Western Wall

Western Wall debate must not overshadow prayer, unity during times of war - opinion

Prayer at the Kotel should remain sacred, guiding Jews through crises rather than fueling division.

|ByYAAKOV MENKEN, JONATHAN GUTTENTAG
A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in the foreground and the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, in the background June 24, 2019
Inside the Pilgrimage Road

Beneath Jerusalem: The Pilgrimage Road reopens an ancient path

A newly unveiled 1st-century route from the Pool of Siloam to the Western Wall offers a powerful encounter with history – and sparks modern-day tensions in Jerusalem

|ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM
Police removes missile and interceptor fragments fell in and around the Old City, including near the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Jewish Quarter, and the Western Wall. March 16, 2026.

Western Wall Rabbi denounces missile fire near holy Jerusalem sites, prays for safety

The incident raised concern because the area contains some of the holiest sites in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, making any strike nearby especially sensitive for an international audience.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
A man brandish Israeli flags following an Iranian strike in Givatayim, in the center of Israel on March 6, 2026.

Israel's government risks unity by advancing divisive laws amid ongoing war with Iran - editorial

As Israel continues to face war, the government's focus on divisive legislation is distracting from critical wartime priorities and risking further division within the country.

|ByJPOST EDITORIAL

Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei: Wisdom of the wise

“Give to the wise, and he will become yet wiser.”

MARCH 13, 2026ByRABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ
A pile of books.

Israel's new Western Wall bill: A 'thorn in the eyes' of Jewish unity - opinion

It stipulates that non-Orthodox prayer – such as prayer services organized by women’s groups – constitutes a “desecration” of the holy sites. 

MARCH 1, 2026ByYEDIDIA STERN
A Jewish woman covered in a white prayer shawl prays in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, during the Jewish holiday of Passover, April 2, 2018

Grapevine, February 18, 2026: Saying it with music

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

FEBRUARY 27, 2026ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Sara Netanyahu and Amir Ohana’s fashion pays tribute to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As the Middle East prepares for war, do not forget Iran's brave protesters - opinion

All of this began not with Iranians who took the streets, not protesting against uranium enrichment or ballistic missiles, but for freedom, liberty, and basic rights.

FEBRUARY 27, 2026ByYAAKOV KATZ
A demonstrator holds a burning photo of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Paris, France, January 11, 2026

‘Enough is enough!’: Holy sites bill sparks religious power struggle - analysis

A bill amending the Law for the Protection of Holy Places passed a preliminary vote, boosting the Chief Rabbinate’s authority and reigniting debate over religion, state power, and Diaspora ties.

FEBRUARY 26, 2026ByGABRIEL COLODRO/THE MEDIA LINE
A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in the foreground as the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, is seen in the background.

Should control of the Western Wall be delegated to one sect of Judaism over another? - editorial

With already strained Jewish unity, a recent Knesset vote sends a message that Israel is prepared to legislate one stream of Judaism’s authority over a site that carries meaning for all.

FEBRUARY 26, 2026ByJPOST EDITORIAL
Ultra-orthodox Jewish men talk on the phone in front of the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City on December 4, 2025.

Knesset advances bill granting Chief Rabbinate authority over Western Wall prayer

The bill passed by a margin of 56-47 and will now be discussed in Knesset committee meetings. It will still need to undergo three more plenum readings to become a law. 

FEBRUARY 25, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
A Jewish woman prays at the Little Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, February 18, 2026

IDF lone soldiers mark bar and bat mitzvah at Western Wall, including some family surprises

The event was organized by Ach Gadol (Big Brother for Lone Soldiers), a nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentorship and community support for soldiers serving in Israel without immediate family.

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Kidist Mengistu, a lone soldier from Ethiopia, was surprised by her mother at the Western Wall for bat mitzvah ceremony, Februrary 23, 2026.

Coalition lawmakers vow to advance bill granting Chief Rabbinate authority over Western Wall prayer

A new bill aims to give the Chief Rabbinate control over Western Wall prayer arrangements, with coalition lawmakers pushing for its passage.

FEBRUARY 22, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
A general view of Jerusalem's Old City shows the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, in the foreground as the Dome of the Rock, located on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, is seen in the background.

High Court empowers anti-Zionists at Judaism’s holiest site - opinion

While Israeli soldiers fight for their lives, the High Court grants the Reform movement's extremists a foothold at the Western Wall, undermining Israel.

FEBRUARY 22, 2026ByAMICHAI ELIYAHU
A FAMILY prays at the section of the Kotel designated for non-Orthodox worship.