Record number of Jews visit Temple Mount over High Holidays, report says

According to right-wing advocacy group, nearly 8,000 people made the stop at the location during month-long holiday season, which beats annual number of visitors to the site recorded in past 10 years
Gilad Cohen|
A record breaking number of Jewish people visited the Temple Mount during the Jewish High Holy Days, a right-wing advocacy group said on Wednesday.
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  • The "Yaraeh" organization, which works to encourage Jewish to visit the holy site, provided the data claiming nearly 8,000 people chose make the stop at the location during the month-long holiday season.
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    שיא בעלייה להר הבית בתקופת החגים
    שיא בעלייה להר הבית בתקופת החגים
    Jewish visitors in the Temple Mount
    (Photo: Temple Mount administration)
    This is the most visits by Jews in one month, and beats the yearly number of visitors to the site recorded in the past 10 years.
    According to Jewish administration in the Temple Mount, a total of 7,724 Jews visited the site during 2012. That number was exceeded during the first month of the Jewish Year, with 7,795 Jewish visitors counted.
    The Western Wall Heritage Foundation reported that over two million people visited the Western Wall during the Jewish High Holy Days.
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    רוקדים בהקפות שניות בכותל
    רוקדים בהקפות שניות בכותל
    The Western Wall
    (Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
    Tensions were high during October due to a terror attack near the Shu’fat refugee camp and riots in Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighborhood in east Jerusalem.
    Due to the tensions, Prime Minister Yair said last week that “we’re not changing the status quo of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, we’ll care for the Muslim freedom of religion.”
    He added that “during the Ramadan one million people visited to pray at al-Aqsa, and allowing them to do is our duty as a government.”
    Lapid also said that Jewish prayers will not be allowed to take place, and that visits will only be allowed under supervision. “We don’t allow it. We allow Jews to visit the Temple Mount, but do so under supervision so as to not disturb the status quo.”
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    יהודים בהר הבית
    יהודים בהר הבית
    Jewish visitors in the Temple Mount
    (Photo: Temple Mount administration)
    The Jewish administration in the Temple Mount said they were pleased with “the surprising rise in number of Jewish visitors to the Temple Mount. According to them, “the public votes with its feet, and strengthens the Jewish connection to the holiest place of the Jewish people.”
    They added: “We thank the visitors, rabbis and the police on the positive change it has made in recent years, which allowed for every Jewish person to visit the Temple Mount in comfort, and according to government limitations, which are slowly being removed as more and more Jews arrive to witness this holy place with respect.”
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