The prayer last night
The prayer last nightLiba Center

Last night, Saturday, a festive evening prayer for Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim) was held at the southern plaza of the Western Wall (Kotel), attended by dozens of worshipers, and with complete gender separation.

Yaakov, who participated in the prayer, said, "The feeling was very uplifting, to play a part, specifically on Jerusalem Day, in the redemption of another part of the Western Wall is very special, and when added to the great joy of today - the atmosphere is very special."

The evening prayer served as a continuation to the prayers that took place during Shabbat (the Sabbath), which saw hundreds of male and female worshipers visiting the plaza, voting with their feet to connect the southern plaza with the central one.

The organizers note that only a little less than a month and a half ago, during the intermediate days of Passover (Chol Hamo’ed Pesach), thousands came to the plaza for afternoon and evening prayers and for Torah classes, in light of rabbinical calls to pray at the plaza.

The State Attorney's Office recently informed the court that its position is that the regulations for the preservation of the holy sites apply to the entire length of the wall from its southern corner. Therefore, the Chief Rabbinate currently holds authority over the southern plaza of the Western Wall, as well.

Worshipers said that prayers are also scheduled at the site for Sunday, from morning prayers to evening prayers, and thousands are expected to visit the plaza, with the partition (mechitza) separating male and female worshipers expected to stand throughout the day.

Betzalel Zini, head of the Joint Staff for the Preservation of the Sanctity of the Kotel, said, "We are happy to see hundreds of worshipers in the dozens of minyanim (prayer quora), who are already arriving to the site spontaneously. The southern plaza of the Western Wall is becoming an acceptable and permanent site for prayer, and the time has come to put a permanent mechitza in it. On this Jerusalem Day, we celebrate the liberation of Jerusalem and strengthen the sanctity of the Kotel along its entire length.”