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Monday, September 28, 2026

WATCH: Tens of thousands of Jewish worshipers gather for Birkat Kohanim at Western Wall

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The tradition of conducting a mass event for the blessing has been a highlight of the week-long Sukkot and Passover holidays.

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Jewish worshippers pray at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, during the traditional Birkat Kohanim ceremony on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, in Jerusalem’s Old City, September 28, 2026.
Jewish worshippers pray at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest prayer site, during the traditional Birkat Kohanim ceremony on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, in Jerusalem’s Old City, September 28, 2026.
(photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)
ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated:

Over 50,000 Jewish worshipers gathered at the Western Wall plaza for a joint Birkat Kohanim (priestly blessing) prayer on Monday, during the Hol Hamoed days of Sukkot and the High Holy Days.

The tradition of conducting a mass event for the blessing has been a highlight of the week-long Sukkot and Passover holidays for over 50 years, with most gatherings attended by tens of thousands of people in a huge blanket of white tallitot. 

"This year, we added an additional Birkat Kohanim event to alleviate the crowds and enable anyone who wishes to participate in this emotional tradition to do so," the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said. "This is a prayer that we all carry in our hearts to our Father in Heaven, asking Him to remove baseless hatred from us and to spread the sukkah of peace over us," the Western Wall rabbi added.

Jewish men covered in prayer shawls hold the Four Species, palm, citron, myrtle and willow as they take part in Shacharit morning prayers during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, September 28, 2026.
Jewish men covered in prayer shawls hold the Four Species, palm, citron, myrtle and willow as they take part in Shacharit morning prayers during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, September 28, 2026. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)

What are the priestly blessings?

The priestly blessing is a blessing recited by the descendants of the Cohen tribe (usually surnamed Cohen, Katz etc.) at every morning minyan of Shacharit.

During holidays, there is an additional Mussaf prayer after the morning services, and therefore, a second Priestly Blessing every day.

The Sukkot ceremonies also involve the practice of netilat lulav, the blessing of the Arba Minim, or Four Species: Aravot, etrog, hadassim, and lulav.

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