Tens of Thousands Pray at Western Wall for High Holidays

Tens of thousands of worshippers gathered at the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem overnight for Selichot prayers, a penitential liturgy recited in the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The service, which included rabbis and cantors, was broadcast live by ynet.

According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, over half a million worshippers have participated in Selichot services at the Western Wall since the beginning of Elul, the Hebrew month preceding Rosh Hashanah. During a service on Thursday night, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, led prayers for the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces, and for the unity and security of Israel.

Israeli Police maintained a heavy security presence, deploying visible and undercover officers to ensure public order, safety, and traffic management in the Old City and surrounding areas. Police urged the public to remain alert, patient, and to follow officers' instructions.

Selichot services are also being held in synagogues across Israel. This year, for the first time, Ashkenazi Jews, who typically begin Selichot on the Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, are joining the Sephardic tradition of starting immediately after Rosh Chodesh Elul. The Selichot prayers, recited throughout Elul and between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, include pleas for mercy, piyyutim (liturgical poems), and the "13 Attributes of Mercy."

Traditionally, Selichot is recited after midnight or in the early morning hours, considered auspicious times for prayer. The final night of Selichot typically features a large gathering at the Western Wall attended by the Chief Rabbis of Israel. The liturgy varies among communities, with some piyyutim dating back to medieval figures like Solomon ibn Gabirol and Rashi, and regional variations existing in places like Italy, Libya, Georgia, Poland, Lithuania, Yemen, and Prague.