TENS OF THOUSANDS AT THE KOSEL: Birchas Kohanim Draws Massive Sukkos Crowd as Defense Minister Joins Kohanim
[Video below.] Tens of thousands of mispallelim packed the Kosel plaza in Yerushalayim on Monday morning for the first mass Birchas Kohanim of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, with hundreds of kohanim raising their hands together to bentch the enormous crowd during Shacharis and Mussaf.
The traditional gathering, now in its 56th year, was originally established by Rav Menachem Mendel Gefner zt”l and has for many years been organized by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation during Chol Hamoed Pesach and Sukkos.
Among those attending were the Rishon Letzion, Rav Dovid Yosef; Chief Rabbi Rav Kalman Ber; Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kosel and Holy Sites; Defense Minister Yisrael Katz; National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir; Minister Yitzchak Wasserlauf; Yerushalayim Mayor Moshe Lion; Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy; Yerushalayim District Police Commander Avshalom Peled; former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman; Western Wall Heritage Foundation director Mordechai “Soli” Eliav; Religious Services Ministry director-general Yehuda Avidan; former hostage Bar Kuperstein; and Motti Wieder, father of Sgt. Maj. Elishiv Eitan Wieder Hy”d.
Rav Rabinowitz led the tefillos as shliach tzibbur. During Birchas Kohanim, Defense Minister Katz, who is a kohen, joined the hundreds of other kohanim in duchening.
Following davening, a kabbolas pnei rabo gathering was held with the Chief Rabbis and Rav Rabinowitz, with thousands of people passing by to receive their brachos for Yom Tov.
Particularly emotional moments took place during the gathering when former hostage Bar Kuperstein joined the tens of thousands in a tefillas hoda’ah, expressing gratitude for the return of the hostages a year ago.
Motti Wieder, whose son Sgt. Maj. Elishiv Eitan Wieder Hy”d fell in battle in southern Lebanon on Erev Sukkos two years ago, recited Kaddish in memory of his son.
A second mass Birchas Kohanim gathering is scheduled to take place at the Kosel on Thursday, giving those unable to attend Monday’s event another opportunity to participate. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said the event will be broadcast beginning at 8:45 a.m.
The foundation urged those planning to visit the Kosel throughout Sukkos to follow instructions from Israel Police and event personnel, who will regulate the flow of visitors into the plaza during the heavily attended Yom Tov period.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said: “The gathering was dedicated with heartfelt prayers for the welfare of IDF soldiers, the recovery of the wounded, and the peace and unity of Israel. The Foundation prepared in advance for the arrival of tens of thousands of visitors and worshippers during Sukkos to commemorate the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and we invite the public to participate in the second gathering, which will take place this coming Thursday.”
Meanwhile, the foundation apologized to hundreds of visitors seeking tickets for tours of the Kosel tunnels during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, saying tickets had already sold out in advance. Only a small number of spaces remain for the new “Gate of Heaven” presentation that recently opened to Kosel visitors.
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
