More than 50,000 people attended the central Selichot ceremony at the Western Wall plaza Thursday night, on the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5787 and the last night of the Hebrew month of Elul. Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Western Wall to pray for the nation’s peace.
The ceremony included annulment of vows and curses, with participation from the Rishon LeZion and Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Yosef, along with rabbis, ministers, and public figures. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion led the prayers.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, opened the ceremony by calling to set aside disputes, increase unconditional love and mutual responsibility, and enter the new year in unity. During the prayers, worshippers prayed for the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces, for the recovery of the wounded, and for peace, security, and unity in Israel.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation reported that since the beginning of Elul, nearly one million worshippers have visited the plaza to attend Selichot ceremonies held throughout the month. Due to the crowd, the ceremony was broadcast live on screens on the Old City walls and at Jaffa Gate for thousands of worshippers who couldn’t enter the plaza.
The broadcast was initiated by the Jerusalem mayor in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality, the Jerusalem Development Authority, and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. The next central Selichot ceremony at the Western Wall plaza is scheduled for Monday, September 14, the third of Tishrei, at 12:15 a.m., with thousands of worshippers expected to attend.