'This year we have more notes because of the war' Western Wall cleared of 'notes to God' ahead of Passover

Record ID: 1987704

  • Title: 'This year we have more notes because of the war' Western Wall cleared of 'notes to God' ahead of Passover
  • Date: 2nd April 2025
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (APRIL 2, 2025) (REUTERS) NOTES BEING REMOVED FROM THE CREVICES OF THE WESTERN WALL VARIOUS OF NOTES BEING REMOVED FROM WESTERN WALL / NOTES ON GROUND RABBI OF THE WESTERN WALL AND HOLY SITES, SHMUEL RABINOVITCH VARIOUS OF WORKERS PUTTING REMOVED NOTES FROM THE WALL IN PLASTIC BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) GUIDE AT THE WESTERN WALL HERITAGE CENTER, ASHER ROKACH, SAY
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: God jerusalem notes passover temple mount western wall
  • Location: JERUSALEM
  • City: JERUSALEM
  • Country: Jerusalem
  • Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001359202042025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:A team of men on Wednesday (April 2), some using wooden sticks and some using just their bare hands, gouged out written prayers that visitors to Judaism's Western Wall in Jerusalem traditionally cram into its crevices.
    Twice a year, the Rabbi of the Western Wall oversees the collection of thousands of notes to ensure there's always room for more. The papers are then buried on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives in accordance with ritual.
    The Western Wall is a remnant of the compound of the Second Temple that was destroyed in 70 AD.
    It stands today beneath a religious plaza known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
    'This year we have more notes because of the war, because of the hostages' said Asher Rokach, guide at The Western Wall Heritage Center.
    Israel has seen mass protests across the country over the past weeks over the collapse of the ceasefire and the resuming of bombing in Gaza, as well as the judicial overhaul that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is pressing on.
    Netanyahu, on trial on corruption charges he denies, says reforms are needed to balance the branches of government.
    (Production: Dedi Hayun, Andreea Popescu)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register