The Western Wall, better known as the Kotel, is the Holiest place in the Holy Land. Come and discover the fascinating Biblical history of the Western Wall!
Did you ever want to touch Biblical history? Head to the Old City of Jerusalem and make your way down the narrow cobblestone streets to the Western Wall Plaza. There, in front of your very own eyes, is a majestic wall rising high up to the sky. As you approach, you find yourself among thousands of people who have come for the same reason: to feel up close the holiness and connection to God and the Bible. This ancient wall dates back to the times of the Second Temple, but just like many grand buildings, it developed over the times, including as recently as the 19th Century!
There is much more to the Western Wall than first meets the eye. Most of it is underground, accessible through ancient passageways nearby.
From the days of the ancient Temples to the recapture of the Old City and the Western Wall in 1967, join us on a voyage of discovery in the Holy Land that began thousands of years ago!
2,000 Years Old and counting. This is the Western Wall!
20 CE:
The Second Temple stands proudly in Jerusalem. Yet King Herod decides to make his Temple even grander and begins a vast expansion project of the Temple Mount. The Western Wall forms one of the retaining walls that surround the Temple Mount.
70 CE:
The Romans besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the Holy Temple. However, the outer wall, today known as the retaining wall, survives. Why would the Romans leave it standing? They wanted a tangible reminder that the mighty Roman Empire had succeeded in destroying the Holiest structure in all of Judaism. And that obviously backfired because today, the Western Wall is where millions visit to pray and draw inspiration throughout the year!
4th-7th CE:
Under Roman rule, further layers of stones were added to the Western Wall. In the 7th Century, the Muslim conquest of the Holy Land took place under the Umayyad Caliphate, which took control of the Temple Mount and made further structural additions, including another layer to the retaining wall.
1099–1517 CE:
During the Middle Ages, the Crusaders conquered the Holy Land, followed by the Mamluks, who, for the first time in centuries, permitted the Jewish population to visit the Wall. It was during this period that the retaining wall took on another name, The Wailing Wall, in reference to the wailing that took place as the Jews fervently mourned the destruction of the Temple.
1517–1917:
The Ottoman rule of the Holy Land marked a turning point for the Jewish population. Under the stewardship of the Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, the Jews were given full access to the Western Wall who recognized how integral the site was to the Jewish people. During the 19th century, a further 14 layers were added to the top of the wall, and it was funded by the great Jewish philithapist, Sir Moses Montefiore, who financed it in order to provide "shade and protection from the rain for all who come to pray by the holy remnant of our Temple."
1948-1967:
Following the Declaration of Independence by David Ben Gurion, the newly born State of Israel was immediately plunged into a war of existence against the surrounding countries. At the end of the war, Jerusalem was divided into two. Even though the peace agreements were supposed to permit Jewish worship and visitation rights to Judaism's holiest sites, among them, The Western Wall, they were completely ignored by the Jordanians who were in control.
1967:
"The Temple Mount is in our hands". The famous words uttered with unbridled joy and emotion by Paratroop Commander Lt. Motta Gur during the Six-Day War signaled the first time in over 2,000 years that the Temple Mount and the Western Wall fell under the control of the Jewish people! Now, Jews from all over the Holy Land could touch the ancient stones and reconnect to God and the Bible!
A visit to the Western Wall. What you need to know!
The Western Wall isn't simply a tourist attraction. It is the holiest site in Judaism and is profoundly important to the Jewish people. This means that there are a few rules on how to visit the Western Wall. Don't worry - we'll fill you in!
What to wear:
As it is a Holy site, visitors are required to dress modestly, but don't worry—there is a stall where women can borrow a shawl and a place where men can pick up a Kippa—Yarlmuka and return it on the way out. The Western Wall Plaza is split into two sections, one for men and one for women, to respect the Jewish rules of modesty. Outside the sections, you can reunite and pose for family photos!
Making the most of your visit:
The Western Wall receives thousands of visitors daily, and it is made up of people from all walks of life. There are observant Jews who come to study Torah, take part in the daily prayer services, recite psalms, or sit and soak up the holiness and spirituality of the place. Others come to pour out their hearts to God through prayer and personal requests, whether it is for healing the sick, to find and meet one's future spouse, for success or salvation. There is a beautiful custom where people write down their requests on notes and place them within the cracks in the Walls. By the time the notes are cleared out before Passover, tens of thousands of notes have been removed!
Special times at the Western Wall
For many people, it is a dream to celebrate the Jewish lifecycle events at the Western Wall. On almost any day, don't be surprised if you see a bride and groom wandering around posing for wedding photos, a Bar Mitzvah boy being hoisted on his father's shoulders as he celebrates turning 13, or even graduation ceremonies for the brave soldiers of the IDF! The atmosphere of Shabbat and the Jewish festivals brings the spiritual experience to even higher levels than before. Welcome in Shabbat with a Friday night prayer service filled with song and dance. Join tens of thousands as they sing for repentance at the oriental midnight 'Selichot' services in the nights leading up to Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and be a part of the priestly blessing that takes place only a few times a year during the Passover and Sukkot festivals. But get there early if you want to secure a spot!
Discovering the 'entire' wall
Aside from prayer, many people come to discover the Western Wall's fascinating ancient history and heritage. There are numerous tours and sites to visit, in which you can see up close the 'hidden' side of the Wall and touch the stones that are thousands of years old! A fascinating fact is that the Western Wall that we see is only 70 meters, but the entire wall is half a kilometer long! Take the tour of the Western Wall tunnels under the Old City and experience Biblical Jewish history for yourself!
For most people, the first thing that comes to mind when you tell them the word Israel is the Western Wall.
It is the place that gives hope, solace, inspiration, and meaning to millions of people in the Holy Land and around the world. It is where we can experience tangible proof of our connection to Biblical history. To our forefathers, to our Kings, to our very own heritage! A visit to the Western Wall is a life-changing experience for many. It doesn't matter whether you arrive at 2 am in the morning or 7pm at night, the Kotel is there. It's ancient grand stones standing proudly and ready for you to approach and whisper your prayers and requests of God.
Experience the Holiness of the Holy Land in your very own home through products infused with the goodness of Israel!
The Holy Land is blessed, and today, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of producers toiling it and creating beautiful products from the soil itself! There are date farms, olive groves, and wine presses. And pottery studios where ceramicists take inspiration from the breathtaking panoramas of the Biblical heartlands of Judea and Samaria and boutique labs in the Golan Heights where Israeli pioneers mix the herbs and minerals of the Holy Land to create revitalizing skincare products infused with the natural goodness of the Land to benefit all those who use them!
All these pioneers share something in common. They are creating exclusive products to send to some of their most beloved family members, the cherished subscribers of Lev Haolam! Our monthly packages are filled with the pioneer's finest produce, and it is their way of showing love and their deepest appreciation from the Holy Land to those supporting their small businesses!
All these pioneers share something in common. They are creating exclusive products to send to some of their most beloved family members, the cherished subscribers of Lev Haolam! Our monthly packages are filled with the pioneer's finest produce, and it is their way of showing love and their deepest appreciation from the Holy Land to those supporting their small businesses!
With products made 100% in Israel by pioneers whose businesses you are giving life-changing support to, this is how you feel the love from the Holy Land, one product at a time!
