Slichot Feed: TikTok rediscovers Jewish liturgical hymns
Ahead of the month of Elul, four content creators who regularly upload videos to TikTok from Slichot events in synagogues and at the Western Wall, which become viral, talk about the phenomenon, the embrace they receive from the audience, and the sense of mission and connection to tradition.
Jerusalem travel blogger Asi Tichtel (41), creator of the travel blog "Israel 360" (israelin360@), has been regularly uploading videos for years from Slichot events in Jerusalem, and especially at the Western Wall. "Some of these videos reached crazy figures of five million views last year," he says. "The peak moment in these events is, of course, the singing of 'Adon HaSlichot'. It is a very moving event of repentance and unity."
Once, people would go out for Slichot with a prayer book in hand; today, there are those who go out with a phone in recording mode as well. In the month of Elul, when the streets fill with worshippers, synagogues wake up in the night hours, and the ancient liturgical hymns (piyutim) are heard again, there are those who document and upload to TikTok. What began a few years ago as a phenomenon identified mainly with teenagers has long since become a matter of routine, reaching millions of views and an audience that might not have encountered these traditions otherwise.
"My videos have a uniqueness compared to others because I film them using a 360-degree camera and an extra-long selfie stick," Tichtel says. "This technique simulates drone footage, and people get a video that looks like it was filmed from the air, in a place where it is forbidden to fly drones. People just get hooked on this interesting angle." He notes that his Western Wall videos consistently reach higher exposure than other travel content, as they document the powerful energy of the people of Israel uniting.
Fed up with the disputes
"Professionally, I work at the 'Netzach Yehuda' association of the army, managing their social media, but I also create content for my own page to strengthen myself and others," says Nachman Cohen (34). "The main motive is the desire to talk about unity. We are all fed up with the division and hatred in the country. I always try to focus on the positive side. When we look at the Torah and our history, we understand that we have experienced everything in the past and always return to the same principles."
His videos receive warm feedback. "My message is that in the month of Elul, we all have an amazing opportunity for soul-searching. You don't have to be a great righteous person; it is enough that each of us takes upon ourselves something small and good to change our reality."
Nachman Yosef (18) has been uploading live videos from the Western Wall for over three years. "Sometimes my hand breaks from holding the phone, but people write in the comments non-stop: 'Please don't close, keep the live open.' It gives me a sense of mission to allow those who cannot physically reach the Wall to feel part of the event. These melodies enter straight into the heart and awaken the Jewish spark even in the most secular person."
Eldad Almakies (17) also sees this as a mission. "It is important to raise awareness of the month of Elul. The whole nation unites and shouts Slichot. I grew up in an ultra-Orthodox home where these customs were ingrained in me, and for me, this is not a trend but a sincere excitement. It is most important to emphasize that we are one people, and through this unity, we will win and merit redemption."
