Tens of thousands gather at Western Wall for prayers ahead of high holidays
Special prayers were offered for the safety and protection of IDF soldiers and other security personnel, as well as for Israel’s security and national unity
Around 50,000 people gathered at Jerusalem’s Western Wall on Thursday evening for a major Selichot prayer service, as worshippers prepare for the Jewish High Holidays.
Among those attending were former hostages Agam Berger and Bar Kuperstein, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and IDF soldiers who were wounded physically or psychologically during combat.
Since the beginning of the Hebrew month of Elul, more than 150,000 people have participated in Selichot services at the Western Wall plaza, according to organizers.
Selichot are traditional Jewish prayers of repentance and forgiveness recited during the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Jewish New Year and Day of Atonement.
The prayers focus on repentance, asking God for forgiveness, and seeking protection and mercy. They are traditionally recited during the early morning hours or late at night, with large communal gatherings taking place at the Western Wall during the weeks preceding the High Holidays.
At Thursday’s gathering, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz led prayers alongside tens of thousands of worshippers. Special prayers were offered for the safety and protection of IDF soldiers and other security personnel, as well as for Israel’s security and national unity.
The Selichot gatherings have drawn particularly large crowds this year, amid the ongoing war and heightened focus on prayers for the safety of Israeli soldiers, civilians and hostages.
Another major Selichot gathering is scheduled for the night between Saturday and Sunday at 12:15 a.m. Organizers expect tens of thousands of worshippers to attend.