The Western Wall hosted the traditional priestly blessing service on Sunday, but unlike previous years, when the plaza was jam-packed with worshippers, the service was kept to the absolute minimum over the coronavirus outbreak.
The ceremony, held at Judaism's holiest site during Passover and Sukkot, usually draws tens of thousands of people. This year, however, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation scaled it back to a mere quorum of 10 in accordance with the Health Ministry's social distancing directives.
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The ceremony was streamed on social and mainstream media websites. A second service, also including only 10 men, was held at the Cave of the Patriarchs, in the heart of the Old City of Hebron.
Today I will be one of just 10 worshippers attending the "Priestly Blessing" ceremony at the Western Wall. Last year I was among 100,000; this year, unfortunately, far less. I will pray that the world is spared further illness or sorrow from COVID-19 or otherwise.
— David M. Friedman (@USAmbIsrael) April 12, 2020
US Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman was among the worshippers allowed to attend the ceremony.
"Today I will be one of just 10 worshippers attending the 'Priestly Blessing' ceremony at the Western Wall. Last year I was among 100,000; this year, unfortunately, far less. I will pray that the world is spared further illness or sorrow from COVID-19 or otherwise," he tweeted.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation said in "invites the tens of thousands of worshippers and the general public to join the prayer from home."
