Jews arrived in droves to ascend to the har Habayis in Yerushalayim this morning, the first time the sacred site was reopened to Jewish visitation since being closed due to COVID-19 concerns over two months ago.
Among the hundreds of Jews who went up to the holiest site in the Jewish religion today were MKs Uri Ariel and former MKs Yehuda Glick and Shuli Muallem-Refaeli.
“After 70 days during which the Temple Mount was closed to visiting and prayer, tomorrow it will open!” tweeted Muallem-Refaeli. “I invite you all with great excitement to join me tomorrow to go up in purity at 8:30 a.m. I have a strong longing for the holy place, to go up together with many people from all parts of Israeli society and especially to pray for recovery and peace for all.”
The Jewish visitors arrived after hundreds of Muslim worshippers had already congregated outside the Al-Aqsa mosque, which was also closed due to coronavirus infection concerns. Al-Aqsa and the adjacent Dome of the Rock will continue to be closed to visitors, except for groups who can pray outside in cordoned-off sections of up to 50 people each.
It should be noted that all leading poskim maintain that it is halachically prohibited to go on the Har Habayis.
{JNS.ORG/Matzav.com Israel}
