IN PICTURES: Prayers and renewal at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana

The beauty of High Holiday rituals in Jerusalem.

Blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Ahead of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, hundreds of people gathered at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The shofar, an ancient musical instrument made of ram's horn, was blown; people read selichot (prayers of repentance); and the ritual cleaning of the prayer notes from the cracks of the Western Wall took place.
Photos by Marc Israel Sellem
Men reading selichot -- Jewish penitential poems and prayers said leading up to the High Holidays -- at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Men reading selichot -- Jewish penitential poems and prayers said leading up to the High Holidays -- at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Women reading selichot at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Women reading selichot at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Blowing the shofar at the Western Wall
Blowing the shofar at the Western Wall
 Notes placed in the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana cleaning
Notes placed in the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana cleaning
Man prays while another cleans out Western Wall notes
Man prays while another cleans out Western Wall notes
Cleaning out notes from the Western Wall
Cleaning out notes from the Western Wall
Man blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Man blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana

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Jews clearing out notes from the Western Wall
Jews clearing out notes from the Western Wall
Western Wall notes on the ground after cleaning
Western Wall notes on the ground after cleaning
Jewish workers clearing out notes from the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana
Jewish workers clearing out notes from the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana