Man nabbed for smashing tiles in King David's Tomb
Suspect says another man at the scene told him his prayers would only be answered if he prayed to stones, under ceramic tiles.
By MELANIE LIDMAN Rabbi of Western Wall, Rabbi Rabinowitz, observe vandalism (photo credit: Courtesy of Western Wall Heritage Fund)Police arrested a 30-year-old haredi man in Jerusalem late on Wednesday night after police on patrol caught the man smashing ceramic tiles in King David's Tomb near the Zion Gate.He was caught after police on patrol heard loud smashing noises coming from the tomb. They burst into the building and found the man holding an ax, hammer, and a screw driver. A second man who was at the scene fled when police arrived. The suspect told police that he came to King David's Tomb to pray for a "shiduch" or a marriage match.He said that the second man told him his prayers would only be answered if he prayed directly to the stones and not to the ceramic tiles, since the ceramic covers the stone. The man was remanded on Thursday in the Jerusalem magistrate court. Police are still searching for the second man.
