Israel - Rabbi Plants Himself in Protest of Shemittah Violation

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Israel - Rabbi Eliav Meir of Moshav Gimzo found a creative way to protest a planned tree planting — he planted himself in a pit dug for a tree and refused to move.

Rabbi Meir has been joined by a fellow resident of Moshav Gimzo in his protest outside the city of Shoham, and both men say they will not move until workers promise to delay the planting of several trees for the next two weeks.

Rabbi Meir said Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz had promised him that the trees would not be planted immediately, but rather would be planted after the holiday of Rosh Hashana, when the shemittah year will be over. Jews are forbidden to engage in agricultural activities during the shemittah year, including planting.

If the trees are planted now, he said, “Every time we pass here we'll remember that the state of Israel planted these trees during the shemittah year, and did not wait a few days for the new year.”