Western Wall Devotion

The Western Wall is the focal point of Jewish ritual devotion, pilgrimage, and prayer in Jerusalem. It stands as a symbol of both Jewish faith and... more

by Stephen Stookey

Title

Western Wall Devotion

Artist

Stephen Stookey

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Western Wall is the focal point of Jewish ritual devotion, pilgrimage, and prayer in Jerusalem. It stands as a symbol of both Jewish faith and national Israeli identity. The wall is the remnant of the the Temple Mount complex destroyed by Roman armies in 70 CE following a Jewish revolt. Jews quickly identified the remnant wall as a sacred site of pilgrimage and prayer. Jewish pilgrims through the centuries created the practice of tucking slips of paper with inscribed thoughts and prayers into the cracks and crevices of the Western Wall. Jewish devotion at the Western Wall has faced numerous challenges over the centuries. Muslim rule over Jerusalem created significant obstacles to Jewish devotion at the Western Wall. The present look of the Prayer Plaza and Western Wall took shape following the 1967 Six Days War when Israel gained control of Jerusalem's Old City and the Western Wall.

Today, isitors to the Western Wall view 57 meters of the Second Temple era Western Wall in the Prayer Plaza, with another 80 meters of wall exposed to the south. An additional 320 meters of the Western Wall extends under the Old City to the north and is viewable in the Western Wall Tunnels. The Prayer Plaza functions as an outdoor synagogue, with prayer areas designated for men and women to accommodate practices of the Orthodox wing of Jewish faith.

Open to all for prayer and spiritual reflection, gentiles created the term 'Wailing Wall' to reflect the fervent prayers offered by Jewish pilgrims. Jewish faithful, however, prefer the name Western Wall or Kotel ha-Ma'aravi.

The squared stones--marked with etched borders--present in this image date to the expansion of Temple Mount and the aggrandizement of the Second Temple undertaken by King Herod the Great (20-19 BCE). Also visible in the cracks and crevices are slips of paper containing the thoughts of prayers of recent pilgrims. Pictures, captured in a respectful manner, are allowed on non-sabbath days (injunctions on photography also apply during holy days/festivals). Jewish Sabbath (Friday evening-Saturday) and Holy Days attract large crowds to the Western Wall. This image was captured on a Sunday.

The Old City of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and temple Mount area, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Image captured with a Canon 50D & Canon 70-200 f/4L IS USM lens.

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Uploaded

August 13th, 2014