Ancient Hasmonean Stone Installed at Tel Aviv Kirya After Western Wall Stone Returned

Until about three months ago, a stone from the Western Wall was displayed at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, one of four such stones placed around Israel. Following a request from Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, to return these stored stones to their proper place, the stone was returned to the Western Wall area.

After the stone's return, Brigadier General Ariel Barbi, commander of the Kirya base, contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority to request a replacement stone. Consequently, an ancient stone from the Hasmonean period was brought to the Kirya. This stone was part of the historic defense system of the Temple Mount walls, uncovered during excavations in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter. The stone dates back to the Hellenistic period, specifically the 2nd century BCE, and was part of the city's fortifications after liberation from Seleucid rule.

The installation of this new stone at the Kirya holds symbolic significance for the base and the Israel Defense Forces, representing a historic defense element now placed at the heart of Israel's modern defense operations.

Over the past year, the Chief Rabbis of Israel and the Rabbi of the Western Wall have called for the return of ancient Western Wall stones to a designated sacred storage at the site. The Chief Rabbinate Council convened and decided that the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation would return all such stones, which had been placed at the President's Residence, the Israel Museum, and Antiquities Authority warehouses. Measures were also decided to preserve the stones' sanctity, including fencing the storage area near the Western Wall and instructing the public to avoid using the stones.