Tens of Thousands Pray at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis visited the tomb of Rachel the Matriarch in Bethlehem to mark her Hillula (commemoration day), continuing a tradition thousands of years old. The pilgrimage began on Wednesday evening, the 11th of Cheshvan, and continued through Friday night. Despite new regulations requiring attendees to disembark from public transport and walk the final stretch to the tomb, the massive crowds proceeded. Organizers prepared a special route for the religious public, described as a "pleasant path," requiring significant resources and effort. The event saw tens of thousands of people praying and weeping at the site, which is considered a place of prayer conducive to salvation during the long exile.

Access to private vehicles was blocked, with public transportation running continuously from the Teddy parking lot directly to the tomb complex. The new directive meant that all public transport passengers were dropped off before the "yellow gate," necessitating the walk to the holy site. The institutions managing Rachel's Tomb undertook a complex operation to facilitate the pilgrimage under these new conditions.