Tisha B’Av Call for Unity and Prayer

One hundred thousand people visited the Western Wall during the Tisha B’Av fast. As the fast drew to a close, thousands gathered at the Western Wall Plaza to participate in prayer and a call for unity among the people of Israel. The observance began on the eve of Tisha B’Av with the recitation of Lamentations, and continued into the early hours after the conclusion of the fast, with tens of thousands of worshippers coming to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem near the site of the Temple.

This evening (Tuesday), as the fast was ending, thousands from both Israel and the diaspora assembled at the Western Wall Plaza for a spiritually uplifting event marked by holiness, prayer, and a call for unity among the people of Israel. The event was attended by rabbis, public figures, families of hostages, and wounded IDF soldiers.

The event was opened by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, who led the recitation of chapters from Psalms, the Shema, and reaffirmed the acceptance of the yoke of heaven’s sovereignty in response to the difficult circumstances facing the people of Israel.

Following this, a prayer for peace in Israel was led by Mr. Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. The event concluded with thousands joining together to sing “Ani Ma’amin” and “Achenu Kol Beit Yisrael,” praying for the swift return of the hostages, the recovery of the wounded, and the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces.

Later tonight, after the fast of Tisha B’Av has ended, thousands more, including Admorim (Hasidic leaders), rabbis, and yeshiva students, are expected to arrive at the Western Wall for the “Kiddush Levanah” ceremony and songs of yearning and longing.