Hostage families and released captives joined a “Selichot” prayer service at the Western Wall late on Monday night, pleading for the release of the remaining 50 hostages still in Gaza after 690 days.
The prayer gathering was held with the participation of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who oversees the Western Wall and holy sites, alongside thousands of worshippers.
During the service, Rabinowitz offered a prayer for the return of the hostages to their families, for the fallen to be returned for burial, for the recovery of the wounded, for the safety of the nation’s soldiers and security forces and for peace and security.
מעמד סליחות ראשונות ברחבת הכותל המערבי בהשתתפות בני משפחות חטופים ושורדי השבי. pic.twitter.com/EmtmvFpuFG
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In addition to hostage families, former Hamas captives Keith Siegel and Yelena Trupanob also participated in the solemn pre-holiday service.
Siegel addressed U.S. President Trump in a video from the Western Wall, urging Washington to broker a ceasefire and hostage deal with Hamas.
“President Trump, I am standing here in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, the holiest place on earth for the Jewish people, the Western Wall, where tens of thousands of people have gathered tonight to pray for the safe return of all of the hostages, the hostages that are alive, the deceased hostages,” said the former captive.
Siegel called on Trump to “bring an agreement together with Israel, the Israeli government. I trust that you can reach an agreement that will bring all of the 50 hostages home as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Jews recite the Selichot prayers leading up to Yom Kippur during the Hebrew month of Elul and the subsequent Ten Days of Repentance, which span the first days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei.
Selichot prayers, composed of biblical verses, liturgical passages and poems, express remorse for sins and plead for forgiveness from God.
Many Sephardi Jews begin reciting Selichot on the second day of Elul, while Ashkenazi Jews start on the Saturday evening at least four days before Rosh Hashanah, which this year starts on the night of Sept. 22.
