Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I’m Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In the city of Jerusalem, Israel, there is a holy place called the Kotel. In English this place is known as the Western Wall. For two thousand [2000] years, Jewish people have prayed at this wall. If you were to go there today, you would see many faithful people praying to God. You would also see many rolled or crushed pieces of paper in the wall. Each day, thousands of people visit the wall. Many visitors write notes and place them between the large stone blocks of the wall. Often, the wall is over-flowing with these pieces of paper.
Voice 2
These notes are “letters to God” – written prayers. These letters come from people all over the world. People write these “letters to God” for many reasons. Some people ask for things. Some write letters of thanks. And some even write letters of sadness and anger. Today’s Spotlight is on letters to God.
Voice 1
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz has a job that many Jews would love to have. His job is to care for the Western Wall. That means he is responsible for all the letters placed in the wall. Two times a year, Rabbi Rabinowitz and his workers remove old letters from the wall. They do not read the letters or count them. And because of Jewish law, they are not able to destroy or throw them away. Instead, they bury the old letters in a near by mountain called the Mount of Olives.
Voice 2
After Rabbi Rabinowitz removes old letters from the wall, he places new letters in. In fact, Rabbi Rabinowitz has set up a website on the internet for the Western Wall. On this website, you can write a “Letter to God.” This letter goes to Rabbi Rabinowitz’s office by email. Workers print out letters every two to three days and place them in the wall. And for those who do not use the internet, letters can also be sent by fax or over the telephone. Rabbi Rabinowitz wants to be sure that anyone who wants to place a “Letter to God” in the wall is able.
Voice 1
Many of the “Letters to God” left in the Western Wall are not from Jewish people. People from many faiths and many different countries send or bring their letters to the wall. Rabbi Rabinowitz talked about his work with the Spiegel news group. They asked him if it troubled him that many of the letters were from non-Jews. He answered, no, and said,
Voice 3
“Already in the Jewish scripture Isaiah it states: ‘My House will be a house of prayer for all peoples.’”
Voice 2
Rabbi Rabinowitz is not the only person in Jerusalem that receives “Letters to God.” Each year, the Israeli Postal Company receives two to three thousand [2000–3000] “Letters to God.” Avi Yaniv works for the company in Jerusalem. For over ten years, he has been in charge of the letters they receive for God. These letters come from all over the world – Kenya, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Moldova, Germany, the United States and more. Avi collects these letters. However, unlike Rabbi Rabinowitz, Avi sometimes reads the letters. He says that most of the letters contain similar issues. In fact, he told the news agency PRI,
Voice 4
“I think there is nothing new. Forgiveness, peace in the family... it is the same ideas that come in all the letters.”
Voice 1
Even though Avi reads some of the letters, he knows that the letters are not for him. He explains where he sends the letters after they arrive at his post office,
Voice 4
“God has no address. Do you know the address of God? No. When somebody writes to God, we think that the writer wanted this letter to arrive in Jerusalem. We think Jerusalem is the most holy city in the world. And what is the most holy place in Jerusalem? The Western Wall.”
Voice 2
There are many holy places in Jerusalem. However, Avi thinks the Western wall is the most holy. So, two times a year, Avi brings the “Letters to God” to Rabbi Rabinowitz at the Western Wall. The Rabbi places these letters between the large stone blocks of the wall, with all the other prayers. As Rabbi Rabinowitz places these letters in the wall, he kisses the stones and says,
Voice 3
“Almighty, hear their prayers”
Voice 1
When Avi was asked if he ever wrote “letters to God”, he said,
Voice 4
“Every ceremony that we take the notes to the Western Wall, I also write a note. Mostly I write about gain for me and my family. You know health and good life.”
Voice 2
Surprisingly, Rabbi Rabinowitz has never put his own “Letter to God” in the wall. He believes that it is not necessary to write messages to God. Instead, he says
Voice 3
“Through prayer, we are always talking with God.”
Voice 1
So, have you ever written a “Letter to God”? Do you think there is any purpose in doing so? Rabbi Rabinowitz does not place his own written letters in the Western Wall, but he believes that there can be much good in writing to God. He says,
Voice 3
“The notes are a way to pray if you do not know how. After all, if you want to receive, you have to ask.”
Voice 2
Many people find that writing down their thoughts and prayers to God can be helpful. For some people, writing to God helps them let go of hurts and fears. For others, it helps them to think more deeply about their thoughts, questions, or even about the many good things in their lives.
Voice 1
Earlier in this program, we talked about the website that Rabbi Rabinowitz started. On that website, people can write letters to God that will be placed in the Western Wall. However, there are also many other websites that help and encourage people to write “Letters to God”. One website, in fact, is called lettertogod.net. On this website, anyone can write or even read other people’s “Letters to God”. One woman wrote openly to God on the website about her hurt.
Voice 5
“Dear God. I feel broken. It is not a great feeling. Over time, I will heal. Please give me the strength to keep moving forward. I do not want to stop believing...I release all my fears and questions to you Lord. Amen.”
Voice 2
Every person’s prayers to God are different. Many people pray and ask for things from God. However, this is not the only purpose of prayer. For many, prayer is about having a relationship with God. People share their hopes and hurts with God. And they know that he hears and is with them.
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