Orange County, NY – Thousands turned out Wednesday night in the Satmar Chasidic village of Kiryas Joel to mark the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer with the annual bonfire.
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Traditionally, a large platform is prepared, wood is piled in the center and large amounts of oil are poured on the wood.
Similar bonfires are held in many Jewish communities, but Kiryas Joel’s is by far the largest such celebration in the United States. This year, a turnout of nearly 20,000 people took part in the event.
The origins of this celebration lie in the village of Meron in the Holy Land, burial site of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai.
Lag Baomer marks the anniversary of his death approximately 1900 years ago. It is a day when Jews traditionally express happiness and thanks to G-d for inspiring Rabbi Simeon to write portions of the Talmud, the Zohar and other important Jewish texts.
Photos credit: Yossi Goldnerger & Y. Sondik.
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Wow wow… what a huge oilem…. what a kiddush hashem, what a revenge for hitler ym”s, im sure the holy satmar rabba z”l are proud of his chasidim.
Can you show us some pictures from the Bonfire on Passover Eve?
Very nice, Can women or girls attend and enjoy Lag B’Omer?
Thousands of women attended and enjoyed. VIN chose not to publish those pictures.
#6 the floodlights in the KJ Beis Hamedrash parking lot were actually very bright. The photographer was among the women so I guess they couldn’t get a good shot. Or the deal was not to photograph them.