A yeshiva student apologized for prying Barack Obama’s prayer note from the Western Wall last week.

Identified only by the first initial of his name, and with his face obscured, the student went on Israel’s Channel 2 television July 27 to confess that he took the presidential contender’s note and passed it to the press. The tabloid Ma’ariv reprinted the note.

The resulting coverage of Obama’s private, handwritten musings on hope drew international criticism, including from leading rabbis who said Jewish morality had been compromised.

Obama has not commented on the episode. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation reinserted the note deeply between the ancient slabs of stone. — jta