Succot in Jerusalem and Hebron
While the Ben Yehuda/Zion Square area is still not crowded by pre-October 2000 standards, things have picked up here. In the Old City, many walked to and from the Western Wall on Friday night, and as many as 40,000 were on hand yesterday for birchat kohanim (the priestly blessing) at the Wall. The Arab shuk (market) and Jaffe Gate area were filled with Jews. The stores in the shuk remain virtually empty, evidencing the fact that Arabs continue to pay a high price for the useless war their leaders are waging against Israel.
More than 15,000 came to celebrations in Hebron both yesterday and Sunday, as the main sanctuary, Ohel Yitzhak, was open to Jews, two of only seven or eight days each year that Ohel Yitzhak has been open to non-Muslims after Baruch Goldstein's murder of 29 Arabs there in 1994.
posted on 10/14/2003
