Coronavirus: Priestly blessing at Western Wall to be livestreamed

Every year, some 750,000 people visit the Western Wall, with the peak occurring at Sukkot's Chol HaMoed, which happens next week.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 19:04

An Orthodox Jewish Talmudic seminary student wearing protective suit, gloves, face mask and a face shield prays at the Western Wall, September 03, 2020. (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90) — An Orthodox Jewish Talmudic seminary student wearing protective suit, gloves, face mask and a face shield prays at the Western Wall, September 03, 2020.

(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

Sukkot preparations are underway at the Western Wall in order to allow for this year's Priestly Blessing (Birkat Hakohanim), which is planned to take place despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Every year, some 750,000 people visit the Western Wall, with the peak occurring at Sukkot's Chol HaMoed (the intermediate days of Sukkot) during a traditional prayer carried out by hundreds of kohanim (priests).

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation has already announced that it will be live-streaming the traditional blessings in light of the coronavirus restrictions that will prevent many from arriving to the Kotel this year, and after a successful trial of streaming prayers that took place during Yom Kippur.

The live streaming will be available on the Facebook page of The Western Wall Heritage Foundation.

Due to the second nationwide lockdown Israel has entered, a limited prayer will be carried out, with only several hundreds priests and worshippers who live near the Western Wall participating.

Chol HaMoed prayer times (Israel Standard Time: UTC+02:00) are as follows:

Shacharit morning service: 08:30

Birkat Hakohanim – Shacharit: 09:00

Mussaf additional service: 09:40

Birkat Hakohanim – Mussaf: 09:50

For more information visit https://english.thekotel.org