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| Guide dog illustration |
(Scroll down for video) The administrators of the Western Wall site announced that dogs will now be allowed to enter the Western Wall Plaza.
The blind and visually impaired, who use guide dogs, are relieved after a new directive was issued that paves the way for them to visit the Western Wall with their animals in tow.
For years, all animals were prohibited from entering the Western Wall Plaza. It all changed after Rabbi Benjamin Lau of the Israel Democracy Institute, heard about a tour of 60 blind Jews, who traveled to the Western Wall and were turned away by the Western Wall rabbi, Shmuel Rabinovitch. Rabinovitch claimed that Jewish law prohibits dogs from the Western Wall Plaza.
Lau and Rabinovitch met and discussed the Jewish laws around the issue. Rabinovitch finally was persuaded to change his ruling.
A new decision has now been issued and visually impaired faithful are free to walk to the wall and touch the sacred stones along with their dogs.