This was written on Friday before the holiday but didn't get posted - oops!! I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Pics to follow!!........:
Saturday night begins Lag B'omer! This day marks a festive break in the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, remembered as a period during which many of the disciples of Rabbi Akiva fell victim to a plague. The festivity of Lag B'omer commemorates the day the dying ceased, which paradoxically falls on the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a great Jewish sage.
When we lived in America my children were largely unimpressed with the holiday, which was usually marked by a bonfire or two, either hosted by a synagogue or a private individual, but occurring sparsely. Therefore, when we moved to Israel we had no idea what we were in for.
Preparations in Israel generally begin two weeks in advance, when children and a parent or two begin picking up random pieces of wood that they come across during their daily routines. The pace picks up, of course, during the week of the holiday, with frenzied raiding of construction sites and defending wood piles like they hold the keys to Fort Knox. The dragging of wood by hand and in carts is seen from morning til night as the excitement builds. The day of the bonfire is worthy of CIA intervention, as Israel's youth patrol and protect their woodpiles like mother and father tigers.
Aside from driving their children to gather wood, parents do not have the luxury of sitting idly by while the young and energetic prepare. We are gatherers as well, so we do our part. At the market we gather up meats and chickens, condiments and grill equipment, s'more ingredients and drinks. We will not sit by the fire, oh no. We will be cooking up a storm on small grills by the light of the bonfire. The neighbors will come out like stars in the night, one by one, then two by two. Children will swarm like flies, first to the bonfires, then to the meats and treats that will give their holiday the touch of perfection.
I still remember our first Lag B'omer in Israel. Our Israeli neighbors had strung up lights across the street near the field and enjoyed their bonfire and a banquet fit for kings. Friends who joined us at our fire brought out kabobs and liqueur; the party got started while a moon like an enormous pearl rose slowly over the hills. The result: a magical night.
From that first Lag B'omer we were hooked. Each year just gets better and better. If our holiday bonfires and barbecues are any indication, we have fully evolved into Israelis.
Saturday night begins Lag B'omer! This day marks a festive break in the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, remembered as a period during which many of the disciples of Rabbi Akiva fell victim to a plague. The festivity of Lag B'omer commemorates the day the dying ceased, which paradoxically falls on the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a great Jewish sage.
When we lived in America my children were largely unimpressed with the holiday, which was usually marked by a bonfire or two, either hosted by a synagogue or a private individual, but occurring sparsely. Therefore, when we moved to Israel we had no idea what we were in for.
Preparations in Israel generally begin two weeks in advance, when children and a parent or two begin picking up random pieces of wood that they come across during their daily routines. The pace picks up, of course, during the week of the holiday, with frenzied raiding of construction sites and defending wood piles like they hold the keys to Fort Knox. The dragging of wood by hand and in carts is seen from morning til night as the excitement builds. The day of the bonfire is worthy of CIA intervention, as Israel's youth patrol and protect their woodpiles like mother and father tigers.
Aside from driving their children to gather wood, parents do not have the luxury of sitting idly by while the young and energetic prepare. We are gatherers as well, so we do our part. At the market we gather up meats and chickens, condiments and grill equipment, s'more ingredients and drinks. We will not sit by the fire, oh no. We will be cooking up a storm on small grills by the light of the bonfire. The neighbors will come out like stars in the night, one by one, then two by two. Children will swarm like flies, first to the bonfires, then to the meats and treats that will give their holiday the touch of perfection.
I still remember our first Lag B'omer in Israel. Our Israeli neighbors had strung up lights across the street near the field and enjoyed their bonfire and a banquet fit for kings. Friends who joined us at our fire brought out kabobs and liqueur; the party got started while a moon like an enormous pearl rose slowly over the hills. The result: a magical night.
From that first Lag B'omer we were hooked. Each year just gets better and better. If our holiday bonfires and barbecues are any indication, we have fully evolved into Israelis.
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