment to Jews because of one Idiot? 08:45  |  AA 04/08/08
      5.   Nothing is holy in Holyland? 09:40  |  Ulf 04/08/08
      6.   #3 Ridiculous sectarianism 09:46  |  Ulf 04/08/08
      7.   #2 I`m not sure this is not staged 09:51  |  Ulf 04/08/08
      8.   has this religious student heard of stealing 12:07  |  SJ 04/08/08
      9.   The Kotel 13:32  |  Yossi 04/08/08
      10.   A future career in politics 14:24  |  W 04/08/08
      11.   Video looks staged here, as it did on YouTube 16:19  |  DJStahl 04/08/08
      12.   "Video looks staged..." #13 18:26  |  Esther 04/08/08
      13.   Re #14 perhaps staged by "Geneva Accord" advocates 20:37  |  DJStahl 04/08/08
      14.   wrong 21:33  |  paul 04/08/08
      15.   To #9,"Notice..." 23:02  |  Shmuelshachor 04/08/08
      16.   to the conspiracy theorists 23:07  |  Israel Israeli 04/08/08
      17.   Staining Obama`s name or lessening Jewish shame? 23:58  |  Clickfool 04/08/08
      18.   Only the religious... 02:07  |  Sam 05/08/08
      19.   Re #16 conspiracy theories, etc. 02:40  |  DJStahl 05/08/08
      20.   # 12 not only that, esther 02:40  |  eric 05/08/08
      21.   don`t blame the student writter 06:12  |  shimon 05/08/08
      22.   Haaretz Stay On These Guys That Swiped It 06:39  |  Yosemite 05/08/08
      23.   Some interesting links about video mashups 18:26  |  DJStahl 05/08/08
      24.   # 23 to djstahl re: videos 12:40  |  eric 06/08/08
      25.   Notice what Maureen Ann continues to prove (2nd try) 13:59  |  David Teich 06/08/08
      26.   #24 Money motive 08:33  |  Ulf 07/08/08
      27.   Re #24 credulousness vs. analysis, and facts 14:49  |  DJStahl200@cs.com 08/08/08
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