For the second year in a row, Israel will have to find new sources for the palm fronds used for the fall feast of Sukkot (or Succoth). Palm fronds are not a great commodity most of the year, but tens of thousands of them are waved ceremonially throughout Israel on the Feast of Tabernacles, along with citrus, myrtle and willow branches in accordance with Leviticus 23:40.
In years past, about 40 percent of the unopened palm fronds (lulavs) have been imported from the al-Arish area of the Sinai in Egypt. Trouble in the Sinai, however, will again force Israel to depend on local growers and other sources, like Jordan, and prices will be driven up in comparison to years past.
In 2011, Egypt banned the export of the palm fronds to Israel, and Israel had to scramble to find sources for the high demand of lulavs. Israel had previously imported some 70,000 palm fronds per year in the days leading up to this fun fall feast, and domestic crops are being harvested at higher rates than normal.
To continue reading:
Finding Palms For Sukkot - eNews for September 25, 2012
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