Thousands of Israelis visited the Western Wall on Sunday as part of a pilgrimage traditionally observed during Passover. Israel’s two chief rabbis were present for the bestowing of the blessing by the Kohanim, who trace their ancestry to the priestly class in ancient Temple times. Meanwhile, a group of Jewish activists seeking to rebuild the Temple was allowed to climb up to one of the gates leading to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. But police prevented the group from entering the site out of concern they could provoke confrontations with Muslims in the Temple Mount complex.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.