Thousands of Israelis took off from work Thursday, less in observance of May Day, the international labor holiday, than simply as an extension of the Passover holiday which ended Wednesday night.
Many factories, commercial enterprises and service industries were shut down or operated on Saturday schedules with only partial staffing. Newspapers did not publish, except for the National Religious Party’s daily Hatzofe, and most post offices were closed.
Red flags were flown from Histadrut buildings and the headquarters of the Labor Party and Mapam. But they were far fewer than in past years. Histadrut called on its members to observe May Day as a day of international labor solidarity. But it did not order a complete work stoppage, citing economic conditions as the reason.
Many Israelis who do not normally observe May Day took off for the countryside and beaches. The North African Jewish community celebrated the Mimouna feast, traditionally observed on the day after Passover. They held picnics in parks and open house parties, inviting passersby to sample some of their ethnic dishes.
Political leaders of all parties made sure to put in an appearance at one or another of these celebrations, obviously hoping their presence would translate into votes from Israel’s majority Sephardic population. The only large city to hold a May Day parade and rally was Nazareth, the largest Arab town in Israel, which has a Communist-led Town Council.
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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.
