Tens of thousands of worshipers gathered Thursday morning for the traditional Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing) ceremony during the Passover holiday at the Western Wall.
The ceremony was led by Israel’s Chief Rabbis and the Rabbi of the Western Wall and Holy Sites. During the ceremony, prayers were offered for the swift return of the hostages, for the healing of the wounded, and for the well-being of the State of Israel, the IDF soldiers, and the security forces.
This year, at the end of Musaf, a special prayer was held in the presence of thousands of worshipers, for the safe return of the hostages, the “Mi Sheberach” prayer for the success of IDF soldiers and security forces fighting on various fronts, a special prayer for the healing of the wounded from the war, and a prayer for peace and unity among the people of Israel, under the theme of “May He grant you peace,” a prayer of gratitude to the Almighty for the miracle that occurred for the people of Israel in thwarting the barrage of hundreds of missiles from Iran.
The ceremony took place in the presence of Israel’s chief rabbis, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef and Rabbi David Lau, the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, families of hostages Eliya Cohen and Segev Kalphon, Israel’s Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, Jerusalem District Commander Doron Turgeman, Deputy Chief of Police Rabbi Rami Brakhiyahu, Jerusalem District commanders and officers, US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew, Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Michael Malkieli, Minister of Labor Rabbi Yoav Ben Tzur, Minister of Health Uriel Ben Tzur, Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of Development of the Negev and Galilee Yitzhak Vassarlov, Director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, Director-General of the Ministry of Religious Services Rabbi Yehuda Avidan, Director-General of the Chief Rabbinate Rabbi Yehuda Cohen, thousands of kohanim from all over the country, and a large crowd.
The Shacharit prayers were led by Rabbi Mordechai Gafner, son of the founder of the ceremony, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gafner, of blessed memory. And the additional prayers were led by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, noted: “In this holy moment, we remember and pray for our brothers and sisters still captive in Gaza, may God have mercy on them. Our brothers and sisters who cannot live in their homes because of enemy missiles. Our brothers and sisters who support their wounded and buried their dead. And along with this, we thank the Lord for standing with us during last week’s missile attack, which the world has not seen the like of – and by the grace of God, no one was hurt.”
“The Holy One, blessed be He, performed miracles for us as in the days of our exodus from the land of Egypt. Our duty at this time is to say thank you to the Creator of the world. And we ask the Almighty to remove His anger from us.”
