Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday morning, accompanied by his country’s ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish.
The visit, which included prayer and a tour of the Jewish holy site, was part of Werthein’s first official trip to Israel since his appointment on Oct. 30.
He was welcomed by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, and Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. They expressed gratitude for Argentina’s strong support for Israel and the Jewish people under President Javier Milei’s leadership.
Werthein, who is Jewish, donned tefillin and prayed for the peace and security of Israel and Argentina, reaffirming the close ties between the nations.
“Coming here is emotional and unique; the feeling is indescribable. I feel protected here and pray for the peace of the Jewish people and the State of Israel and an end to hatred,” Buenos Aires’s top diplomat said.
He also toured the newly inaugurated “Gateway to Heaven” exhibit, an immersive experience that uses advanced technology to showcase Jewish history and the enduring connection to the Western Wall across generations.
Werthein, a 69-year-old businessman and former ambassador to the United States, was sworn in on a Torah at an inauguration ceremony at the Buenos Aires headquarters of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, known as the Cancillería, on Oct. 30.
In another deviation from protocol, Milei, in his short speech at Werthein’s swearing-in ceremony, quoted from the weekly Torah portion, or parsha, using the Hebrew term.
