PILGRIM FESTIVALS

The three Jewish Pilgrimage Festivals (Pesah, Shavuot and Sukkot), known as shalosh regalim, is a continuation of the age old custom of ascending to Jerusalem. In ancient times the Israelites living in Israel and Judea came to Jerusalem from all over the country or abroad on foot to celebrate.

Jews at the Wailing Wall during a Pilgrimage Festival

The Temple is no more and today Jews observe these holidays at the synagogue or as a family at home.

Nowadays Jews, and even pilgrims from other religions, from all over the world travel to Jerusalem to participate in one of the Pilgrimage Festivals.

The main celebrations in Jerusalem take place at the Wailing Wall that represents the Temple before its destruction by the Romans in 70CE. During these Festivals a formal priestly blessing (Birkat Kohanim) is said at the Wailing Wall, commemorating the ancient pilgrimage of Jews to the Temple in Jerusalem.