The skies over Israel’s population centers glowed last night from hundreds of traditional Lag B’Omer fires lit by youngsters who later danced around them until the early hours of today.
The religious phases of the holiday were observed mainly in Meron, north of Safad. More than 50, 000 worshippers made the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of the sage, Shimon Bar Yochai. Thousands of tourists watched the pilgrimage which began with the carrying of a scroll from Safad to the Tomb.
At the Tomb, Rabbi Jacob Toledano, Minister of Religions, and Police Minister Bechor Shitreet supervised the lighting of a huge bonfire. Police detachments with first aid equipment were on hand but no serious accidents occurred. Dancing at the site continued through the night and the ceremony today was climaxed at a fete in which hundreds of three-year-old children had their first haircut.
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.
