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Common Ground News

Which way is the Kotel?

Author

Chloe Ramirez

Updated on March 08, 2026

Which way is the Kotel?

When you are in the vicinity of the right location, the word "Mizrach," which means east, will light up. You know you are getting close to pointing towards Mizrach when the blue arrow is facing the word Mizrach.

Also know, which way is Mizrach?

A mizrach [mizrachl means east] is a decorative item placed in a traditional Jewish home to indicate the east, the direction of Jerusalem and the direction to face for prayers. This work was originally framed and hung on the east wall of their home.

Also Know, is the Western Wall part of the original temple? Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. It is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews and destroyed by the Romans in 70 ce.

Consequently, which way do you face when davening?

??????, Modern: mizrā?, Tiberian: mizr?ħ, east) is the Hebrew word for "east" and the direction that Jews in the Diaspora west of Israel face during prayer.

What is on the other side of the Western Wall?

Solomon's Stables (see top image at the righthand side / south east corner) is an underground series of halls dated back to the Second Temple (±70 CE) times which was later used as stables in the crusader era. Nowadays it is used as a mosque.

Why do we pray facing East?

Early evidence of Christian praying towards the east
220) says that, because Christians faced towards the east at prayer, some non-Christians thought they worshipped the sun. In correspondence with the manner of the sun's rising, prayers are made looking towards the sunrise in the east."

Which direction one should pray?

North East – Isana. East is the most positive direction and we should avoid facing South while prayers as it is written (in our scriptures like Vastushastra) to be a negative direction and direction of Yamadeva. All directions are auspicious and each have a dikpala / directional deity. Temples usually face east.

What religion prays to the east?

Muslims, regardless of where they are on Earth, pray towards the Kaaba (the big black cube in Mecca). This obligatory prayer direction is called the qibla. If you are West of Mecca, you pray to the East.

What direction should we face while praying Christianity?

The Apostolic Constitutions, a work of eastern Christianity written between 375 and 380 AD, gave it as a rule that churches should have the sanctuary (with apse and sacristies) at the east end, to enable Christians to pray eastward in church as in private or in small groups.

Which direction does the synagogue face and why?

The synagogue, or if it is a multi-purpose building, prayer sanctuaries within the synagogue, are typically designed to have their congregation face towards Jerusalem. Thus sanctuaries in the Western world generally have their congregation face east, while those east of Israel have their congregation face west.

Why do Jews sway when they pray?

Another explanation explains rhythmic movement as a way to concentrate on praying and learning, and ward off distracting thoughts. According to the mystical text Zohar, a person's soul emanates from divine light.

Where do you face when praying?

A Qibla compass or qiblah compass (sometimes also called qibla/qiblah indicator) is a modified compass used by Muslims to indicate the direction to face to perform prayers. In Islam, this direction is called qibla, and points towards the city of Mecca and specifically to the Ka'abah.

How do you face east?

When you are facing north, east is on your right and west is on your left. When you are facing south, east is on your left and west is on your right. During daylight saving time, use one o'clock instead of 12 o'clock on the watch.

Which way is south?

South is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. South is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to the east and west.

Which way did the temple face?

The temple had chariots of the sun (2 Kings 23:11) and temple worshipers would face east and bow to the sun. (Ezekiel 8:16) Some Bible scholars, such as Margaret Barker, say that these solar elements indicate a solar cult.

How do Jews pray?

Jews are supposed to pray three times a day; morning, afternoon, and evening. The Jewish prayer book (it's called a siddur) has special services set down for this. Praying regularly enables a person to get better at building their relationship with God.

Why do synagogues face Jerusalem?

Facing Jerusalem
Wherever possible, synagogues face the city of Jerusalem . For synagogues in the UK, this would be east. Jews ensure they are facing Jerusalem when they are praying. This reminds Jews of the Temple .

What is the Hebrew Torah?

Torah refers to the five books of Moses which are known in Hebrew as Chameesha Choomshey Torah. It is also known as Torat Moshe, the Law of Moses. The Torah is the first section or first five books of the Jewish bible.

What is the Wailing Wall of Jerusalem?

Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. It is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews and destroyed by the Romans in 70 ce.

Where is the Ark of Covenant right now?

One of the most well known holds that Levitical priests moved the Ark to Egypt just before the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem in 586 B.C. From there it was supposedly moved to Ethiopia, where it resides to this day in the town of Aksum, in the St. Mary of Zion cathedral.

Why is the Temple Mount so important?

The Temple Mount is the holiest site in Judaism, which regards it as the place where God's divine presence is manifested more than in any other place, and is the place Jews turn towards during prayer.

Has Solomon's temple been found?

A 3,000-year-old defensive wall might be unprecedented archaeological support for a Bible passage on King Solomon. A 3,000-year-old defensive wall possibly built by King Solomon has been unearthed in Jerusalem, according to the Israeli archaeologist who led the excavation.

What happened to Ezra's temple?

It replaced Solomon's Temple (the First Temple), which was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE, when Jerusalem was conquered and part of the population of the Kingdom of Judah was taken into exile to Babylon. The second temple lasted for a total of 585 years (516 BCE to 70 CE).

What religion is the Wailing Wall?

Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. It is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews and destroyed by the Romans in 70 ce.

What happened to the temple Solomon built?

A decade later, Nebuchadnezzar again besieged Jerusalem and after 30 months finally breached the city walls in 587 BCE, subsequently burning the Temple, along with most of the city (2 Kings 25). According to Jewish tradition, the Temple was destroyed on Tisha B'Av, the 9th day of Av (Hebrew calendar).

Who destroyed the Second Temple?

Romans

What is the story behind the Wailing Wall?

Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. Such terms as Wailing Wall were coined by European travelers who witnessed the mournful vigils of pious Jews before the relic of the sacred Temple.

What is on the Temple Mount?

Today the Temple Mount, a walled compound within the Old City of Jerusalem, is the site of two magnificent structures: the Dome of the Rock to the north and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south. In the southwest stands the Western Wall—a remnant of the Second Temple and the holiest site in Judaism.

Why is the wailing wall so important?

Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. It is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews and destroyed by the Romans in 70 ce.

How long was Nehemiah's wall?

The work took some four years, between 1537 and 1541. The walls are visible on most old maps of Jerusalem over the last 1,500 years. The length of the walls is 4,018 meters (2.4966 mi), their average height is 12 meters (39.37 feet) and the average thickness is 2.5 meters (8.2 feet).

What country was Jerusalem in before Israel?

The Ottoman Empire ruled Jerusalem and much of the Middle East from about 1516 to 1917. After World War I, Great Britain took over Jerusalem, which was part of Palestine at the time. The British controlled the city and surrounding region until Israel became an independent state in 1948.

Is the Wailing Wall still standing?

Western Wall, Hebrew Ha-Kotel Ha-Maʿaravi, also called Wailing Wall, in the Old City of Jerusalem, a place of prayer and pilgrimage sacred to the Jewish people. It is the only remains of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, held to be uniquely holy by the ancient Jews and destroyed by the Romans in 70 ce.

Who built the Second Temple in Jerusalem?

Second Temple
Second Temple Herod's Temple
CreatorLikely Zerubbabel, largely renovated by Herod the Great.
Destroyed70 CE
Specifications
Height (max)45.72 metres (150.0 ft)

Who destroyed the walls of Jerusalem?

Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon

Why was the Western Wall destroyed?

The Western wall is the last remnant of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70 CE by Titus and the Roman legions. Interestingly, the Romans did not destroy the protective wall which surrounded the Temple. This leads many Jews to believe that the wall is holy and has been blessed by God.

Is Jerusalem a country?

Jerusalem is a city located in modern-day Israel and is considered by many to be one of the holiest places in the world. Jerusalem is a site of major significance for the three largest monotheistic religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and both Israel and Palestine have claimed Jerusalem as a capital city.

How old is the Wailing Wall?

2,038
c. 19 BC

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Which way is the Kotel?