Some 100 olim from 45 countries arrived Thursday at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to watch and participate in selichot (petitionary) prayers, as is customary in the days leading up to Yom Kippur.
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The group was led by the Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Isaac Herzog.
For most of the olim, this was the first time at the Western Wall during this period of the year and many of them have never been in Israel on Yom Kippur, when the country grinds to an almost complete halt.
"It is truly uplifting to see a group of young olim from every corner of the earth arrive at the Western Wall and experience it in such a powerful way," Herzog said. "The Western Wall is the beating heart of our people."
