Western Wall (Kotel)

Attraction House of Worship Pilgrimage
SITE OVERVIEW

The Western Wall: A Symbol of Hope and Resilience

Also known as the Kotel or the Wailing Wall, the Western Wall in Jerusalem is a major tourist and pilgrimage destination. As the holiest site in Jerusalem, and possibly all of Israel, the Western Wall is the only existing part that remains of the Temple Mount. The Wall is an important place to Jews, since they can connect with their faith and feel with the palm of a hand a living part of ancient history. Each Friday during Shabbat, hundreds of Jews and visitors alike come to the Western Wall to pray.

The Wall was originally built by King Herod in 20 BCE during the expansion of the Second Temple. Built with thick white blocks of meleke limestone, the Wall consists of 45 stone courses. Twenty-eight of those courses are above around and 17 are below, creating an immense presence with a larger-than-life feel. After the Six-Day Ware in 1967, two more levels below the wall were discovered. Today, the wall has a massive physical and spiritual presence, and it’s a must-visit while exploring the Jewish Quarter. 

Everyone is welcome to visit the Wall. Believers whisper their prayers aloud or write them down on paper, folding them up and placing them delicately in the wall’s many cracks and crevices. One side of the wall is reserved for men to pray, while the other side is reserved for women. For Jews, being part of the tradition is an emotional way to connect with their faith, while for others, it’s incredibly moving to see a tradition that has endured for over 2,000 years. On your visit, you can connect with your faith and participate in the sacred tradition of praying at the Western Wall, surrounded by fellow Jews, pilgrims, and visitors alike.

🌍 Celebrating One Year of the Jewish Silk Road Portal

World Jewish Travel was thrilled at #IMTM 2024 to present a copy of the WJT Jewish Silk Road Pressbook to the CEO of the Azerbaijan National Tourism Board Florian Sengstschmid and Jamilya Talibzade its Israeli representative Azerbaijan Tourism Board (ATB).

The Pressbook celebrates the one year anniversary of the Jewish Silk Road Portal launch, an amazing example of using Jewish travel as a means of cultural diplomacy, whilst highlighting the significant Jewish contribution to the ancient trade route. Kudos to our participating partners from the Kiriaty Foundation (Turkey), National Board of Tourism of #Georgia, National Board of Tourism of #Uzbekistan, and Israeli Embassy of #India. 

See the overwhelming reaction from the press, by downloading our free pressbook. Special thanks to Moshe Gilad of the @haaretzcom for highlighting this forgotten but important story in the Galeria section of the newspaper and available to download on WJT.

👉Link to WJT Jewsih Silk Rad Pressbook and more is in our bio

...

39 2
Step into the soul-stirring Pesach traditions of Jerusalem virtually. Experience the resonating echoes of Birkat Kohanim🌿

 Link is in our bio

#VirtualTravel #JerusalemVibes #SpiritualJourney #JewishTravel #Isarel  #BirkatKohanim #JewishJerusalem

...

18 0
Discover the enigmatic “Donkey Stable” in Jerusalem's underground. Unveil the city's secrets from home. 🌌

Find link in our bio

#JerusalemUnderground #CitySecrets #ExploreHistory #JewishTravel #Israel #Travel #WesternWall

...

19 2