When a mayor tried to put an end to traditional Lag
B'Omer bonfires out of environmental concerns, a community rose up in protest.
With a potential war on the horizon, why not let the kids enjoy their toasted
marshmallows now? There’s nothing Israeli kids love more than Lag B’Omer. For weeks beforehand, they roll stolen grocery shopping carts around town with their friends, collecting every scrap of wood in sight for the class bonfire. As a kid in America, where Lag B’Omer - one of the most minor and forgettable of all Jewish holidays - is often overlooked - massive bonfires were not part of my childhood. But as a parent in Israel, I have spent countless nights watching my ash-encrusted kids run in circles around the campfire, thrusting sticks into the flames, enjoying the forbidden thrill of playing with fire, poking the flames to see if their foil-wrapped potatoes are fully cooked and spearing sticks with rows of marshmallows to be roasted. No one is quite sure what they are commemorating. The death of an ancient rabbi? The Bar-Kochva revolt? Nobody cares. It’s an excuse to steal, play with fire, get dirty, stay out ridiculously late and then miss a day of school - all socially sanctioned. What’s not to love?
Clearly, I’m no big fan of the ritual, but most Israeli adults harbor nostalgic affection for the annual bonfire, remembering the camaraderie and romance of the bonfires of their childhood and adolescence. (Unless they suffer from asthma or breathing problems, in which case they miserably barricade themselves indoors, windows sealed tight against the massive amount of smoke in the air.)
No comments:
Post a Comment