Rabbi Meir Yehuda Gatz's Personal Archive Unveiled at National Library

On the 31st anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Meir Yehuda Gatz, the former Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, his personal archive has been made public for the first time. The archive, comprising 12 diaries detailing daily life at the Western Wall and in Jerusalem, his personal "Middot" (character traits) notebook, a will, letters, photographs, and recordings, was digitized and is now accessible to the public at the National Library of Israel.

The archive was transferred to the National Library two years ago by Rabbi Gatz's family. His diaries, written in his own hand, document events from 1968, when he was appointed Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, until shortly before his death in 1995. These journals offer a daily perspective on occurrences at the Western Wall and in Jerusalem from the viewpoint of someone who lived and worked there for decades.

Rabbi Gatz immigrated to Israel in 1949 and served in various religious and community roles before his son was killed in the 1967 Six-Day War battle for Jerusalem. Following his son's death, the family moved to Jerusalem, and a year later, Rabbi Gatz was appointed Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites. He also played a role in reviving and leading the Beit El yeshiva for Kabbalists.

At the unveiling event, Rabbi Gatz's grandson, Shar-Shalom Jarbi, shared personal anecdotes, including being the first boy circumcised at the Western Wall after the Six-Day War under his grandfather's tenure. He emphasized that the archive transforms family memories into a national treasure for the Jewish people.

Rabbi Gatz's daughter, attorney Lily Gatz-Horowitz, spoke about the difficult decision to entrust the archive to the National Library, stating that while she initially found it hard to part with her father's legacy, she now understands it allows more people to connect with his life and teachings, ensuring his memory becomes part of the collective national memory and a source for the future.