Ahead of Rosh Hashanah: Thousands of notes removed from Western Wall

Tens of thousands of notes have been removed from the Western Wall ahead of Rosh Hashanah in order to make room for new notes. 

Some 20,000 notes from over 100 countries were sent to be put in the Western Wall in the past half year. 

The removal of the notes was achieved in accordance with halachic directives, with officials using gloves and disposable wooden tools.

The notes were collected in special bags and are set to be buried with sacred texts. 

Rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, accompanied the removal personally and prayed for the return of the hostages, for the security of IDF soldiers and security forces, the speedy recovery of the wounded, and the peace of the citizens of Israel those who sent their notes to be placed within the crevices of the wall. 

'May a year and its curses end'

Rabbi Rabinowitz said, "This year's notes are full of tears from bereaved families, families of hostages, wounded soldiers, evacuated civilians, soldiers' families, and more. 'May a year and its curses end, may the New Year and its blessings begin,'" he said, quoting from a passage recited on Rosh Hashanah. 

"Give peace in the land and unity among us is the request of all of us," he concluded. 

In the past year, there has been a rise in the number of notes sent by Israeli citizens to the Western Wall.