Sunday, June 7, marks 59 years since Mordechai Gur, commander of the IDF paratroopers, uttered the historic words "The Temple Mount is in our hands" as Israeli forces secured Jerusalem's Old City during the Six Day War.

That moment in 1967 restored access to the Western Wall for the Jewish people after years of separation. In preparation for the 60th anniversary of the city's reunification next year, the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum will launch its first major exhibition devoted entirely to the Western Wall.

Titled Eyes on the Wall and curated by Dr. Shimon Lev, the show will trace the site's significance across nearly two thousand years by focusing on the individuals who shaped its meaning: worshipers, travelers, visionaries, pilgrims, and modern photographers.

The museum is therefore appealing to the public for help in expanding the visual record by contributing images from family albums and private collections.

Although the Western Wall ranks among the world's most photographed landmarks today, earlier visual documentation remains incomplete. Many revealing pictures of daily life and key events may still rest unseen in attics, basements, and personal archives.

"While the exhibition covers the Western Wall from the era of King Herod to the present, we are particularly eager to receive photographs spanning the invention of photography through 1968," Lev noted.

Every Image Matters

"We invite everyone to search their personal holdings for photographs, postcards, and other visual items that illuminate those pivotal decades. Each picture, whether staged or spontaneous, can deepen our collective appreciation of the Western Wall as both a historic location and a living symbol passed down through generations."

A recent discovery highlights the value of such contributions. Dr. A.O. Freedman arrived in Jerusalem from Montreal in 1920 to serve as a senior physician. He recorded his stay in a detailed photographic album that includes images of medical pioneers, public figures such as Winston Churchill and Herbert Samuel, and quiet scenes of daily life in the city, including several views of the Western Wall.

The album surfaced by chance when his grandson, Prof. David O. Freedman, searched the basement of the family home in Montreal. The photographs, dated from August 1920 and preserved in excellent condition, offer a vivid record of Jerusalem during a period of transition.

The Freedman family has generously donated the album to the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum so that these personal images can become part of the public historical record.

Eilat Lieber, the museum's director and chief curator, expressed appreciation for the gift, noting that it transforms private memory into shared heritage and allows future visitors to witness how Jerusalem appeared and felt through one individual's lens.

Lev hopes additional submissions will surface similar treasures, providing further visual evidence of the Western Wall during eras of significant change. Submissions and inquiries may be sent to external@tod.org.il.