Student apologizes for taking Obama prayer

JERUSALEM, July 28 (UPI) -- An Israeli student has confessed to taking Barack Obama's prayer note from the Western Wall and giving the item to the media.

The yeshiva student, who was identified only as Aleph, appeared on Jerusalem's Channel 2 Sunday with his face obscured to apologize for taking the presumptive Democratic nominee for U.S. president's note from the wall, JTA reported Monday.

The apology came after rabbinical leaders denounced the publishing of the Illinois senator's prayer note as compromising Jewish morality.

"I'm sorry. It was a kind of prank," Aleph said on Channel 2. "I hope he wasn't hurt. We all believe he will take the presidency."

Channel 2's religious affairs correspondent said she gave the note to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation for reinsertion into the wall.