Security authorities breathed easier today as the Rosh Hashana holiday ended without terrorist activity except for an aborted attempt by two Arab youths to plant a home-made time bomb in a Tel Aviv supermarket on Rosh Hashana eve. The country relaxed during the two-day holiday but remained at the same time, in a state of high alert.
Israeli artillery shelled terrorist concentrations in southern Lebanon in what was described as a preventive measure. Border patrols were reenforced, especially on the northern frontiers and armed guards watched over synagogues, resorts and camping areas where large numbers of people gathered.
Synagogue attendance was high and in many towns considered vulnerable to terrorist attacks, worshippers carried hand guns or rifles to services. The sunny weather, tempered by sea breezes attracted thousands to the seashore and mountain resorts. The Golan Heights were also a major tourist attraction.
A group of 60 new immigrants landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Rosh Hashana eve, bringing the total number of olim during the Hebrew calendar year 5734 to 43,000, 20 percent fewer than last year. A second group of 60 immigrants landed after the holiday ended, the first arrivals of the new year.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
