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JERUSALEM (AP) — Thousands of prayer notes, some simply addressed to God, have been removed from the stones of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem ahead of next week's observance of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Using wooden sticks, workers removed the pieces of paper from their crevices. The operation is carried out twice a year — before the Passover festival and at the Jewish New Year, in the autumn. The notes are then buried according to Jewish ritual.
Derl Crawford , a tourist from Mississippi, said it was a "wonderful thing" to witness.
Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rabbi of the Western Wall, says the notes are tucked into the ancient wall by Jews and non-Jews alike. He says, "God hears everyone's prayers."
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