Preparations for Selichos at the Kosel Plaza, Under Coronavirus Restrictions

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation is preparing for Selichos at the Kosel in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. Sephardim begin reciting Selichos from after Rosh Chodesh Elul.

Planning meetings have taken place with the Health Ministry and police in order to prepare for visitors who wish to come to the Kosel during the upcoming month of Elul.

The meeting was in the presence of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Rabbi of the Kosel; Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, along with his staff; Brigadier General Roni Numa, Dr. Chani Schroder and Dr. Zion Schlossberg. Representatives of the Health Ministry were very impressed with operations at the Kosel plaza, which show how corona routine can be maintained in open areas for the general public.

The summary of the meeting was that the first two weeks of the month of Elul will act as a test case for managing Selichos services at the Kosel prior to the upcoming peak-crowd days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

The Kosel Heritage Foundation wishes to thank the Health Ministry and the police for their cooperation for the benefit of visitors to the Kosel, and requests that the public continue to abide by the regulations and the instructions of the ushers.