Tens of thousands of pilgrims fill the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem during the Hol HaMoed holiday of Sukkot, commemorating the commandment of pilgrimage when the Temple existed.
For the thousands of families who make their way to the Western Wall every day during the holiday, the Ministry of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, together with the Society for the Restoration and Development of the Jewish Quarter, erected this year the largest "Chazon Ish" Sukkah in the world on the grounds of the historic "Ha Hurva" synagogue, on an area of 444 square meters.
The Sukkah is open to the public throughout the entire week of the holiday and includes comfortable and spacious seating areas, hot and cold drink stations for visitors, as well as a designated area specifically designed for families.
This year, the entire sukkah was built in halachic style according to the "Chazon Ish" method, with a new and elegant thatch brought in especially for this purpose. The construction and planning of the sukkah were carried out under the direction of the rabbi of the Jewish Quarter, Rabbi Eliyahu Zilberman, who meticulously supervised the construction of the sukkah from beginning to end.
In addition, a new, large and spacious observation deck, located on the roof of the Western Wall Yeshiva, overlooking the Temple Mount and the site of the Temple, was opened to the general public free of charge. This is a unique observation deck that allows hundreds of visitors to stay there, without waiting in line, as part of the Three Footsteps customs.
The observation deck can be accessed via an elevator, so every visitor can reach it comfortably, and it is also accessible to people with disabilities and families arriving with strollers.
The giant tent and the observation deck operate as part of a large-scale project called "Family Holidays" by the Ministry of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, which includes a wide variety of events and additional content: the opening of the historic "Ha Hurva" synagogue to the general public free of charge, guided tours that take place every half hour in the "Priests' Houses Quarter", water and information stations spread throughout the quarter for the convenience of visitors, klezmer processions throughout the quarter that add to the holiday atmosphere, as well as "Simchat Beit Hashoeva" events that are held throughout the days of the holiday and attract a large crowd.
Director General of the Ministry of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition, Shimon Albom: "This year we expanded the "Family Holidays" project with an unprecedented investment in order to provide a comprehensive response to all the needs of the tens of thousands of visitors to the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem during the pilgrimage - from making the observation deck of the Temple accessible to families with strollers, through refreshment areas, to the construction of a giant, elegant tent. We invite the entire public to make the pilgrimage in comfort and joy.".
