ISRAELI president Moshe Katzav fulfilled a lifelong ambition by visiting the Chatam Sofer Mausoleum in Bratislava on July 15.
He said that he had attempted to visit the shrine before but the former Czechoslovak communist regime had prevented him, and had later been unable on two other occasions.
"On one occasion, they could not find the keys, then a road was thickly covered with snow. At last, I have the chance to see what I was looking forward to seeing for so long," said Katzav.
Katzav was awarded a Chatam Sofer medal in the Bratislava Jewish Culture Museum and also met representatives of the Jewish community in Bratislava's synagogue.