The Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall

This short video shows tens of thousands of worshippers gathered together at the Western Wall for the Birkat Kohanim, the Priestly Blessing, when Kohanim chant three consecutive verses of the Torah, one word at a time, in a special recitation dating back to the First Temple period. The ceremony, during which the Kohanim bless the people of Israel, has become a tradition during Passover and Sukkot since the Western Wall came under Israeli control following the Israeli victory during the Six Day War in 1967. It is in commemoration of the Biblical obligation to visit the Temple on the three annual pilgrimage festivals: Passover, Shavuot, and Sukkot. The Hebrew and English words of the blessing are shown on screen.