JERUSALEM (VINnews) – Ahead of the Jewish New Year, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation carried out its traditional clearing of prayer notes placed between the ancient stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
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Tens of thousands of notes were carefully removed and will be transferred to a designated genizah for respectful burial, in accordance with Jewish law. The process was carried out under the supervision of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites.
Workers use gloves and disposable wooden tools to remove the notes while protecting their privacy and the sanctity of the site. The notes are collected in special bags before being transferred for burial.
The clearing is conducted twice a year, ahead of Rosh Hashanah and Passover, making room for the thousands of new prayers placed in the Wall during the following months.
The centuries-old custom of placing handwritten prayers between the stones has been documented for more than 300 years. Today, hundreds of thousands of notes are placed at the Wall by visitors from Israel and around the world, while thousands of additional prayers are submitted through the Western Wall Foundation’s website.
The notes represent personal prayers and requests from people of many backgrounds and countries. In previous collections, the Foundation has said it received prayers from people in countries including Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, with many asking for peace and reconciliation.
How delicate are they with the prayers !! That s so beautiful!! Thank you for sharing!
The tradition of clearing prayer notes from the Western Wall shows a deep respect for personal prayer and spiritual intention. It makes space for new prayers. It also ensures the privacy and dignity of the requests already placed there. This process reflects the careful stewardship required for sacred sites. It protects the integrity of a custom that spans centuries.