He was greeted by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, and Mordechai (Sruli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
Eliav presented Friedman with the most recent archaeological findings from the Western Wall tunnels.Friedman had come full circle, as when he began his role as ambassador, landing in Israel in May of 2017, his first act was to pray at the Western Wall.
During his time visiting the holy site, Friedman recited a psalm of gratitude in front of the Western Wall stones, and spoke of the importance of Israel to him, particularly Jerusalem, in addition to his accomplishment while serving as ambassador.
He also said his goodbyes on Twitter, writing in a farewell tweet: "I’m ending my diplomatic mission the way I started: at the Western Wall praying for my family & for the United States, Israel and their unbreakable bond."
I’m ending my diplomatic mission the way I started: at the Western Wall praying for my family & for the United States, Israel and their unbreakable bond. pic.twitter.com/428ONk1y6a
— U.S. Ambassador to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza (@USAmbIsrael) January 20, 2021