Lest anyone think that I am overstating the animosity towards Jews being displayed by Egypt, Egypt today banned all exports of Lulavim to Israel. So despite desperately needed money for poor Egyptians, the ruling junta would rather spite the Jewish State. On the bright side, they will now have thousands of lulavim they can use to ward off the Evil Empire.

According to JTA

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Egypt has banned the export of palm fronds to Israel and Jewish communities abroad, leading to fears of a lulav shortage for the Sukkot holiday.

Israel had previously imported about 700,000 palm fronds a year in the run-up to Sukkot, which is about 40 percent of the annual demand, Haaretz reported. Another 700,000 of the 2 million lulavs used in Diaspora Jewish communities also come from Egypt.

The palms are grown in the Sinai Peninsula.

Israel’s Agricultural Ministry said in a statement that it is encouraging local palm farmers to increase their production. The ministry also has issued special licenses to import lulavs from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and Spain. The holiday begins on the evening of Oct. 12.

While Egypt reportedly has not given a reason for banning the palm export, it is believed that the current unstable relations between the two countries is the cause.

Hat tip to Bangintout.com for the photo.

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Rabbi Yonah

2 Comments

  • On Kol Chai radio last night, one of the top Lulav authorities was interviewed and provided interesting insight:
    There is nothing to worry about. Lulavim are harvest weeks in advance and stored, before these new restrictions were publicized. Most of the Egyptian lulavim will get here but a bit more discretely than usual so that the Egyptian authorities can save face. Maybe through the Gaza tunnels? (I added that)

    He wanted to reassure the listeners that the Haredi market does not use usually these foreign lulavim anyways, so their market/prices are not supposed to impacted at all.

  • After I read the Torah, I glad that the Jews is ruling the world through America. Oh God, I saw on the news paper how people ate their own kind because of poverty. Without God (If God really exist) people would be so mad, crazy and stupid. Even they are Theism, they only found a fake God, stupid idol that cannot speak, but they said like if was they are alive.Man, human are simply mentality illness by nature. It was because living without God is hard and harsh, that is why mostly human are insane.

    Thank God. Please save us. Trust me, human are more crule than God. Even God look cruel, it was for the good for us, trust me. Im not a jews, but I got faith Torah is from the real God. It must be God.
    Please tell the other my message. I saw gruesome…