While hundreds of thousands of people traveled to the city of Meron
to celebrate the holiday of Lag B’Omer,
those remaining in Jerusalem were divided into two groups.
One group stayed indoors at night with their windows shut tight.
And the second group gathered around medurot, bonfires,
transforming otherwise peaceful nature areas and parks into smokey infernos.
The air filled with smoke, as fires were fueled by
everything from a car load of small sticks to a long board,
and pieces of wood big and small,
brought by little girls and big guys;
even by taxi they came.
Fires, large and small, filled the city with smoke.
Was this bench to sit on or to burn?
People of all ages and
chairs of all types filled the park.
Safety warnings were posted and it rained over night, but the next afternoon
there were still fires smouldering.
The birds enjoyed a bit of day time quiet,
then a woman and her grandchildren came to start a new medura.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai was a disciple of Rabbi Akiva
and master of mystical teachings.
Could he ever have imagined these celebrations in his name?
Dear Sharon,
Yasher koach. You do a great service in keeping us updated on life in Jerusalem. And you’re a great photographer, too.
All the best. Edith
Mrs. Paller. Please send me an email. David Berns, mddhb2@aol.com