Preparing the Kotel for the High Holidays

Ahead of the High Holidays, the Western Wall underwent close examination to determine the safety of the stones and crumbled parts were removed. Notes placed between the cracks in the stones were removed to make place for new ones. The work was carried out in preparation for the thousands of worshippers expected to pray at the Wall over the High Holidays, starting with Rosh Hashana this week. Prior to removing the notes placed between cracks in the stones, workers were required to bathe in the mikveh and used special wooden sticks to prod them out, before they were collected and placed in a special archive. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz of the Western Wall supervised the work and ensured none of the notes were opened or read by the workers.