Not just a trend: The Selichot data declares – the people of Israel are coming home

Nearly two million worshippers attended the Selichot prayers at the Western Wall this year, with a record 150,000 at the final service before Yom Kippur. The data shows a continuous upward trend since 2017, when hundreds of thousands attended, crossing the million mark in 2018 and reaching two million in recent years. The article presents the phenomenon as a return to roots, not a passing trend.

Nearly two million worshippers attended the Selichot prayers at the Western Wall plaza during the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Repentance this year. More than 350,000 people participated in the services already in the first half of Elul, and over 50,000 attended the main service on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. The final Selichot service before Yom Kippur saw about 150,000 participants, a record-breaking number. The article compares these figures to previous years: in 2017, hundreds of thousands participated; in 2018, the number crossed the million mark with about 100,000 at the Yom Kippur eve service; and in 2023, over two million worshippers were reported. In 2024 and 2025, over 100,000 attended the main services. The article notes that Generation Z has been dubbed "thirsty souls" and that social media is flooded with footage of young people from all sectors of Israeli society – secular, religious, and ultra-Orthodox. The framing presents the phenomenon as a shared yearning for spiritual life, meaning, and faith, not as a passing trend.