Jews light bonfire to celebrate holiday of Lag BaOmer

STORY: Jews light bonfire to celebrate holiday of Lag BaOmer DATELINE: May 9, 2023 LENGTH: 0:03:40 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1 various of Jews lighting bonfires and dancing STORYLINE: Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel lighted bonfires during a Lag BaOmer celebration in the West Bank city of Modi'in Illit on Monday. Lag BaOmer, also known as Lag B'Omer, is a Jewish festival celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. This day marks the hillula (celebration, interpreted by some as anniversary of death) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a Mishnaic sage and leading disciple of Rabbi Akiva in the second century. There are several well-known customs and practices on Lag BaOmer, including the lighting of bonfires, pilgrimage to the tomb of bar Yochai in the northern Israeli town of Meron, and various customs at the tomb itself. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Jerusalem. (XHTV)

Jews celebrate mystical holiday of Lag BaOmer

STORY: Jews celebrate mystical holiday of Lag BaOmer DATELINE: May 19, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:58 LOCATION: Jerusalem CATEGORY: CULTURE SHOTLIST: 1. various of people celebrating Lag BaOmer in Israel STORYLINE: As the sun came down on Wednesday, Jewish communities around the world gathered in backyards, streets and even cemeteries in celebration of Jewish mystical holiday of Lag BaOmer, which began in the evening of Wednesday until sundown on Thursday. Lag BaOmer, also known as Lag B'Omer, is a Jewish festival celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. This day marks the hillula (celebration, interpreted by some as anniversary of death) of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a Mishnaic sage and leading disciple of Rabbi Akiva in the second century, and the day on which he revealed the deepest secrets of kabbalah in the form of the Zohar (Book of Splendor), a landmark text of Jewish mysticism. There are several well-known customs and practices on Lag