British conservative political commentator and journalist Douglas Murray was recently on a speaking tour in Israel. After a Jerusalem event on Tuesday, Murray met with the Minister of Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu, who surprised him by showing him a small gold bell that in Temple times, hung from the ritual garb worn by the Kohen Gadol (High Priest).

“The sound of these bells,” Minister Eliyahu explained, according to Arutz Sheva, “would herald the entry of the High Priest into the Holy of Holies of the Temple. This bell carries within it a thousand-year-old story of holiness and tradition.”

“There are moments when history literally touches you,” Murray said. “You can read thousands of books about the Temple, but when you touch an object that was actually there, you experience a completely different feeling. There is something exciting about being able to touch this history. In an age when everything is digital and momentary, such an object reminds us of the depth and meaning of Jewish tradition.”

“Jewish heritage,” Minister Eliyahu said, “is not only the legacy of the Jewish people, but is part of the heritage of all humanity.” Murray said that “preserving tradition is not only a matter of preserving the past, but also a way to ensure a meaningful future.”