Model Marisa Papen’s nude pose over Jerusalem’s sacred Western Wall sparks outrage from its rabbi
‘An embarrassing, serious and saddening incident, which undermines the sanctity of the place and the feelings of those who visit it’
A Belgian model has outraged the rabbi of Jerusalem’s Western Wall with a picture of her posing naked on a rooftop overlooking the Jewish shrine.
The picture, published in Belgian newspaper HLN, shows 26-year-old Marisa Papen leaning back nude on a lounger, face raised to the sun.
Behind and below her worshippers can be seen at the ancient wall in the Old City, the most sacred site where Jews can pray.
The photo shoot was condemned in a statement by rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, as an “embarrassing, serious and saddening incident, which undermines the sanctity of the place and the feelings of those who visit it”.
Last year Papen was detained for 24 hours in Egypt after posing naked in front of the Karnak Temple, according to her website, which is a travelogue of her nude poses shot around the world.
The Western Wall is adjacent to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, sacred to both Muslims and Jews.