Tens of thousands flock to the Western Wall for priestly blessing

Tens of thousands of Jews gather at Jerusalem’s Western Wall for a special “priestly blessing”at one of Judaism’s holiest sites, during the weeklong holiday of Sukkot, or Feast of the Tabernacles, which in antiquity was a time of pilgrimage.

The ceremony sees male descendants of the Kohanic priestly caste gathering to recite a benediction. It is performed daily by devout Jews at synagogues throughout Israel, while mass blessings at the Western Wall take place on the festivals of Passover and Sukkot.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation, which oversees the holy site, estimated that 100,000 people attended two ceremonies in the morning.

They included US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who is a Jew and a member of the priestly caste.

“It’s my opportunity to bless the people of Israel,” he tells reporters ahead of the services.

Friedman also uses the opportunity to praise US President Donald Trump’s “excellent” speech on yesterday at the United Nations General Assembly.

“I thought he laid out a very clear vision,” he says. “It’s consistent with what he’s been saying since he’s been the president about how he thinks the United States relates with the rest of the world.”

— with AFP