More than 100,000 people visited the Western Wall during Shavuot and the following Sabbath, continuing the longstanding tradition of pilgrimage to the holy site, according to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
The large-scale pilgrimage to the Western Wall Plaza has continued uninterrupted for 59 years since the liberation of Jerusalem and the Western Wall in 1967.
The peak of the holiday came on the morning of Shavuot, when more than 20,000 worshippers gathered for the sunrise prayer service. The plaza was filled with prayer, singing and the recitation of the traditional Akdamut poem marking the giving of the Torah. Following the service, a festive light meal was held in cooperation with Kolel Chabad, during which tens of thousands of individual refreshment packages were distributed to worshippers.
Throughout the night of Shavuot, thousands streamed to the Western Wall Plaza and nearby synagogues for Torah study sessions, the recitation of the Tikkun Leil Shavuot prayers, and Psalms. Hundreds of students also participated in a special holiday learning program organized by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
With assistance from the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, along with donors and charitable groups, refreshment tents were established along the routes leading to the Wall for the benefit of pilgrims. Thousands also visited the nearby Tomb of King David during the holiday, commemorating the traditional anniversary of King David’s passing, which falls on Shavuot.
The crowds continued through Shabbat, with thousands taking part in Friday night and Sabbath prayer services, as well as an additional Kiddush Raba following prayers at the plaza.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said that even after the conclusion of the holiday, large numbers of visitors continued arriving at the site for celebrations featuring singing and dancing in honor of the Torah, led by rebbes, rabbis and heads of yeshivas.