Ahead of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, hundreds of people gathered at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. The shofar, an ancient musical instrument made of ram's horn, was blown; people read selichot (prayers of repentance); and the ritual cleaning of the prayer notes from the cracks of the Western Wall took place.Photos by Marc Israel Sellem
Men reading selichot -- Jewish penitential poems and prayers said leading up to the High Holidays -- at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Women reading selichot at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Blowing the shofar at the Western Wall
Notes placed in the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana cleaning
Man prays while another cleans out Western Wall notes
Cleaning out notes from the Western Wall
Man blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh Hashana
Jews clearing out notes from the Western Wall
Western Wall notes on the ground after cleaning
Jewish workers clearing out notes from the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana
Men reading selichot -- Jewish penitential poems and prayers said leading up to the High Holidays -- at the Western Wall before Rosh HashanaWomen reading selichot at the Western Wall before Rosh HashanaBlowing the shofar at the Western Wall Notes placed in the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana cleaningMan prays while another cleans out Western Wall notesCleaning out notes from the Western WallMan blowing the shofar at the Western Wall before Rosh HashanaJews clearing out notes from the Western WallWestern Wall notes on the ground after cleaningJewish workers clearing out notes from the Western Wall prior to Rosh Hashana
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