Tens of Thousands Attend Slichot Prayers at Western Wall and Hostages Square

Approximately 100,000 people participated in the main Slichot (penitential prayers) event at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Thursday night. The event was also broadcast live to thousands at "Hostages Square" in Tel Aviv.

Among those present at the Tel Aviv gathering were former hostages and families of fallen soldiers. Rabbi of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinowitz, addressed the former hostages, including Bar Cooperstein, Matan Angrest, Rom Barslavsky, Moran Stella Yanai, Agam Berger, Omer Vankert, Nimrod Cohen, and Elia Cohen, as well as the families of hostages Yonatan Samarno, Guy Iluz, Tamir Adar, Omer Neutra, and Elia Toledano, who were abducted and murdered in captivity in Gaza. "For such a long time, all our hearts were captive, until the last hostage returned," Rabinowitz stated.

Due to the large crowd at the Western Wall, the ceremony was also projected onto large screens on the Old City walls and at the Jaffa Gate for thousands of worshippers who could not enter the plaza.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation announced that preparations are complete for the final main Slichot event, scheduled for Saturday night, which is expected to draw a large crowd to the Western Wall.