President Isaac Herzog takes part in the Hakhel religious ceremony, which takes place only once every seven years, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
The traditional biblical ceremony — named for the Hebrew word for “gathering” and marked by the king of Israel reading aloud from the Torah — was revived in the 20th century under then-chief rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, the current president’s grandfather.
“I am moved to open this important event, founded by my late grandfather Yitzhak Isaac HaLevi Herzog, which all chief rabbis of Israel have had the privilege of observing,” says Herzog. “From here I pray that the spirit of this occasion remains before our eyes at all times, as a nation and as a state. May we and the whole House of Israel — together — merit a good and blessed year, and happy holidays.”
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, and US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides also attended the ceremony.
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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
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