The blessing of the priests at the Western Wall (Photo: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
Despite its extreme age, the Western Wall takes an active part in the lives of every Jew and Jewess, of every Israeli man and woman.
Personal, marital, family, social, religious, national and worldly experiences - they all have a place in the famous and pulsating square that was an integral part of the significant events of our lives.
Here are ten things that happen regularly at the Kotel;
You knew about most of them, and about the ones you didn't - we recommend you come soon to discover and experience for yourself.
Removal of notes at the Western Wall (Photo: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
1. Forgiveness
"If you're not a part of it, you'll never understand," the fans at the sports fields used to sing, and this statement is also true for worlds louder than those in the stands.
The truth is that even the most cohesive and loud audiences will have difficulty producing a musical and spiritual harmony like the one that emanates from the square on the cool nights of forgiveness in Jerusalem at the end of the month of Elul and in the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Those who have not gathered in the square with the thousands and thousands praying for a new year, will not know what a mass and moving spiritual experience is, with singing that comes from the hearts and is heard far and wide in perfect coordination.
Dreaming of a living and united Israel?
You won't get a better example of that than here.
2. The Temple in 360 degrees
At the entrance to the Wall tunnels complex, chairs and binoculars are scattered in an air-conditioned and rather dark room.
They do not reveal the experience that awaits those who will sit down, dive into the experience and fly through the tunnel of time to the days of the Temple.
The 3D glasses take you on a fascinating tour of virtual reality, as if you were really in the temple, witnessing its work and becoming a part of everyday life.
The Levites who stand on the steps and sing, the torches that decorate the pillars and light them, the priests who are busy with their work and even the ordinary citizens who stand and talk.
This journey will take you from square to square and room to room, and you will be able to look around and be impressed by the atmosphere, as if it were really happening.
When you leave, you will understand what our people have been waiting for and missing for so many years.
3. Petek's journey
Every child knows, and every adult understands, that an integral part of the view at the Western Wall is the notes hidden between the stones.
Tens of millions of people who visited the place over the years - from local citizens and tourists who came from afar to world leaders - took a moment for themselves, and wrote down the most personal requests they wanted to convey to the Creator of the world.
Did you arrive in Jerusalem and forgot to make a note?
do not worry.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation did not forget, and set up a stand with notes and pens for the benefit of visitors, so that you too won't feel like you missed something.
The custom of burying the notes at the Western Wall was already documented about 300 years ago by the Holy Light of Life.
The prayer notes are buried along the entire length of the Western Wall, and can also be found between the courses of stones that were exposed in the tunnels of the Western Wall.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of notes are placed by visitors and worshippers.
In the past year, about 30,000 notes were sent via the website from countries around the world, including the USA, Slovakia, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, England, Russia, Venezuela, Ukraine, India, Mexico, Argentina and Taiwan.
4. Center The Chain of Generations at the Western Wall
The Chain of Generations Center tells the story of the Jewish people, from Abraham our father to the present day, through an exciting and mesmerizing light and sound performance. This is an extraordinary experience, which includes a fascinating journey into Jewish history, all accompanied by songs by Avitar Banai that have been specially arranged. During the journey, various periods throughout Jewish history are presented, connecting us to the glorious heritage and the great hope.
A soldier at the Western Wall (Photo: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
A soldier at the Western Wall (Photo: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
5. The Journey to Jerusalem
Years of research and production were required to prepare "The Journey to Jerusalem" for the general public.
The site, the only one of its kind in the world, is real news for anyone who wants to know their family history over the past 2,000 years - from the time the people of Israel were exiled from Jerusalem during the Holocaust until their return to it upon liberation.
When you are there, you may be surprised to find that each of those sitting next to you on the journey to Jerusalem experiences a completely different route.
In fact, there are dozens of wandering routes in the world, and each of them has different characteristics.
What they have in common - they all left Jerusalem, and they all returned to it after two thousand years of exile.
Come discover your personal history and have a meaningful and unforgettable experience.
6. Every Bar Mitzvah begins at the Kotel
There are quite a few ways to celebrate the special birthday of turning 13, when the boys receive a yoke of mitzvah and celebrate a bar mitzvah.
Everyone chooses the one that suits them best - events in the hall, family trips, educational tours or hospitality sabbaths - but what many of the happy grooms have in common is the visit to the Western Wall.
Some of the mitzvah come early and come to pray in the rahava even before their birthday, on the day they start putting on tefillin, and another part comes precisely on the morning of Monday or Thursday of the week in which the simcha occurs to read the Torah in the most sacred place and closest to the Holy of Holies, at the foot of the Temple Mount.
Either way, the photos and experiences from this event are hard to leave behind, and they become an integral part of a memory that will last a lifetime.
7. I swear!
"I swear! I swear! I swear!".
An integral part of turning young boys into fighting soldiers in the IDF is the solemn swearing-in ceremony during the training. More and more units choose to hold the significant ceremony, in front of their proud and excited parents and relatives, on the Western Wall plaza. Their sons and daughters connect to the past, present and future of our nation, and there is no better More than this place to feel the commitment and express it in the most direct and genuine way.
8. The Wall Tunnels
The Western Wall, as you could already understand, is only part of the shell of a large complex that is about 488 meters long!
But it contains a whole world of unity, friendship and spirituality.
But in order to understand and experience it to its fullest, we strongly recommend you dive into the depths of history and get to know the discoveries that are constantly being revealed around it and the Wall itself throughout its entire length.
Every discovery like this, which is found in the tunnels of the Wall and uncovers more and more of the ancient historical remains of the Temple Mount, will connect you more and more to the power and show you what wonders were there many years ago.
9. Priests' blessing at Sukkot and Pesach
The busiest days on the Temple Mount have always been during the three pilgrimages - Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot - when the multitudes of the House of Israel would make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and observe the holiday mitzvah in the Temple.
Since the city was liberated and returned to Israel, the days of blessing the priests, on Sukkot and Pesach, have become two of the most important days in the place.
Tens of thousands visit the plaza and enjoy being touched by the important tradition of those days.
The blessing, which takes place with great majesty, illustrates the deep connection of the people of Israel to the Western Wall and Jerusalem, and it is difficult to remain indifferent in the face of the public's vote with their feet, when they flock to the remains of our temple.
10. Sabbath reception
This event cannot be photographed in real time, because it takes place on Shabbat, at twilight between the holy and the holy, but those who experienced it - remember it well and know exactly what it is about.
They laugh at the Jerusalemites that for them everything is "within walking distance", and they really mean it.
Residents from all over the city, whether they live hundreds of meters away or choose to cover many kilometers, do not miss the experience of the Shabbat reception prayer at the Western Wall.
Local tourists and those who come from abroad also make their way from the hotels in the capital to make this prayer special in a way that will be remembered and will give them a spiritual side for a long time to come. And so, every Shabbat, many thousands gather who come from different places and sing together in all denominations, in all melodies and in all formulas All Israel is friends - the reality version.
The Wall Heritage Foundation
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The Western Wall