Thousands of Jews have been attending the traditional Selichot (penitential) prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in recent days, ahead of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur marks the end of the Ten Days of Repentance, which begins on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. This period usually sees a surge in visitors to the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem, some for the purposes of prayer and some, including many secular Israelis, just to enjoy special atmosphere up close. There are also "Selichot tours" of the Tower of David and the Jewish Quarter. On Monday, a day before the Yom Kippur holiday begins, Israel's two chief rabbis will preside over the main Selichot service at the Western Wall. The Yom Kippur fast will begin shortly on Tuesday just before sunset and end 25 hours later.
