As the Jewish High Holidays approach, Knesset Constitution Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman submitted an urgent request Wednesday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, asking them to permit shofar blowing and Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount during Rosh Hashanah.
In his letter, Rothman emphasized two issues he described as critically important for the upcoming holiday. "Blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah is one of the most central and important commandments of the holiday," he wrote. "The inability to blow the shofar on the Temple Mount on this day constitutes a significant infringement on the public's ability to fulfill this commandment at the site most sacred to it."
Rothman also highlighted that opening the Temple Mount for Musaf (additional) prayers on the first day of Rosh Hashanah—which falls on Shabbat this year—would provide "a rare opportunity for the broader public to come and pray at the holy site on a major holiday." He argued that restricting access on this day prevents many Jews from exercising their right to pray at the most important site for the Jewish people.
The lawmaker concluded his appeal by requesting permission for shofar blowing during Rosh Hashanah Musaf services and opening the site for prayer on the holiday's first day. "I am confident that you will consider these requests, understanding their spiritual, religious, and national importance to the observant public in Israel," he wrote, adding wishes for a good year ahead.
