The Western Wall of Jerusalem, the Holiest Site in Judaism

The Western Wall, sometimes incorrectly called the wailing wall, was built by King Herod the Great in about 20 BC. It was a retaining wall to Herod’s expansion of the temple mount complex. The lower mammoth stone blocks (weighing several tons) have decorative chiseled borders and are original. The smaller upper blocks are much later, almost modern, construction. When the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD, they pulled down all building blocks above ground level and only the retaining walls to the temple complex were left.

The Western Wall, called HaKotel in Hebrew, is closest to where the Temple’s Holy of Holies stood and is therefore the current holiest site in Judaism. On the Sabbath (Friday night and Saturday) and holidays the Western Wall is filled with worshipers. Sometimes spontaneous joyful dancing and singing breaks out. At all times those offering prayer can be seen. Some write prayer requests on small slips of paper and stick them in the cracks between the stones.

After the 1948 war, Jordan controlled this site and Jews were forbidden to worship or even come here. Further, the Jordanians expelled all Jews from the Old City’s Jewish Quarter, and allowed Arab homes to be constructed close to the wall. As a result of the 1967 war, Israel recaptured the Western Wall and joyfully restored worship and removed the post-1948 homes that restricted worship. Respectful non-Jews are allowed to offer individual prayers here as well. However, by contrast non-Muslims are NOT allowed to pray on the temple mount.