The Ark at the Western Wall

The Ark

This large ark sits inside the prayer hall at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. I was able to visit the Kotel (Wall) today while in Jerusalem.

For those not knowing what an "ark" is, here is a definition from Wikipedia.

Steve Martin

Love For His People

Founder/President

The ark in a synagogue (also called the Torah ark or holy ark) is generally a receptacle, or ornamental closet, which contains each synagogue's Torah scrolls (Sifrei Torah in Hebrew).^[1] Most arks feature a parokhet (curtain) placed either outside the doors of the ark (Ashkenazi and Mizrachi custom) or inside the doors of the ark (Spanish and Portuguese and Moroccan Sephardi custom). The ark is known in Hebrew as the aron kodesh ("holy ark") by the Ashkenazim and as the hekhál ("holy place") among most Sefardim.

 Smaller arks

The arks are pulled out into the Western Wall open are on special occasions, when the Torah scrolls inside are read.