Tens of thousands of Yidden attended a mass Birkas Kohanim this morning at the Kosel. The large Birkas Kohanim is held every Chol Hamoed and draws tremendous crowds.
The crowd, according to officials, was smaller than in past years, partially due to the current security tensions and as result of riots yesterday on the Har Habayis.
The entire Old City of Yerushalayim was closed to vehicles as thousands streamed by foot and via bus to the Kosel. Some had davened Shacharis elsewhere, while others took part at minyanim at the Kosel. All joined together for the central Birkas Kohanim,with the Kosel chazzan calling out the bracha over a microphone. Hundreds of kohanim gathered at the front of the minyan, right by the Kosel, to bentch their fellow Yidden.
After davening, many in the crowd went to greet Israeli Sefardic Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchok Yosef and Rav Shmuel Rabinovitch, rov of the Kosel, to receive their bracha and wish them chag sameiach.
The biannual event was first started by Rav Menachem Mendel Gefner zt”l.
This was the 51st year since the first public Birkas Kohanim took place on Pesach at the Kosel.
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