Nearly 150,000 People Participate in Final Slihot Ceremony Ahead of Yom Kippur at Kotel

150,000 Gather at Western Wall for Final Selichot as Israel Enters Yom Kippur in a Powerful Display of Faith and Unity

  By: Fern Sidman In a breathtaking manifestation of Jewish faith, national solidarity and spiritual yearning, approximately 150,000 worshippers converged upon the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Saturday night for the central and final Selichot gathering before Yom Kippur, transforming the ancient heart of the Jewish capital into an immense sanctuary of prayer as Israel […]

Netanyahu joins 150,000 for season's final Selichot prayer gathering at Western Wall

Former hostages in Gaza Eliya Cohen, Rom Braslavski, Elkana Bohbot and Ohad Ben Ami attended the service.

On Eve of Yom Kippur: Netanyahu prays at Western Wall for IDF soldiers

The Prime Minister participated in the main Selichot service at the Western Wall and prayed for the well-being of IDF soldiers and security forces. Captivity survivors were greeted with cheers from the crowd.

Nearly 150,000 people participate in final slihot ceremony ahead of Yom Kippur at Kotel

Also in attendance were former hostage Eliya Cohen and his wife, Nova survivor Ziv Abud, as well as former hostages Rom Braslavski, Elkana Bohbot, and Ohad Ben Ami.

Netanyahu attends Western Wall Selichot prayer on Yom Kippur eve

Tens of thousands of Jews packed the Western Wall for Selichot prayers on the eve of Yom Kippur, Judaism's holiest day, as Prime Minister Netanyahu made a well-received appearance.

150,000 Pack the Kosel for Final Selichos Before Yom Kippur

An estimated 150,000 people filled the Kosel plaza and the surrounding streets of the Old City on Motzoei Shabbos for the final and largest Selichos gathering before Yom Kippur, bringing an extraordinary month of tefillah at the Kosel to a close as Klal Yisroel prepared for the holiest day of the year. The enormous crowd began arriving during the early evening hours, eventually filling not only the Kosel plaza but nearby balconies, passageways and alleys throughout the Old City. The gathering represented the culmination of weeks of Selichos at the Kosel, which have drawn increasingly large crowds throughout Elul and the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. Earlier in Elul, some 50,000 people attended just one of the major Selichos gatherings. Among those participating in the final Selichos were several survivors of Hamas captivity, including Eliya Cohen, Rom Braslavski, Elkana Bohbot and Ohad Ben Ami. Cohen was accompanied by his partner, Ziv Abud, who survived the Nova festival massacre. Their arrival generated an emotional response from the tens of thousands gathered at the Kosel, many of whom greeted the survivors warmly. Their presence carried particular significance after years in which tefillos for the hostages had become a central part of public gatherings at the Kosel. WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu attended together with his wife, Sara Netanyahu. Also participating were Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav David Yosef; Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Rav Kalman Meir Ber; Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kosel and the holy sites; Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion; government ministers; public officials; and numerous rabbanim and other dignitaries. During the gathering, Netanyahu offered a tefillah for the safety and success of IDF soldiers and members of Israel’s security forces, as well as for the protection of Eretz Yisroel. The Chief Rabbis similarly offered heartfelt tefillos for the welfare of the Jewish people and for greater achdus among Yidden. Addressing the massive crowd, Rav Rabinowitz reflected on the remarkable scenes witnessed at the Kosel throughout the preceding weeks and the diverse cross-section of Jews who had come together for Selichos. “This month has once again proven that the Western Wall is the beating heart of the Jewish people. From every corner of the country and from every part of our nation, people came here in large numbers – members of every community, holding every opinion and worldview, those who wear a kippah and those who do not – and stood together as one, with one heart. Together, we prayed for the success of IDF soldiers, the recovery of the wounded, the comfort of bereaved families, and the peace and unity of the people of Israel. From the holiness and spiritual elevation of the Selichot gatherings, we enter the new year with great hope: a year of healing and comfort, victory and blessing, and above all – a year in which we remember that we are all one people, bound by a shared fate and united in a shared prayer.” The sheer size of the crowd meant that many people were unable to enter the Kosel plaza itself. To allow those gathered farther away to participate, the proceedings were broadcast live on large screens positioned outside the main plaza. Additional screens were installed on the walls near Jaffa Gate and at IDF Square, with the assistance of the Yerushalayim Municipality and the Yerushalayim Development Authority. The broadcasts allowed the overflowing crowds throughout the surrounding area to follow the Selichos and join the tefillos despite being unable to reach the plaza. The massive Motzoei Shabbos gathering capped an extraordinary Elul and Aseres Yemei Teshuvah at the Kosel. According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, nearly two million people from across Eretz Yisroel and from a wide range of backgrounds came to the Kosel during the Selichos period. The crowds included former hostages, bereaved families, wounded IDF soldiers and disabled veterans, active-duty soldiers, members of the security forces and countless other Jews who came to daven during the Yemei Harachamim V’Haselichos. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said: “We conclude the month of mercy and Selichot with great satisfaction and emotion. During this period, nearly two million worshippers from across the country and from all segments of Israeli society visited the Western Wall plaza. Among them were captivity survivors, bereaved families, wounded and disabled IDF veterans, IDF soldiers, and members of the security forces, alongside countless members of the people of Israel, who came together in shared prayer for the sake of the people of Israel.” The foundation has meanwhile completed its preparations for Yom Kippur itself, when thousands more are expected to make their way to the Kosel over the course of the fast. Particularly large crowds are expected toward the end of Yom Kippur for Neilah, when the plaza traditionally fills with mispallelim for the final tefillah of the day. {Matzav.com}