Every year before Pesach (and before Rosh Hashana), the notes in the Kosel are removed and the Kosel is cleaned for Pesach but this year an extra step was required.

The Kosel was thoroughly cleaned on Tuesday for Pesach under the supervision of the Kosel Rav, Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz. Workers wearing gloves first removed the notes between the stones of the Kosel with disposable wooden tools. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said that over 8,000 “prayer notes” from around the world were placed between the stones of the Kosel via the Kosel internet site.

The walls of the Kosel were then thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. “The Kosel stones, visited and touched by thousands of people from Israel and around the world all year round, were sanitized and cleaned in order to protect those who come to the Kosel Wall even now,” the Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated.

HaRav Rabinowitz also davened for the refuah shleimah of those ill with the coronavirus, the statement said.

The notes removed from the Kosel are collected in bags and buried at the geniza at Har HaZeisim.

According to the foundation, as of March 26, the Kosel is only open to residents of Jerusalem’s Old City, per Health Ministry guidelines.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)