Important Update: Priestly Blessing 2026 to be held in a Limited Format
Due to the security situation and Home Front Command guidelines, this year's Priestly Blessing (Birkat Hakohanim) at the Western Wall will be held in a restricted format to ensure public safety.
The Western Wall plaza will be closed to the general public throughout the Passover holiday. Jaffa Gate and Dung Gate will be closed to vehicles and pedestrians, and no public transportation to the area will be available.
The Ceremony: The ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 5, 2026, with only 50 Kohanim (pre-registered).
Live Broadcast: We invite the public to join the prayers from home. The event will be broadcast live starting at 8:30 AM on the Western Wall Heritage Foundation website and major media outlets. Live Stream Link>
Passover Priestly Blessing (Birkat Kohanim) Schedule:
Sunday, April 5, 2026 | 18th of Nisan, 5786
- Shacharit (Morning Prayer): 08:30
- Priestly Blessing (Shacharit): 09:00
- Musaf (Additional Prayer): 10:00
- Priestly Blessing (Musaf): 10:15
- Special Prayer for the safety of IDF soldiers, security forces, and the People of Israel: 10:30
The Priestly Blessing ceremony has been held since 1970, during the War of Attrition, initiated by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gefner, a Jerusalem resident who, pained by the reality in Israel at that time, decided to establish the custom. The Priestly Blessing appears in the Torah in the Book of Numbers as a command for the priests to bless the people of Israel. It consists of three verses and is therefore also called the “threefold blessing.”
Accommodation in Jerusalem
Visiting Jerusalem during Passover or Sukkot and planning to attend the Priestly Blessing? Explore the city’s wide range of accommodation options:
The best vacation rentals in the city
Jerusalem’s Restaurants
Looking for something to eat before entering the Old City? The Old City area is full of excellent restaurants that will delight your taste buds.
All restaurants near the Old City
Mamilla restaurants (at the entrance to the Old City)
