Tens of thousands of mispallalim took part in Birchas Kohanim at the Kosel on Wednesday, as it is always held on the morning of the second day of chol hamoed in Eretz Yisrael to permit persons visiting from abroad to take part. As is the case on Chol Hamoed Sukkos and Pesach, there were two Birchas Kohanim events, the shachris one at 9:30AM and the musaf Birchas Kohanim at 10:15AM.

According to Kosel Heritage Foundation officials, 40,000 persons participated in the event Wednesday morning, including Rav of the Kosel & Holy Sites HaGaon Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz. Other sources place the number of participants as high as 60,000, explaining there was 40,000 at the first Birchas Kohanim and 60,000 at the musaf second Birchas Kohanim.

Following the davening, the Chief Rabbis of Israel greeted the mispallalim along with Rav Rabinowitz. Both Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Lau were on hand for the event.

B’chasdei Hashem the event was held without incident amid a large presence of uniformed and plain clothed police and special forces, who are deployed around the Kosel and throughout the Old City in greater numbers during Yomtov week.

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(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)