Rainy Bar Mitzvah at The Kotel, Western Wall, Jerusalem

A few weeks ago I was invited to a Monday morning Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel.  For those who don't know, a Bar Mitzvah where/when the boy can read from the Torah, or at least say the blessings, can be done on any day of the week when the Torah is read. They are Shabbat, Monday, Thursday, Rosh Chodesh (beginning of Jewish Month) and most Jewish Holidays.

My youngest son is also a winter baby, and one of the reasons that we didn't do a "Kotel ceremony" for him was because we feared the rainy weather would make it difficult to stand outside etc.

Things have changed at the Kotel.  Now there's an indoor space further into the Kotel area that had been "undeveloped" when he was thirteen.  I followed a passage way to the Ezrat Nashim,  Women's Section.

I had no idea what to expect. 

And then I entered.  There were a few groups of women, each following a different Bar Mitzvah by watching through the windows and listening via earphones.  Yes, very high-tech, I was surprised.  My friend, mother of the boy, said they had reserved the spot, because space is very limited. 

There are comfortable seats and siddurim (prayerbooks) and Chumashim (Bibles) for those who don't bring from home.  I could follow what was going on, but my camera doesn't have a strong enough flash to photograph the Kotel and men.

Afterwards, my friend and her family set up a table with all sorts of goodies in a protected from the rain place. 

There were "holes" you could look down and see how deep the Kotel goes.

Of course, there were no complaints about the rain.  We need every drop.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach to all of you!