Jerusalem museum seeks historical photos of Western Wall for exhibition

The Tower of David Jerusalem Museum is preparing a major exhibition dedicated to the Western Wall, aiming to trace its history over nearly two millennia. The exhibit, titled "Eyes on the Wall" and curated by Dr. Shimon Lev, will explore the wall's significance through the people who have interacted with it, from ancient worshipers to modern photographers.

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Har Habayit b’yadeinu

To enrich the historical visual record, the museum is launching an appeal to the public for old photographs, postcards, and other visual materials. While the exhibition will cover the wall's history from King Herod to the present, the museum has a particular interest in images taken between the earliest photographic records and 1968. Many intimate and revealing images capturing everyday life at the wall may still be hidden in private collections.

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Although the exhibition will explore the Western Wall from King Herod until the present day, we are especially interested in receiving photographs from the time of the first photographs through to, and including, 1968.

Curator Dr. Shimon Lev emphasized the importance of every submission, stating, "Every image, whether formal or fleeting, has the potential to enrich our shared understanding of the Western Wall as both a physical site and its documentation and a living symbol shaped by generations." The museum hopes these contributions will offer an unprecedented exploration of this enduring symbol in Jewish history, especially as the 60th anniversary of the Western Wall's reunification with the Jewish people approaches next year. The Six Day War in 1967 marked the reunification of Jerusalem's Old City and the Western Wall after generations of separation.

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Every image, whether formal or fleeting, has the potential to enrich our shared understanding of the Western Wall as both a physical site and its documentation and a living symbol shaped by generations.