One hundred thousand visited the Kosel over Tisha B’Av. Towards the end of the fast, thousands at the Kosel Plaza participated in a special tefila, singing, and a call for achdus among the Jewish people.
Starting last night, the eve of Tisha B’Av, with the recitation of Lamentations and continuing into the early hours of the night after Tisha B’Av, tens of thousands of worshippers visited the Kosel to mourn the destruction of Yerushalayim, near the site of the Beis Hamikdash.
Towards the end of the fast, thousands from Eretz Yisroel and the diaspora gathered at the Western Wall Plaza for a spiritually uplifting event filled with holiness, in tefila and a call for unity among the people of Eretz Yisroel, attended by rabbis, public figures, families of hostages, and wounded IDF soldiers.
The event was opened by the rabbi of the Western Wall and the holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who recited chapters from Tehillim, Shema, and kabolas ol malchus Shamayim in light of the difficult situation facing the people of Eretz Yisroel. Following this, a tefila for peace in Eretz Yisroel was led by the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Mr. Mordechai (Suli) Eliav.
At the conclusion of the event, thousands sang “Ani Ma’amin” and “Achenu Kol Beis Yisrael,” praying together for the swift return of the hostages, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces.
Later tonight, the night after Tisha B’Av, thousands, including Chassidic Rebbes, rabbonim, and bochurim, are expected to arrive at the Kosel for the “Kiddush Levanah” ceremony and songs of yearning and longing.
Photo credit: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation
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