篝火，婚礼和卡罗比有什么共同之处？他们都连接到滞后的Ba'omer的假期。虽然你可能从未听说过这个假期，in IsraelLag Ba’Omer is popular and widely beloved — and it’s time we Americans learned to enjoy it, too. Below are suggestions of some fun ways to do so.
But first, a little bit of history about this unusual holiday. Lag Ba’Omer is the 33rd day of the Omer, a seven-week period that begins on the second evening逾越节。在这段时间里，我们每天都算一下，直到惠花的假期开始。虽然Omer连接了两个快乐的假期 - 逾越节，庆祝奴隶制自由，而且舍瓜, which celebrates the revelation of the Torah at Mount Sinai — the Omer is a period of semi-mourning.
According to the Talmud, the central text of rabbinic犹太教, many years ago, during the Omer, God caused a plague that killed thousands of the students of the great Rabbi Akiva. Why? We’re told that Rabbi Akiva’s students weren’t treating each other with respect. Today, we remember these students and their punishment during this time. However, on the 33rd day of the Omer — yep, Lag Ba’Omer — God brought the plague to an end. That means it’s time to party!
Of course, in true Jewish tradition, there are other backstories to Lag Ba’Omer as well. The holiday is also connected to a disciple of Rabbi Akiva — whom, it’s worth mentioning, was a supporter ofBar Kochba, who led a ferocious but unsuccessful revolt against Roman rule in 132 BCE. This disciple, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, fled from the Roman rulers in Jerusalem; legend has it that he spent years hiding in a cave, sustained only by a well of water and a carob tree. A famed mystic, Shimon Bar Yochai allegedly died on Lag Ba’Omer. In Israel, hundreds of thousands of哈西奇犹太人make pilgrimages to his tomb in Meron on this date; they celebrate his life by partying up a storm.
在以色列的较少观察者犹太人中，Lag Ba'omer一般是朋友和家人聚会的借口，并有一个篝火。在假期的傍晚，很多人轻火和烹制各种篝火食品，如热狗，烤土豆和棉花糖烤上棍子。即使你是not an outdoorsy人的类型，当我说这很有趣时，相信我！
Fortunately, you can celebrate Lag Ba’Omer even if you’re not in Israel. There are lots of fun ways to commemorate this day! This year — as we continue to inch closer to the end of amodern-day plague— I encourage everyone to find meaning and joy in celebrating the end of a different plague that occurred many years ago. Here are some family-friendly ways you can celebrate Lag Ba’Omer:
1.野餐
在以色列为学校孩子们常常庆祝留下留言和/或野餐。如果天气好的话，外面吃饭，并用你的家人度过一些Qt。
2.玩鼠标和箭头玩得开心
During the holiday, Israeli kids are often seen playing with toy bows and arrows — one explanation is that this is in imitation of Rabbi Akiva’s students’ revolt against the Romans. Now, I’m vehementlyanti-violence, but there’s no denying that kids enjoy this kind of play! You can get imitation, suction-cup-tipped arrows to play with, or simply break out the Nerf or water guns, and head to a park or your own backyard.
3.发出篝火
As we’ve established, fires are a traditional way to celebrate Lag Ba’Omer in Israel — some say this is in honor of the “spiritual light” that the mystical Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai brought to the world. Also, what’s more fun thana bonfire？通过送达S'mores或其他款待来加入快乐。
4.听一些令人敬畏的音乐
许多传统的犹太人在遗漏期间不会听音乐，因为它是哀悼时期。但Lag Ba'omer是例外！无论你的家人在这个时候做什么或者在这个时候都没有做到，这个假期是一个完美的借口，以便走到一些有趣的犹太人或Israeli music— or whatever floats your boat! Here’s a播放列表of some catchy, modern Israeli songs that are guaranteed to get the whole family dancing!
5. Share memories from your wedding day
传统上，犹太人在omer期间不会结婚。当然，LAG BA'OMER是一个例外，因此，在这个快乐的日子里有许多婚礼。如果你are married, take this opportunity to travel down memory lane! Share some photos of your special day with your kids, tell some stories, and if you have a video of your wedding, watch it together as a family — especially if your kids have never seen it before.
6.在一些小龟上吃零食
Carob, as we established, sustained Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai during the years he lived in a cave. It grows abundantly across Israel, and it’s also a very tasty and healthy snack! That’s尤其如果你放开了误导的概念，那是真的substitute for chocolate。(Newsflash: it is not.) If your kids aren’t familiar with carob, Lag Ba’Omer is the perfect day to introduce it to them — sample the whole pods if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on some.
7. Have a parade
Some communities have parades on Lag Ba’Omer in celebration of Jewish unity. Even in this time of continuedsocial distancing,你可以有一个标准ade, too! It doesn’t have to be anything major — no permits are required if your family (and maybe a few friends) simply march around your neighborhood, or even just your yard. If your kids are up for it, you can制作迹象or flags to carry, or bring musical instruments.
图片通过David Mark / Pixabay
