There are a number of fine people who give out free refreshments at the kotel during certain hours of the day, generally the early morning hours.

You can go to the Kotel from about 1 AM until about 7 AM and go to the side room, next to the entrance to the Kotel Tunnels, and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and some biscuits, on the house as they say.

That might be over. The proprietor of the 1 AM to 4 AM shift at the Kotel was recently told he could no longer give out food there. The rav of the Kotel, on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, invoked the law that says food cannot be distributed at the Kotel without coordinating first with the rav of the Kotel.

Suing The Kotel
Mr. Yaakovson decided to sue the State to allow him to continue distributing the food as he has been for the past 10 years. Yaakovson claims that he had been given permission after being initially told he couldn't continue, and then he was recently told to stop. As well, Yaakovson said he is not breaking the rule, as he distributes in a side room, not at the Kotel itself. Furthermore, he feels he is being discriminated against, as the fellow who gives out food from 4 AM to 7 AM were not told to stop.

The Rav of the Kotel, Rav Shmuel Rabinovitch, responded on behalf of the State. Rav Rabinovitch said he is enforcing the rule that disallows the distribution, free or not is irrelevant, at the holy sites. Veing that it is at his discretion, he allowed it until it got to the point that it was creating a mess and was harming the holiness of the site. Furthermore, along with the filth it creates in the area of the Kotel, it attracts many "shnorrers" to come for the free food, and a general disturbance, along with unauthorized entry into the offices of the Keren L'Moreshet HaKotel HaMaaravi.

Rav Rabinovitch denied any discrimination, and claims that they will be stopping all people from distributing food, and not just Mr. Yaakovson. New guidelines for food distribution at the Kotel are being formulated, rav Rabinovitch said, and upon their completion and authorization, the new guidelines will be applied and enforced equally to everybody. At that point, Mr. Yaakovson will be welcome to review the new guidelines and appeal against them to the court, or distribute food according to the guidelines.

the Supreme Court decided there is nothing to decide. The rules are set by the Ministry of Tourism and the rav of the Kotel. With the new guidelines being formulated, Mr. Yaakovson will be able to act accordingly, and they have a month to complete the new guidelines and present them.

(See the Supreme Court decision. you might need to open in IE)

Amazing that this was a fight not over money, but over the right to distribute FREE food. It costs a lot of money to distribute free food at the kotel, and it costs an awful lot of money to file a case with the Supreme Court. That he spent that money to sue for the right to give out food for free, well that says something.