Every year on the third day of Passover, thousands of worshippers gather at Jerusalem's Western Wall plaza to attend a special "priestly blessing" prayer.
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This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic and the limited attendance allowed at the site, the prayer will take place over two days, on the second and third day of Pesach, which is Monday and Tuesday.
Last year's ceremony included only 10 priests, known as "kohanim" in Hebrew, residents of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. This year's ceremony marks the first time since the outbreak of the virus that kohanim across Israel will be allowed to participate in the traditional event.
As is the case every year, the ceremony will be attended by top religious and political leaders, among them Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau, Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch, Religious Affairs Minister Ya'akov Avitan, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation asked worshippers that attended the ceremony on Monday to refrain from doing so on Tuesday as well, to allow anyone interested in attending the event to be able to do so.
The priestly blessing at the Western Wall dates back to 1931. It is traditionally held twice a year, on Passover and Sukkot.
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