More than 50,000 people packed the Kosel plaza overnight for a massive Selichos gathering and Hataras Nedarim ahead of Rosh Hashanah, capping a remarkable month that saw close to one million people visit the Kosel during Elul.

The enormous crowd filled the Kosel plaza and surrounding areas, with the unprecedented turnout forcing organizers to broadcast the Selichos live on giant screens positioned along the walls of the Old City and near Jaffa Gate, allowing thousands more who could not enter the packed plaza to participate

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The gathering was attended by Rishon L’Tzion and Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Dovid Yosef, along with rabbanim, government ministers, public officials and tens of thousands of mispallelim.

Rav Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rav of the Kosel and Holy Sites, addressed the massive crowd and spoke about the importance of achdus among Klal Yisroel as the new year approaches, calling on Yidden to put disagreements aside and increase ahavas chinam and responsibility for one another.

Special tefillos were recited for the safety of IDF soldiers and security forces, for the refuah of those wounded, and for the security and unity of Klal Yisroel. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion also led part of the tefillos.

According to the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, close to one million people visited the Kosel from the beginning of Elul through Erev Rosh Hashanah — an extraordinary display of tefillah and hisorerus during the Yemei HaRachamim V’HaSelichos.

The Selichos gatherings will continue during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, with another major gathering scheduled for Motzei Tzom Gedaliah.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)