Thousands of worshippers joined together at the Western Wall in Jerusalem during the holiday of Purim, in prayers for the soldiers and hostages. Said to be the largest recitation of the Shema prayer in the history of the Jewish people. The Shema an affirmation prayer, a mission statement and declaration of faith in one God. Dozens of twisted shofar horns were blown in unison as the hostage family members kept their eyes closed and their heads bowed in prayer. A live stream on YouTube had more than 50,000 join in.
I overlaid the words of the Shema resonating from the ram horns with kabbalistic mystic rings intertwined throughout, in the backdrop of the sacred Wall. Unity, awe, hope within a diverse community of secular and religious. A moment of spiritual uplift and solidarity, in endless days of dread and urgent anticipation.