INN: Largest Prayer Rally at Kotel in Years: 250,000 Worshippers
Mass Prayer Ralley Against Expulsion Fills Jerusalem’s Old City
22:49 Aug 10, ‘05 / 5 Av 5765 By Ezra HaLevi
More than a quarter million people attended a massive prayer rally at the Western Wall Wednesday to beg their Heavenly Father to have mercy and annul the expulsion decree. Former Ashkenazi and Sephardi Chief Rabbis Avraham Shapira and Mordechai Eliyahu, Shas Party Leader and former Sephardi Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, members of the Haredi-religious Council of Torah Sages, former MK Rabbi Menachem Porush and other prominent Hassidic rabbis all took part in the massive event. The gathering held special significance in that it marked a rare uniting of leading, influential Rabbis from the Hareidi, Sephardic, and National Religious sectors together in one event. At an emergency meeting that took place last week at his home, Rabbi Menachem Porush, a well-known Hareidi-religious leader and former member of Knesset, burst out in tears, telling those present that over the past 80 years of his life, he cannot remember a time where thousands of Jewish families were being expelled from their homes in such a manner, when 25 Jewish towns were set to be utterly destroyed, when the destruction of dozens of synagogues and houses of Torah study was to take place, as well as the desecration of Jewish graves. “Even in Russia it was not like this,” he said. “Our forefather Abraham asked for mercy on behalf of Sodom and Gemora, which were evil - appealing to G-d that there must be fifty..twenty..even ten righteous people living there,” said Porush. “How much more so, when we have towns filled with Torah and yeshivas, with righteous Jews who fear Heaven, are we obligated to pray for them and for the nullification of the decree.” The attendance of the rally was so overwhelming that is completely filled the streets around the Old City with worshippers, as far away as the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood.
CLICK LEFT THUMBNAIL FOR SMALL PICTURE OF KOTEL RALLY AND RIGHT THUMBNAIL FOR LARGER VERSION:
pictures from Aish Hatorah website
August 11th, 2005 at 00:38 EDT+06:00
The Tefilah was not only “Largest in years” - it was the biggest gathering of Jews in Jerusalem’s Old City since the times of the Temple, when Jews would gather in Jerusalem 3 times a year.
There have never been this many people at the Kotel at once - the Kotel gates were locked due to the massive number of people, and the entire Kikar Goren (area outside the Kotel plaza toward Shaar Haashpot) was packed with people - heading up all the way to the Old City. Roofs of the Old City were opened to the public and they all gathered in every possible space where they could hear/see the Tefilah.
The experience was awesome in the literal sense of the word and extremely inspiring.
August 11th, 2005 at 12:07 EDT+06:00
Hi Reb Shlomo, I just watched some of the video interviews. These people are really beautiful, and setting an example and
leadership that is really something to see. Thank you so much for sharing this!
August 11th, 2005 at 17:25 EDT+06:00
You can never trust Israel’s media to give the true picture of the strength of the anti-pullout forces. The prayer rally at the Kotel was scheduled to begin at 6 pm. We left the house at a quarter to 5 and are only a 30 min walk away. We saw buses loading full to capacity with “orange” people—young, old, kids, teenagers with their backpacks and young couples wtih their baby strollers.
The numbers of people walking down both sides of Yafo towards the Old City was reminiscent of Shavuot. It was slow going getting through the Arab shuk on David St. We entered from the Arab side of the Kotel plaza and already it was full of people. I managed to get down within about 20 feet of the Kotel for Mincha and then made my way back to the middle of the plaza where my daughter and granddaughter were. I didn’t even try to keep up with where my sons went.
I’ve been to many such events at the Kotel and I have to say that the atmosphere today was unique—the people who came meant serious business with G-d. He couldn’t help but be touched by the love and devotion in pure faith which his children poured out to him.
From the time I left home at a quarter to five until I got home at 9:15 pm, I never sat down. I was either walking or standing. We prayed for three hours. At nightfall I saw people in front of me gazing around behind me so I turned to see what had drawn their attention. It was an amazing sight! The Kotel plaza was stuffed full with shoulder-to-shoulder people into every corner and up to every wall. People filled the hill going up behind the police station. They filled the parking lot and out the gates. They filled the stairways up to the streets behind the plaza and every rooftop surrounding us, at every level, was filled with praying Jews.
Near the close of prayers, the Rav announced that the whole way out to Yafo Gate and up Yafo Street was full and that several great rabbis who had come to participate in the program were prevented from getting any closer than the gate because the people simply could not move. I heard it was the same story out into East Jerusalem to Ramat Eshkol and French Hill.
Any counts the media people make are only estimates at best and it is possible they are only counting those who stood in the plaza itself which holds at least 80-100,000 when it’s packed like this. If there had been any more I don’t think we could have breathed. As it was I don’t even know how I got out of there. It was packed tighter than sardines at the end! I made good time though because I joined a few others who left through Shechem Gate in the old Jewish (Muslim) Quarter. (It was well-guarded.)
I’m still hoping for a miracle.
Keep praying! Never give up!!
There are still 4 days left!