Over three thousand people of all religious backgrounds gathered at the Tomb of Joseph in Shechem Wednesday night, to celebrate the upcoming start of the month of Adar, which begins next week.
Over the past five years, the Judea and Samaria Council has brought over 100,000 people to pray at Joseph's Tomb.
Security Wednesday was provided by the IDF, and many of the soldiers under the command of Samaria Division Head, Col. Yoav Yarom, participated in the prayers and reading of Psalms that took place at the Tomb throughout Wednesday night. Yarom himself participated in prayers as well. Special prayers were held for the freedom of Jonathan Pollard.
Other senior IDF officials also participated in the prayers, including Major General Yoav Mordechai, director of IDF operations in Judea and Samaria. He promised to do everything in his power to improve conditions for worshippers at the site.
Also joining in the prayers was Rabbi Ezra Scheinberg, head of the Yeshiva of Tzfat. He was accompanied by hundreds of residents of the northern city, along with Deputy Tzfat Mayor Gadi Malka.
Samaria Council Head Gershon Mesika said that after much effort, “visiting the Tomb is nowadays a matter of course, and that is very good. Joining us are rabbis and leaders of the army, all of whom have come to pray at this holy site. The Jewish people have not given up on Joseph, and will never surrender their historic heritage in the Land of Israel,” he said.
Mesika thanked the soldiers and security forces for their efforts.