ISRAEL: Israeli bears feast on cheese and fruit ahead of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot

Record ID: 397209

  • Title: ISRAEL: Israeli bears feast on cheese and fruit ahead of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot
  • Date: 27th May 2009
  • Summary: RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL (MAY 27, 2009) (REUTERS) GROUP OF BEARS IN HABITAT EATING BEAR STANDING OVER FRUIT AND BLOCK OF CHEESE BEAR EATING AND BALANCING PIECE OF CHEESE ON HIS PAW TWO BEARS EATING FRUIT AND CHEESE BEAR LICKING BLOCK OF CHEESE TWO BEARS EATING SHAI DAVID, ZOO KEEPER, STANDING NEAR BEAR ENCLOSURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SHAI DAVID, ZOO KEEPER, SAYING: "This
  • Embargoed: 11th June 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA3BY80Q7TN427H7M5UKSRFMRI3
  • Story Text: Bears in the Israeli Safari Zoo on Wednesday (May 27) joined with the rest of the Jewish Israeli public enjoying a breakfast of dairy foods, ahead of the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, celebrated on Thursday (May 28).
    Zoo keepers smeared the walls of the bears' enclosure with soft cheese. Fruit and blocks of cheese were placed in other locations.
    The bears seemed to enjoy the treats.
    Dairy products and fruit are traditional foods for Shavuot..
    "This is a special breakfast, specially made for Shavuot, the Jewish holiday. It's basically made of cheese, cream cheese, and fruits as a custom - just like we do it on this holiday," zoo keeper Shai David said.
    According to Jewish tradition, Shavuot marks the giving of the Torah by God to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai, seven weeks after their exodus from slavery in Egypt. The holiday also marked the end of the barley harvest season, and a time when Jewish farmers took their first fruit harvest, and new-born sheep to the temple as offerings.
    In current Israeli society, Shavuot is associated with dairy foods and fresh fruit. Jewish families often gather to eat a dairy-based meal, featuring cheese cakes as dessert.
    The holiday is one of the three pilgrimage festivals in Judaism. Traditionally, Jewish residents of Israel walk to Jerusalem's Old City, and visit the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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