Thousands Gather at Western Wall for Central Selichot Prayer with Hostages' Returnees
On Saturday night, thousands participated in the central Selichot prayer event at the Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem. The ceremony was led by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites, alongside Mordechai (Soli) Eliav, CEO of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Among the attendees were Israeli hostages recently released, including Noa Argamani, Itay Regev, Omer Shem Tov, Bar Kuperstein, Eliya Cohen, and Ziv Cohen.
During the event, Rabbi Rabinovitch, together with the former hostages and the large crowd, recited a special thanksgiving prayer for the safe return of the captives. The prayers also included requests for the wellbeing of IDF soldiers and security forces, national unity, and peace and security for Israel.
The next central Selichot gathering at the Western Wall is scheduled for the upcoming Thursday at 12:15 a.m., expecting to draw thousands of worshippers once again.
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.