Orthodox Offended By Department Store Ad Depicting Western Wall

A new advertisement has managed to offend both ultra-Orthodox and National Religious because it makes use of a picture of the Western Wall.

Haredim irked by ad showing Western Wall

Religious community offended by Mashbir Lazarchan advertisement showing cast of Israeli sitcom on backdrop of holy site. Western Wall rabbi: Site shouldn't be used as commercial tool. Company: We had no intention of angering haredim

Ari Galahar • Ynet

A new advertisement of the Mashbir Lazarchan department store has managed to offend the ultra-Orthodox and national religious sector in Israel as it makes use of a picture of the Western Wall.

A huge ad was hung recently on the fence of a compound in Jerusalem where the new Mashbir Lazarchan structure is being built. The ad shows three members of the cast of Israeli sitcom "Ramzor" on the backdrop of the holy site.

Residents belonging to the religious and haredi sectors were angered by the ad, claiming that it showed disrespect to the Jewish people's holiest site.
 
"We don't have many places that are under consensus, and turning them into ads for a commercial company and trying to use them to make a few more shekels is unnecessary. There are sacred values and the Western Wall is one of them. They should be left beyond the limits of commerce and cynicism of the advertising world," said Jerusalem resident Haim Rosen.

Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich said that the Western Wall is a place which connects between all parts of the Jewish people and "should not be used as a commercial tool, neither in favor nor against anything."
 
Sources in the rabbi's office said they expected the company to remove the ad as soon as possible.

New Mashbir Lazarchan's VP Markering Odelia Orbach said in response, "We had no intention of angering the haredi public. On the contrary, this was done out of a desire to connect to the values we all share."

Comments

[friend]

You know they say. "Life imitates art."
However in this case life (almost) imitates an April fools joke:

Israel approves plan to let sponsors beam messages onto Western Wall
Plan would allow companies to project image, logo or slogan of its choice on the ancient stones, but only for a fee.

By Avi Nalaf, Haaretz Correspondent
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-approves-plan-to-let-sponsors-beam-messages-onto-western-wall-1.263829

[friend]

Sorry I mean to say Purim joke not April fools
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-approves-plan-to-let-sponsors-beam-messages-onto-western-wall-1.263829

[Michael Makovi]

The Kotel originally a produce and livestock market.

[state of disgust]

Israel is a free, democratic country. If they don't like the mores and culture there they haredim can pack up and leave. No one will miss them.

[george]

In a free democracy citizens have a right to object to an advertisent; and the ad agency has a right to withdraw the ad or not. Nothing here offends any sense of democracy or free speech. On the other hand, to tell someone to leave the country because they've exercised their right of free speech, while protected speech, certainly has undeomocratic aspects.

[Hometown Postville]

I can understand why this sort of publicity would be interpreted as disrespectful. It cheapens the significance of the site. Out of curiosity, are there any restrictions on photographing the wall for documentary purposes? Or taking personal photos during pilgrimages? I would think that sort of picture-taking would be considered honorable. Any input?