Tens of thousands of people gathered at Judaism’s holiest site in Jerusalem on Tuesday for the traditional priestly blessing prayer.
The “Birkat Cohanim,” or Cohen’s blessing, is a ritual dating back over 2,500 years to when King Solomon’s Temple stood on the same site. The blessing is performed by male Jews who can trace their lineage back to the priestly caste, and takes place three times a year during Judaism’s major holidays. Jews are currently observing the week-long holiday of Passover.
