Tens of thousands of prayer notes sent from 140 countries around the world and placed between the stones of the Kosel over the past six months were removed this morning ahead of the Yamim Tovim.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation noted that among the notes received through its website, many moving requests for peace and reconciliation stood out this year from citizens living in countries hostile to Israel, including Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Lebanon, Pakistan, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt and Kazakhstan.

Additional notes were received from countries such as India, South Africa, Indonesia, Taiwan, Jamaica, Kenya and Nigeria.

The traditional removal process was accompanied by the Rav of the Kosel and the Holy Sites, HaRav Shmuel Rabinovitch, who recited a tefillah for the achdus of Klal Yisrael.

The notes were collected in special sacks using gloves and disposable wooden tools, in accordance with halachic guidelines to preserve the kedusha of the site. They will be buried together with worn-out sefarim in a permanent genizah.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)