Crist's wall against hurricanes is in Jerusalem

ORLANDO

Could it be divine intervention that's kept Florida safe from hurricanes since Gov. Charlie Crist took office?

Crist told a group of real estate agents Friday that he's had prayer notes placed in the Western Wall in Jerusalem each year and no major storms have hit Florida.

Crist noted that just before his election in 2006, Florida had been affected by a total of eight hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

"Do you know the last time it was we had a hurricane in Florida? It's been awhile. In 2007, I took my first trade mission. Do you know where I went?" asked Crist, a Methodist.

He then told of going to the Western Wall and inserting a note with a prayer. He said it read, "Dear God, please protect our Florida from storms and other difficulties. Charlie."

Last year, Sen. Nan Rich was traveling to Israel and Crist asked her to put a note in the Western Wall, a holy site in Judaism and a place where written prayers are traditionally placed.

"It was the same note, by the way, the same prayer," Crist said.

This past May a friend was going to Israel and he gave him a prayer to put in the Western Wall. Afterward, he said he's not taking credit for the lack of storms in this hurricane-prone state. "I give that to God," Crist said. "But it's nice."