Shavei Israel organizes first Lag B’Omer celebration for Subbotnik Jews in Israel
Subbotnik Jews in Beit Shemesh build a Lag B’Omer bonfire
Esther Surikova was worried. The barbeque and bonfire she’d planned for the Subbotnik Jewish community of Beit Shemesh last Wednesday night conflicted with another event for Jews who have immigrated to Israel from Russia – a party to mark “Victory Day” – the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Most of the Subbotnik Jews in Beit Shemesh were invited to both celebrations.
So Surikova, who directs Shavei Israel’s Russia and Eastern Europe department, was both surprised and delighted when nearly the entire Subbotnik Jewish community chose to attend Shavei Israel’s Lag B’Omer festivities.
This was the first time that Shavei Israel has organized an event for Lag B’Omer in Israel. Usually, Rabbi Zelig Avrasin, Shavei Israel’s emissary to the Subbotnik Jews, is in Russia for the day. Surikova explains: “It’s a special and significant date in Visoky [where the Subbotnik Jewish community is based]. Community members, even those who have moved to the bigger cities, return to Visoky to visit the Jewish cemeteries.”
The highlight of Lag B’Omer in Israel, of course, is the bonfire and barbeque and Surikova made sure there were plenty of burgers and hot dogs on hand. While the meat was sizzling outside, Rabbi Avrasin led a class and discussion on the Kabbalistic origins of Lag B’Omer. Shavei Israel published a booklet dedicated to Lag B’Omer in Russian for the community last year.
Rabbi Avrasin used the get-together to announce that he will soon be launching an online class (in Russian) on Kabbalah, using Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s book The Thirteen Petalled Rose.
We have more pictures from the Beit Shemesh barbeque here:
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