Celebrating the festive culmination of Succot

Crowds gather at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to mark Shmini Atzeret after the seven days of Succot.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 23:06

succot at the kotel 390 6 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post) — succot at the kotel 390 6

(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

Crowds gather on Wednesday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to celebrate the festive day of Shmini Atzeret marking the end of Succot.

succot at the kotel 390 — succot at the kotel 390 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 1 — succot at the kotel 390 1 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 2 — succot at the kotel 390 2 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 3 — succot at the kotel 390 3 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 4 — succot at the kotel 390 4 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 5 — succot at the kotel 390 5 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 6 — succot at the kotel 390 6 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 7 — succot at the kotel 390 7 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 8 — succot at the kotel 390 8 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

succot at the kotel 390 9 — succot at the kotel 390 9 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

In Israel, the holiday is celebrated in conjunction with Simhat Torah at the culmination of the seven days of Succot, while in the Diaspora the two festivals are observed separately.