Thousands of Jews participated in Birchas Kohanim on Monday morning, the first day of Chol Hamoed in Israel, marking the first time the tefillah took place b’hamon am in a year and a half. Israel’s successful vaccine campaign has dramatically reduced the infection rate and the number of seriously ill virus patients in recent weeks, allowing the government to loosen restrictions on gathering. However, some health regulations are still in place and due to this, Birchas Kohanim is taking place twice this year, on Monday and Tuesday, with the mispallelim divided into capsules by plastic partitions. On Sunday morning, Israel Police closed off all roads leading to the Old City to private vehicles and thousands of police officers were deployed throughout and outside the Old City to secure the area. Below, the Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef can be seen utilizing every moment for limmud Torah. הראשל”צ הגר”י יוסף שליט״א מנצל כל רגע פנוי ללימוד תודה… pic.twitter.com/Eg52ZgHoCE — ישי ירושלמי (@ishayyurslaem) March 29, 2021 UH ambulance transferred a homebound patient today, who requested to go to the Western Wall in order to participate in Birkat Kohanim. #Pesach #BirkatKohanim #MoadimLSimcha pic.twitter.com/q1JbPivObP — United Hatzalah (@UnitedHatzalah) March 29, 2021 (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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