Speaking at a Religious Zionist protest against Women of the Wall held on Monday morning at the Western Wall, Jerusalem City Councilman Aryeh King said he was pleased at the turnout and hoped future efforts would garner even more support.
"Today, thousands of students from yeshivas and girls schools came to the Western Wall in order to participate in a big prayer service honoring the first day of the Hebrew month of Adar," King said. "This is kind of a support for us, those who are active in [efforts] to preserve the holiness of the Western Wall. We are struggling against the Reform, against all kinds of leftists who are trying to do...away with the holiness of Jerusalem, of the Western Wall. And it's time to counter it.
"Thousands of people came and are participating, and I hope this is just the beginning. It's not the end of the activist movement, and hopefully, we will see next time more haredi people who also participate with us in these prayer services.
"I hope the number of people we have now, we'll have every day - both on Shabbat and during the week, and not just on the first day of the Hebrew month."
The Wall has hundreds of regular daily worshipers, including a group of women who come at dawn each day, but to fill the area, thousands are needed, something which happens on holidays and for special occasions.