Creating a Replica of Jerusalem's Wailing Wall

In a heartwarming display of community and creativity, residents from the independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing factions at spent two weeks working together to create a replica of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

Kobernick-Anchin, which is sponsored by the Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Housing Council, is a senior living community with a predominantly Jewish demographic. With the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, rapidly approaching, staff and residents at Kobernick-Anchin constructed the replica of the sacred wall to add a level of depth to the holiday and enhance the experience of those taking part.

Kobernick-Anchin’s resident rabbi, Barbara Aiello, came up with the idea for the replica wall as part of the Rabbi Mitzvah’s Club. Residents in this club are involved in projects that make the world a better place, he said. Their endeavors are characterized by the Hebrew term “tikkum olam,” which translates to “repair the world.”

Aiello sees the project as a way for residents to feel close to the Jewish traditions that originated in Israel.

Historically, the Wailing Wall – also known as the Western Wall and by its Hebrew name, the Kotel – is considered one of the most holy locations in the world.

The wall, which is located on the western side of Temple Mount, is the remnant of the ancient wall that surrounded the original Jewish Temple’s courtyard. It dates back to 19 BCE, and has been a primary site for prayer and pilgrimage for several centuries.

In the Jewish faith, the Wailing Wall is seen as an intermediary between God and humanity because it is the location at which the gates to Heaven are open to every prayer.

“The Western Wall is considered the place to go when you wish to speak to God,” said Ken Stock, president of Kobernick-Anchin’s Jewish Housing Council.

For this reason, it is common practice for Jewish individuals to write out prayers and place them in the crevices between the stones in the wall.

According to Aiello, the earliest recorded instance of prayers being placed in the Wailing Wall dates back to 1743. In modern times, more than one million prayers are placed in the wall each year.

Following Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement on Oct. 8, the prayers placed in the replica wall at Kobernick-Anchin will be sent to Jerusalem, where they will join countless other prayers in the crevices of the sacred wall.

“This is so important to our residents,” Stock said.

“Many have been to the wall, and for them, it’s a wonderful way to remember the experience. There are others who have wanted to go but haven’t had the opportunity for one reason or another – be it due to age or for financial reasons. This is an opportunity for them to connect without going to Israel,” Stock said.

The replica wall at Kobernick-Anchin is constructed from nearly 100 shoeboxes contributed by staff and residents.

In the initial stage of the project, Activities Director, April Moschini, was aided by members of the Memory Unit (Dementia and Alzheimer’s) and skilled nursing residents who used wide brushes to paint the boxes white.

Next, assisted living residents in Anchin and the residents in the Benderson Rehabilitation Unit used sponges to stipple brown and tan paint onto the white “bricks,” giving them the textural appearance of stone.

Finally, residents in Kobernick’s Independent Living Center added golden touches of glitter glue, which represents the sun shining on the stone.

“I think what’s especially wonderful about this project is that each of the residents had an opportunity to participate and contribute,” said Kobernick-Anchin’s Executive Director, Darlene Arbeit.

Between 3 and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, Kobernick-Anchin residents placed the first prayers into the replica wall just outside the Kobernick-Anchin Pavilion’s chapel. For those with limited dexterity, volunteer aides were available to transcribe the prayers and assist the residents in placing them between the crevices.

One of the first residents to place her prayer in the replica wall was 102-year-old Isabelle Katz. Katz, who previously lived in both the independent and assisted living centers at Kobernick-Anchin, currently resides in the skilled nursing center at Benderson. She was active in the creation of the wall brought a prayer for her grandchildren to place in it on Sunday.

Katz said that she has visited the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem three times in her life.

After residents placed their messages in the wall on Sunday, Rabbi Aiello led the Selichot – a prayer, meditation and music service to prepare for Rosh Hashanah – in the chapel. Selichot, which translates to “forgiveness” in Hebrew, is an opportunity for individuals to reflect upon the past year and make apologies for any wrongdoings.

The replica wall will remain in the Anchin Pavilion through Yom Kippur so that residents and guests may continue to place their prayers in its crevices.

According to Arbeit, the Wailing Wall is considered a holy site for Christians and Muslims as well as those of the Jewish faith.

On behalf of Kobernick-Anchin, Arbeit extended an invitation for members of any faith to bring their prayers to the wall.