Free Republic

A photographer who claimed to have been assaulted by Jews celebrating Lag Ba’Omer in Hevron has responded to allegations that the incident was fabricated, insisting that he was indeed attacked as he tried to film the event. Emil Salman, who was covering the celebrations in the ancient Judean city on Saturday night, along with veteran Haaretz journalist Amira Hass, told Arutz Sheva the incident lasted “for about 40 seconds”, and began when he tried to approach the Jews’ traditional Lag Ba’Omer bonfire. […] Surprisingly, he said he hadn’t suffered any injuries in the attack, apart from a “pain in the...

Our brothers from the Neturei Karta sect celebrated the holiday marking our war of independence against the Romans by burning our national flag.

Thousands who were planning to go up to Mt. Meron Thursday night, in preparation for the Saturday night Lag Ba’omer celebration, were stuck at the bus stop in Har Chotzvim, Jerusalem, where every empty bus that showed up to pick up passengers was pursued by a wild, desperate Haredi mob.

Thirty-three days following the first day of Passover, Jews celebrate a "minor" holiday called Lag B'Omer, the thirty-third day of the Omer. It is an oasis of joy in the midst of the sad Sefirah period that passes almost unnoticed by most contemporary Jews. Yet it contains historic lessons of such gravity that our generation must attempt to unravel its mystery. We may well discover that our own fate is wrapped in the crevices of its secrets. The seven weeks between Passover and Shavuos are the days of the "Counting of the Omer," the harvest festivities which were observed in...

Tens of thousands of people congregated on Mount Meron near the tomb of rabbinical sage Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai on Saturday night for traditional Lag Ba'omer celebrations as bonfires were lit throughout the country. The festivities on Mount Meron and especially the lighting of the main bonfire were deferred until 11 pm to enable observant Jews from Jerusalem, Bnei Brak and the south to reach the site after the conclusion of Shabbath. Many had already traveled to the site on Thursday and Friday and set up camp there for the annual celebrations that mark the 33rd day of Omer, or 18...

The day has been set aside by our sages as a day of commemoration of Bar Kochba's military revolt against the Romans, as well as the anniversary of the death of Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai (both of the 1st-2nd centuries CE), Kabbalist and dissident in Roman-occupied Israel. According to some traditions, Lag Ba'Omer also represents the end of a period of mourning for thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva, who died in a plague at this time of year. Israelis mark the day with community bonfires throughout the country, accompanied by food, play and song. As reported earlier this year, the...