VIDEO: ‘Many more prayers’ placed in Western Wall during pandemic year
Workers removed prayers and notes this week from the cracks between the ancient stones ahead of Passover
Many more notes than usual were placed between the ancient stones of the Western Wall in the year of the coronavirus, according to officials who look after the sacred monument.
Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, said Jews and non-Jews alike had brought their prayers and requests since the outbreak of the pandemic.
He was speaking this week as workers took part in the twice-yearly cleanout of notes placed in the cracks of the wall by visitors.
The notes are removed twice a year with wooden tools.
They are then taken to the nearby Mount of Olives, where they are buried.
“We can say that this year there was an increase of notes sent by the Western Wall website, over 70,000 notes that were sent from countries all over the world,” Yohanna Bisraor, from the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, told AP.
“We expect, hopefully, that next year people could come and put the notes here by themselves at the Western Wall.”
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
