Dozens of Jews and Christians offer prayers, sing on Temple Mount in honor of Charlie Kirk

A group of Jewish and Christian worshipers ascended the Temple Mount on Wednesday afternoon, in an event organized by Beyadenu (“In Our Hands”) and former Knesset Member Yehuda Glick, to pray and sing in memory of Evangelical Christian and conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The prayers were led by Glick and social activist Mordechai Askin. Glick is known as an activist and proponent for Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, and survived an assassination attempt in 2014. 

Glick drew attention to the upcoming Jewish holiday of Rosh HaShanah, the Jewish New Year, in comments made before the group ascended the Temple Mount. 

“We are seven days after the assassination of the dear, late Charlie Kirk. And we’re also seven days before the day of coronation, the day that the world stops, blows the shofar, and announces the kingdom of God,” Glick stated. “There is no better time in my eyes than now to be here.” 

He did not hide the purpose of the ascent, telling the participants, “We are here to pray.” 

Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, while not illegal under Israeli law, has been forbidden as part of the status quo agreement maintained after the IDF captured all of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. At that time, several Jewish leaders, including religious figures, urged Israel to assume full control of the holy site and permit Jewish prayer while still allowing Muslim access. The Israeli government agreed to uphold the status quo, afraid of igniting a broader regional conflict.

The status quo agreement dates back to a decree by the Ottoman Empire in the 1800s, in which the religious status of each holy site was decreed to remain in the custody of the religious group which possessed it at that time. 

“As we know, Charlie Kirk in his lifetime managed to connect so many hearts to faith, without fear and without hesitation. And now, in his death, he has connected even more people to the Creator, and even brought Jews and Christians from all over the world to the place that God chose for His name to dwell," Glick told the attendees.

"Today, we merited to pray here together for peace in the world, for Erika and the dear children, and for all the widows and orphans everywhere,” Glick continued. “We will work so that in the coming years more and more believers from around the world will join us in turning this place into a house of prayer for all nations.”

Askin remarked that Kirk devoted himself to sharing his message of truth and faith.

“Charlie Kirk was a living embodiment of the phrase ‘a little light pushes away much darkness.’ He tirelessly traveled to spread the light of truth and faith, even in the most hostile environment," Askin said. 

"Inspired by him, we chose to come here, to the place that the enemies of humanity, the Hamas murderers, turned into the symbol of their deadly attack on October 7th,” he continued. “Against their darkness, we shine forth from here a great light of love, peace, and unity. In this place, meant to be ‘a house of prayer for all nations,’ we held a joint prayer of Jews and Christians who love Israel, the children of Isaac and Jacob, in Charlie’s memory, for victory in the war, and for the speedy return of all our hostages.” 

Beyadenu Public Relations Director Akiva Ariel said,

“The Temple Mount is the beating heart of the Jewish people, but it is also meant to be a ‘House of Prayer for all nations.'"

“Here, in memory of Charlie Kirk and his legacy, we gathered to continue his courageous struggle.”