**Jewish Prayer Resumes at Temple Mount’s Eastern Wall with Weekly Slichot Services**
*Jerusalem –* A new initiative to hold weekly Slichot prayers at the eastern wall of the Temple Mount began last weekend and is slated to continue on Thursday night, organizers said.
The Slichot, a series of penitential prayers recited in the days leading up to Yom Kippur, will be conducted at the eastern side of the Temple Mount, a location that some Jewish authorities consider historically more significant than the better‑known Western Wall. The organizers, who did not disclose their names, argue that the eastern wall “is older than the more frequented Western Wall and, throughout most of Jewish history, held more importance.”
According to the group, there are no legal or religious prohibitions preventing prayer at the site, which lies only a few minutes’ walk from the Western Wall. Citing the Mishnah, they note: “One must not be light‑hearted next to the eastern gate, when he is facing the Holy of Holies,” referring to the Temple’s main entrance that faced east.
The organizers said that, historically, Jews have sought to pray on the Temple Mount but have often been unable to do so, leading them to pray at the surrounding walls in various directions. “The People of Israel are returning to the eastern wall, which is ancient and important,” the statement read.
The weekly services are intended to “renew the Jewish presence and prayer at the eastern wall,” the organizers added. No official response from Israeli authorities or other religious bodies has been reported.
Article and image source: israelnationalnews.com
