While on vacation in Rome, I noticed a marble column in St. Peter’s with a golden telephone on it. As a young priest passed by, I asked whom the telephone was for. The priest told me it was a direct line to heaven, and if I’d like to call, it would be a thousand dollars. I was amazed, but declined the offer.

Throughout Italy , I kept seeing the same golden telephone on a marble column. At each, I asked about it and the answer was always the same:

It was a direct line to heaven and I could call for a thousand dollars.

I continued my tour and arrived in Israel . I decided to attend temple services at a local synagogue. When I walked in the door I noticed a golden telephone. Underneath it there was a sign stating: “DIRECT LINE TO HEAVEN: 25 cents.”

“Rabbi,” I said, “I have been all over Italy and in all the cathedrals I visited, I’ve seen telephones exactly like this one. But the price was always a thousand dollars. Why is it that this one is only 25 cents?”

The rabbi smiled and said,”You’re in Israel now. It’s a local call.”