Thousands rose early to pray the 'Vatikin' service in the wee hours of Wednesday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City.
The service is conducted each year at about 5:00 a.m., traditionally thirty minutes before sunrise, on the holiday of Hoshana Raba -- the seventh and final day of Sukkot, considered to be the final day of Divine Judgment.
From every corner, the sounds of prayer and song rose from dozens of groups gathered in various areas throughout the Western Wall plaza, each in accordance with its own traditions.
