Thousands of worshipers flocked to the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Monday evening for penitential prayers, or selihot, a day ahead of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
The prayers are traditionally said in the days leading up to the High Holidays. Monday night’s ceremony was the last of the year and served as an introduction to Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The holiday begins Tuesday evening. The Old City has been closed to traffic until the end of the holiday, at nightfall on Wednesday.
The Israeli army announced Monday that it would also be sealing off the West Bank and Gaza Strip for 48 hours starting at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.
