Jerusalem Prepares for Sukkot Holiday Crowds with Road Closures and Transit Boost

Jerusalem is bracing for an exceptionally busy period during the intermediate days of the Sukkot holiday, with hundreds of thousands of worshippers and visitors expected in the capital, the Old City, and holy sites. In anticipation of the large crowds, particularly for the Priestly Blessing ceremonies at the Western Wall, the police have finalized their operational preparations and implemented traffic arrangements in the area. The Priestly Blessing will take place at the Western Wall Plaza on Monday, September 28, and Thursday, October 1. Hundreds of police officers, Border Police, and volunteers will be deployed throughout the city during the holiday, focusing on main routes, holy sites, tourist areas, parks, and the vicinity of the Old City. All entrances to the Western Wall area were blocked starting Sunday, and parking lots are full. The public is advised to use more distant parking lots, such as Mount Herzl, Nachal Tzufim, and Givat HaTachmoshet, and to continue to their destinations via the light rail or increased bus services. From Sunday to Friday, all routes leading to the Western Wall and the Old City, including Sultan Suleiman, Rockefeller Junction, Gethsemane Junction, Ophel Road, and Ma'ale HaShalom, will be closed to traffic. Entry will be permitted only for public transportation and local residents. Additionally, streets like Isaac Kariv and Hativat Yerushalayim may be intermittently closed depending on traffic congestion. Public transportation to the Western Wall will operate 24 hours a day during the intermediate days of Sukkot. Private vehicles will be prohibited from entering the closed areas and the Old City surroundings, though residents of the Jewish Quarter can access their homes via Jaffa Gate or Zion Gate, subject to traffic arrangements. Police recommend avoiding private vehicles as much as possible, staying updated via Waze, and following officers' instructions.