100,000 Gather for Penitential Prayers at Western Wall

Approximately 100,000 people participated in central penitential prayers held at the Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem overnight. The event, part of the Ten Days of Repentance leading up to Yom Kippur, saw vast crowds fill the plaza and surrounding areas in the Old City.

According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, the massive gathering included prayers and piyutim (liturgical poems) recited by tens of thousands of attendees. This period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur traditionally draws large numbers of worshippers to the Western Wall for Selichot prayers, considered a highlight of the High Holy Days.

The event has grown in recent years to become one of the largest prayer gatherings in Israel during the High Holy Days. The foundation reported that the number of participants increases as Yom Kippur approaches. The overnight attendance of around 100,000 marks one of the largest Selichot events of the year, with visuals showing the plaza packed with worshippers.

Participants from across Israel traveled to Jerusalem for the observance, which has become a significant annual event attracting tens of thousands of people each time Selichot prayers are held during this period.