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Lag B'Omer in United States

Quick Facts

Lag B'Omer (Lag Ba'Omer, Lag La'omer, Lag L'Omer) is the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which is a period of 49 days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot. In 2008 it falls at sunset on May 22.

Name

Lag B'Omer

Lag B'Omer 2008

Friday, May 23, 2008

Lag B'Omer 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Note: Many Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
See list of observations below
Akiba ben Joseph, also known as Rabbi Akiva, was a scholar of Jewish law. He also taught thousands and was also a teacher and around 24,000 of his students died in a plague, which ended on the 33rd day of the counting of the Omer. Lag B'Omer falls on the 18th day of the month of Iyar in the Hebrew calendar. It usually falls in April or May of the Gregorian calendar. In 2008 it falls at sunset on May 22.
Lag B´Omer jewish day
On Lag B'Omer, bonfires symbolize fires lit to communicate and celebrate that a war or period of fighting is over. ©iStockphoto.com/Greg Nicholas

What do people do?

The Counting of the Omer is a time for spiritual growth and some Jewish groups forbid haircuts, weddings, dancing and other forms of entertainment in this period. However, Lag B'Omer is a time of celebration and these restrictions are either lifted for one day or ended. Many people hold picnics or barbecues, sing, dance, and encourage their children to play outside with bows, arrows, bats and balls. In Meron, Israel, three-year-old boys are given their first haircuts on this holiday.

On the evening at the start of Lag B'Omer, children and young people light bonfires that they prepared in the days leading up to the holiday. People may also offer Chai Rotel by donating or offering 18 rotel (about 13 gallons or 54 liters) of liquid food or drink to pilgrims attending the celebrations at the Hilula of R'Shimon bar Yochai in Meron, Israel. Many people believe that anyone who does this will be granted a miracle. An example of this would be that a woman who cannot have children through pregnancy may miraculously become pregnant.

Public life

Lag B'Omer is a public holiday in Israel. It is not a public holiday in other countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States, and public life is not usually affected. However, Jewish organizations may be closed or offer a limited service to allow celebrations to be held.

Background

The Lag B'Omer holiday originates from the time of Rabbi Akiva, a scholar and teacher of Jewish law who lived approximately during the years 50 to 135. In a number of Jewish documents, there are passages, which report that 24,000 of his students died in a plague, because they had not respected each other. The plague ended on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, a period of 49 days between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Shavuot. Some scholars think that the "plague" refers to the Roman occupation of Jewish lands and that the students died resisting the Roman army, perhaps in the Bar Kokhba revolt in the years 132 to 135.

Symbols

In Israel, Lag B'Omer is a school holiday. In the days beforehand, children and young people gather waste wood, particularly old doors and boards, to pile into huge bonfires. On the evening of Lag B'Omer, these fires are lit. As some scholars think that the "plague" that caused the deaths of Rabbi Akiva's students was actually the Bar Kokhba revolt during the Roman occupation, the bonfires may symbolize fires lit to communicate and celebrate that a war or period of fighting has ended.

Lag B'Omer Observances

Note: Many Jewish holidays begin at sundown the day before the date specified for the holiday.
WeekdayDateYearNameHoliday typeWhere it is observed
SunMay 41980Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
FriMay 221981Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 111982Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 11983Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 201984Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 91985Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 271986Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 171987Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 51988Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 231989Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 131990Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 21991Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 211992Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 91993Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
FriApr 291994Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 181995Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 71996Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 251997Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 141998Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 41999Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 232000Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
FriMay 112001Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueApr 302002Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 202003Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 92004Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
FriMay 272005Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 162006Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 62007Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
FriMay 232008Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
TueMay 122009Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 22010Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 222011Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 102012Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunApr 282013Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
SunMay 182014Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 
ThuMay 72015Lag B'OmerJewish holiday 

Other holidays in May 2008 in United States

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