Authorities report a record-breaking 70,000 people attended Birkas Kohanim at the Kosel on Monday, the second day of chol hamoed in Eretz Yisrael.

The event is always pushed off the second day of chol hamoed as to permit visitors keeping two days to attend. In attendance were the chief rabbis, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shlomo Amar Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Yona Yechiel Metzger Shlita, along with the rabbi of the Kosel and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.

The event was started by Menachem Mendel Gefner zt”l and has been an annual tradition on chol hamoed Pesach and Sukkos for some 40 years. The shaliach tzibur for shachris was HaRav HaChossid Mordechai Gefner, a son of R’ Menachem Mendel, and for musaf, the rav of the Kosel, Rav Rabinowitz led the tzibur.

After davening there was a kabolas panim with the chief rabbis and Rabbi Rabinowitz.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)