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Israel invites Pinoys to visit e-Wailing Wall as pandemic restricts travel to Holy Land

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/03/22/20210322-western-wall-jerusalem.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>A man prays at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. <em>Photo Handout via the Israeli Ministry of Tourism</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Israel&#x27;s Tourism Ministry has mounted an online portal that would enable Filipinos to place notes in Jerusalem&#x27;s Wailing Wall amid travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Monday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/22/21/phs-new-covid-19-cases-reach-record-high-of-8019-3rd-time-in-4-days">PH’s new COVID-19 cases reach record-high of 8,019, 3rd time in 4 days</a></li>	<li><a href=" https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/21/21/duterte-approves-2-week-gcq-for-m-manila-nearby-provinces-with-addl-restrictions">Duterte approves 2-week GCQ for M. Manila, nearby provinces with add&#x27;l restrictions</a></li></ul><p>Those who cannot physically visit the Wailing Wall may send e-notes to a <a href="https://israel.travel/ph/westernwall">website</a> where these messages will be printed in Jerusalem and placed in the cracks of the historic wall, the Ministry said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;While Israel is still closed to international travel, we wanted to create a meaningful way this coming holy week for the Filipinos in which they can be inspired and connect with the spiritual sites that are abundant in our country,&quot; Sammy Yahia, Israel Ministry of Tourism director for India and the Philippines, said in the statement.</p><p>&quot;With travel currently restricted, we want to make this unique Israeli experience accessible for the Filipinos this Holy week, so we created a portal for them to send their personal notes.&quot;</p><p>Thousands of Filipinos travel to Israel to retrace the steps and life of Jesus Christ in the Middle Eastern country, especially during the Holy Week, the ministry said.</p><p>Part of the tour is usually a visit to the Wailing Wall where &quot;visitors could write a prayer or wishes in a piece of paper and squeeze it between the cracks of the wall.&quot; </p><p>&quot;It is said that if you leave a note at the Western Wall, your message and wishes will be heard as it is directly taken to God,&quot; the ministry said.</p><p>In 2019, some 34,100 Filipinos visited Israel, according to data from the Israel Ministry of Tourism.</p><p>The Philippines is commemorating this year the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the country.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/14/21/pope-leads-mass-for-philippines-celebration-of-500-years-of-christianity">READ: Pope Francis leads mass for Philippines&#x27; celebration of 500 years of Christianity</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1644954" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Israel's Tourism Ministry has mounted an online portal that would enable Filipinos to place notes in Jerusalem's Wailing Wall amid travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Monday.</p>

Israel's Tourism Ministry has mounted an online portal that would enable Filipinos to place notes in Jerusalem's Wailing Wall amid travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Monday.