Western Wall Prepares for Sukkot with Dual Priestly Blessing Ceremonies
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has completed extensive preparations for the upcoming Sukkot holiday, anticipating hundreds of thousands of visitors and worshippers. This follows a significant turnout of two million worshippers during the preceding Elul and High Holy Days period. To accommodate the expected crowds, three large, ornate sukkahs have been erected in the Western Wall plaza, offering space for the rituals of the Four Species and the mitzvah of dwelling in a sukkah.
For the first time, a small sukkah has been placed above the cold water dispensers at the entrance to the prayer plaza, allowing those who refrain from drinking water outside a sukkah to do so. The rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, along with other prominent rabbis, have affirmed the kosher status of the sukkahs, including one on the balcony of 'Beit Strauss'.
A key event during the holiday will be the traditional Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohanim), which will be held on two separate occasions to allow more people to participate. The first ceremony is scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026 (17 Tishrei 5787), and the second for Thursday, October 1, 2026 (20 Tishrei 5787). Both ceremonies will include survivors of Hamas captivity and bereaved families.
Morning prayers will commence at 8:45 AM, with the first Priestly Blessing at 9:15 AM. Additional prayers will follow, with a second Priestly Blessing at 10:30 AM. The 'Hakbalat Panai Rebbe l' ceremony with the Chief Rabbis and the Rabbi of the Western Wall will take place after the first blessing on Monday.
Additionally, the traditional "Second Hakafot" (Hakafot Sheniyot) will be held on the evening of Simchat Torah, Saturday night, October 3, 2026 (23 Tishrei 5787), starting at 10:00 PM in the Western Wall plaza, accompanied by an orchestra.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation urges the public to follow the instructions of ushers for safety. Access to the Old City and the Western Wall may be restricted during periods of heavy crowds, and the public is advised to monitor updates and guidelines.
