Some 150,000 people participate in slihot prayers at the Western Wall

Approximately 150,000 people participated in the final slihot prayer service at the Western Wall ahead of Yom Kippur on Saturday night, marking the conclusion of 2026's traditional gatherings.The gathering began in the early evening hours and reached its peak during the central ceremony at the Kotel, with participants standing in the Western Wall Plaza and spread across nearby balconies and throughout the Old City's alleyways.Due to the large number of participants, the gathering was also broadcast on giant screens at the outskirts of the plaza, on the walls of the Jaffa Gate at the entrance to the Old City, and at IDF Square (Kikar Tzahal).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel David Yosef, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Meir Bar, Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites Shmuel Rabinowitz, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion took part in the ceremony.During the event, Netanyahu offered…