Though national attention has been turned to the Winograd Report and its long-term political ramifications, the religious leadership in the country is not allowing itself to be distracted from the main issues: The dangers to the Land of Israel and Jerusalem. In light of these concerns, rabbis across the board have called for an international day of prayer in synagogues, saintly rabbis' graves, and other locations. Many people will gather at Hevron's Machpelah Cave and especially at the Western Wall in Jerusalem at 3:30 PM. People are invited to bring Shofarot to the latter event. The initiative was that of Rabbi Simcha HaCohen Kook, the Chief Rabbi of Rehovot, who is widely seen by both religious sectors as their representative. The Councils of Torah Sages of both Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah signed on the announcements for the day of prayer, as did the Ichud HaRabanim (Union of Rabbis), the Yesha Rabbis Council, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, and others. The announcements call for a day of "protest, crying out and prayer" on "Little Yom Kippur" - the day before a new month (Adar Aleph, in this case) - in light of the "terrible decrees to destroy our holy land and the holy city of Jerusalem." Also noted are the "cruel harassment by the courts of G-d's nation and of Torah scholars who have been placed behind bars... We are all called upon to arise as 'one person, with one heart' for an international day of prayer in synagogues, Torah study halls and holy sites - all of the various streams and groupings, joining together in unity and brotherhood, with G-d with us."
