Israel approves plan to let sponsors beam messages onto Western Wall

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT RESPECT IS SO LACKING. NO, IT ISN'T G-D BUT IT IS HOLY!! SANDRA

Again, we are turning G-d's house into a den of thieves! Is that why people come to the wall? Do they come to worship and petition our heavenly Father, or do they come to be blitzed by commercials? G-d have mercy on them, but wake them up!

haha got worried for a second there!!

You totally got me at first. I was furious at such a disrespect to a religious site. Then I realized Joe King is Joking and the name of the reporter "Yappy Hurim". Real funny joke haaretz, good job! That's one purim shpeil I won't soon forget!

yasher koach

Hurim Pappy, happy Purim

Menachem, do you not realize that by laughing at the ridiculous claim that Jews will do anything for money (including beaming ads at the Kotel) we are laughing at those who are stupid enough to believe it? Like cockroaches, antisemites run for cover when a light is shone on them.

You will note that not one of those who did not realize it's a joke noticed what you've pointed out. Don't blame Avi for including it, because that whole paragraph was meant to be a glaring giveaway. What you need to question, is why all these people who didn't it's a joke haven't questioned what's said that paragraph. They're appalled by the use of the Wall, but apparently find nothing out of the ordinary about the innuendo mentioned. That's a little bit spooky.

It's surprising how many Haaretz readers didn't recognise the Anglo-Jewish tradition of printing one Purim joke each year. Here in London the annual Jewish Chronicle Purim joke ocassionally gets picked up and printed as serious news in the mainstream papers. One year they announced that the Queen Vic pub, centre of soap opera East Enders, was bought by a Jew who planned to close it on Shabbos, causing public outcry ! It was so well written that it caused quite a bit of confusion!

In his attempt at Purim humor, Avi Nataff employes the age-old antisemitic canard that Jews worship money, Or as he puts it it, "The religious and spiritual center of the Jewish people should reflect Jewish heritage - and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit." I do not find this funny. I find this offensive. Avi has unwittingly internalized antisemutic themes which he then uses to dehumanize other Jews he disagrees with,

As someone who has done his share of Purim schpeils, I give Haaretz credit: This one was outstanding. I especially liked the Coke test run. BTW, if nobody is deeply offended because they don't get it, it ain't a good schpeil. And if they still are deeply offended after they realized they've been had, it's even better!

ahh, not sure if there is an MK Mordechai Hidud or a Joe king (joking) but that is hilarious. good stuff.

but Ha'aretz (english version) is read by many non-Jews who know nothing about Purim and this article could cast Israel in a very poor light. Probably better to restrict it to the Hebrew language with a much narrower readership.

can you please give me a concrete example?

To those who compared this to advertising on the Statue of Liberty, it's not far away. In San Francisco, they recently only barely rejected "sponsorship" of the Golden Gate Bridge.

SOMEONE MUST STOP THIS

Stephen Colbert couldn't have done any better than the Haaretz staff with this. When I read this aloud to my wife and she heard that G. Yafit was going to have her image portrayed 24 hours a day, only then did she realize it was a joke.

Really, really crass. please dont do it.

Please say thi is a joke that is just disgusting please Israeli politicans do not allow the commercialization of the most holy site in Judaism This is repulsive BIBI people expect better from you

King you are an idiot!

Joe King = Joking. Haaretz is great. Happy Purim everyone out there.

To jointly purchase the top three tiers of stones for a green banner-like display across their length with the words "FREE PALESTINE" streaming across it in bold red letters, followed by ("Chag Purim Sameach!") in slightly smaller, italicized letters.

At least I hope it was a goof!

"After thousands of years of just being there, the Western Wall will finally be able to fulfill its commercial potential," King said. "The religious and spiritual center of the Jewish people should reflect Jewish heritage - and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit." Avi, you have me afloat in tears of laughter! But after reading some of the talkbacks, now I'm starting to wonder how many of those who failed to recognize this story as a joke, actually read that paragraph without finding it out of the ordinary? That thought is actually a little spooky. Happy Purim, Avi Nalaf.

This is the First of March. Not the First of April!

Very, very clever. But think of the possibilities: Habad can promote Schneersohn as the messiah, women would be forbidden to read the message, and there can be a continually running pop-up of all the annulled conversions. Priceless

Who is this moron, a follower of Ahmadinejad and other anti-Semites?

Absolutely ridiculous idea. It's one of the holiest sites in the world. You wouldn't see adverts for coke on mecca or the taj mahal. Have some decency and scrap this stupid idea. It's making a joke out of the western wall.

even non-jews would be up in arms, and probably out for blood, if this story was real. it's a good thing its ending makes clear that it IS purim. but ummmm, even WITH that, avi...did you give any consideration to the fallout from the orson welles charade? lol...people tend to react impulsively well before reaching the bottom line...and rumor is more prolific and flies much faster than fact. you might want to be ready to skip town and lay low for awhile...just in case. happy purim!

Some years back the JC ran a front page Purim article showing the Kotel at the seaside, so that American tourists could save time and enjoy Netanya and the Kotel without wasting so much time travelling. This year the UK Jewish News has a front page headline for Purim saying the Liberal Rabbis are proposing to legalise same sex weddings in synagogues, which presently must be purely civil unions in registry offices. We hope this is a Purim joke, but sadly it may not be!

Once again proof we don't have spiritual values at the core of our political life. Mafia, money-mad, Mickey Mouse... Revolting.

This was such an absurd report, that you easily saw it was a joke. It is very, very funny. Making fun of your own heritage only proves that you have enough national self confidence. Only those who subconsiently doubt their own heritage cannot laugh about this.

This is blasphemous and disgusting. Next they will sell advertising on the paper skullcaps people take as souvenirs. Maybe the muslims will buy advertising promoting islam ---- or maybe Christians will beam messages of the Christian scripture.

what a sick joke nonetheless.

I ❤ HAARETZ

are you out of your ever loving mind? there can be no such happening allowed. this is a discrase.. stop it now...

Can I use it for Aprils Fools Day in the Jewish Chronicle?

I was crying by the second paragraph. Not being Jewish nor realizing the Purim joke, I'm saddened such things could be this believable.

"The religious and spiritual center of the Jewish people should reflect Jewish heritage - and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit." It's a joke, but ... it sounds like it's using an antisemitic stereotype - making money is the Jewish religion. Crass.

I have to admit haaretz had me going there, untill I remembered its Purim! happy Purim! Very funny

stand it. All others might get their scariest nightmares see come true.

"After thousands of years of just being there, the Western Wall will finally be able to fulfill its commercial potential. The religious and spiritual center of the Jewish people should reflect Jewish heritage - and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit." - Joe King "Should reflect Jewish heritage and thus be dedicated to bringing in a healthy profit"? The man is disgusting.

Oh yea! Madison Ave is actually at this moment looking into the start-ups to do it in the Old Grand Lady! Can you imagine - Gillette deoderant with an ad in her armpit! Or Colgate toothpaste in her green teeth?

There is no blasphemy here. God loves humour!

Hey, you are so naive. Where is your sense of humour? This is only a Purim joke by Haaretz.

This is a Purim joke that had me going until the part about the promoter claiming that using the Wall for profit would be a good way to celebrate our Jewish heritage. Happy Purim everyone!

I almost belived it for a moment until i read the last line. Mazal Tow

Have we no shame. The sight that has symbolized our destruction and yearning to be a free nation now is to be cheapened and derided. Why fight to keep it. We don't deserve it when all it is, is a means to make a fast shekel.Could you imagine a logo on the Statue of Liberty. B.D. Shepen, M.D.

The real issue here is which hechsher will be allowed and which not acceptable ? As the Kotel is the holiest place, we should allow only the holiest hechsherim, e.g. Edah Haredit, KAJ and Kedassia. Once you allow the govt Rabbunut you will start machlokes and lose your haredi clientele. To avoid mochlokes I would also suggest the mechitza be 20 feet and soundproof, so men can't hear women's voices, no matter how hard they try! A frelichen Purim.

I too was shook up at first reading but as it got more humorous I realized it was a Purim spiel. Very funny!!!

... why not?... it could even be psalms to meet every occasion... even dirges, when necessary...

WOE BE IT UNTO YOU ! GOD WILL PUNISH FOR SUCH DESECRATION ! IDOLIZING MONEY ABOVE GOD ... HOLY SITE OF GOD

l wish this paper found another topic, maybe the paper itself, to joke about. This is in bad taste

Wake up, those of you who fell for this. It's a Purim story (in other words, NOT REAL!).

My reaction to this article was one of horror and outrage. I am not Jewish and would not know that this was a Purim prank. This article is blasphemous, in poor taste, and insensitive to those who take seriously the Holy Sites of Israel. I guess I should have realized this was a farce because of "Joe King". Doesn't matter, this subject is not funny.

Sounds like some on this discussion board really need a sense of humour transfusion. I would recommend following the Purim tradition of a few stiff drinks. Although seeing some of the anger & agression here, a shisha pipe might be a better cure :-)) Cheers & hag sameach

For these people, including those that are willing to put this to law, there is only one god- money. Shame !

An ad for Viagra ---- Hard as a brick that will last thousands of years! An ad for tampons = No need to cry anymore!

Short of the Temple Mount the Kotel it the holiest place in the world for jews and it is totally unacceptable to allow it to be used as an advertising billboard. What would the muslims say if a company wanted to do that at Mecca? What would christians say if they wanted to do that at the church of the Sepilca? I cannot believe a right wing government could ever agree to something like that.

today i am sad to be a jew. the Kotel is our most holy place in the world. use a different wall for advertising.

I wonder if by touching sacred stones a movie personage automatically becomes sacred, too. Imaging kumpetition between movie stars to be purified in such a light hearted manner. ... on the other hand, this makes sense. We could translate on the wall those who passed away... that would probably be cheap enough for the owners ( since you can translate pictures at a very high speed ) and yet charge as if for a full kadish...

The responses are even funnier

The Wailing Wall shall cry and wail with real tears!

The holy Temple commercialization was exactly the reason of Jesus prophecy: "Not a stone upon a stone will be left"! I am appaled to discover this was not a joke...

So are you happy or upset that we let the idea of "April Fools'" creep into our heritage?

someone has lost all sense of proportion!

sacrilege!

its a purim joke

How about a McDonalds as well?

Being drunk and stupid is understandable, but being just plain stupid is just disgusting. The Kotel is a sacred site of prayer. Selling of space for kotex ads show a complete lack of responsibility. What a shame that Israelis would forward such a debased idea.

I was shocked for a second - until I read about the money being used to build a 14-foot partition. As #5 said - Purim Sameach! You got me here, Haaretz! I *really* believed it for a little while!

Don't you know its Purim?

Guys, this is obviously supposed to be satirical. Don't take it seriously! That's why it says "Happy Purim from Haaretz!" at the bottom. Man, you guys can't take a joke.

Are we going insane??? Or is that somekind of purim jokes?...

Happy Purim

The observant go to great lengths to separate men from women, to distinguish regular days from holy days, to separate milk from meat...why on God's earth can we not separate a holy/religious/historical experience from Advertising?! This is crossing a line that is nothing less than blasphemy. Our Knesset is failing us.

please tell me this is a sick joke. how disgusting!!! what will this look like to the world??? oh the horrible pr we will get for this!!! remeber cartoons of hooked-nose jews with money bags? now they are selling their most holy site to advertisers. how can we claim the kotel matters to us, that the temple mount matters to us when we desecrate it so? we smash a glass at weddings and sit for tisha b'av and wear black on our talits to remember! now some money grubber desecrates that which we have mourned for 2000 years? i am not religious at all (super khiloni in fact), but i am jewish and am highly disgusted! i hope adonai send a barak to smask the projectors!

Purim sameach!

I assume this is a joke in observance of Purim.

It's a joke, you nut! It's a Purim spoof ... come on, even socialists are allowed a sense of humor, no?

I can't beleive anybody will allow a holy site to become an billboard! Even if you are not religious it just makes a mockery of the place. I'm sure many tourists will be put off visiting BAD IDEA BAD TASTE

Happy Purim? Written by Avi Nalaf (Having a laugh?)

Very god Haaretz.A delight ful Purim spoof that quickly got someone to bite. A happy Purim to all of you.

i enjoy a good joke, but i would've preferred that you'd made this joke about the dome of the rock, perhaps, rather than the kotel. The Kotel is too personal an issue for me, and i didn't really appreciate it being mocked. As i read your article i had to keep telling myself it is a joke, but i still wasn't laughing. Try again Ha'aretz...

I'm not religious, but this amounts to desecration of a holy site. This proves that to the Capitalist nothing is holy only the compulsion to make a buck.