Guests Light Hebron Bonfire

This year on Lag B’Omer an annual tradition took place once again, when Chabad of Hebron honored special guests with the lighting of the bonfire.

The custom was instituted by Hebron Shluchim Rabbi Danny and Batsheva Cohen, based on a letter from the Rebbe Rashab in 1863 to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Slonim, who was the Rov of Hebron at the time. In the letter, the Rebbe Rashab requested to purchase the merit of lighting the Lag B’Omer bonfire in Hebron, emphasizing that this was even more important to him than the one in Miron.

In the past decade, it has become a Hebron communal tradition to “purchase” the merit of lighting the bonfire by sponsoring the local Lag B’Omer festivities.

Each year, special guests are honored with the lighting on behalf of the Rebbe Rashab’s request.

This year the honor was bestowed upon longtime friends of Chabad of Hebron, Crown Heights physician Dr. Eli Rosen and former Crown Heights resident and current resident of Israel, R’ Meir Rhodes.

Before the lighting, a children’s parade took place from Kiryat Arba to downtown Hebron, with song, dance and reciting of Pesukim while walking through the ancient windy, alleys towards the Cave of Machpela. This was followed by the communal lighting ceremony.