Girls and boys waited impatiently for this day, and finally the Lag-ba-Omer holiday came! A trip to nature was planned for us on the day. Prior to this remarkable event thematic studies and quizzes for adults and children were carried out.

At last we left the city and heard singing of birds and murmur of water. There we remembered thousands of students of Rabbi Akiva who died during the revolt against the Roman Empire. It is considered that deaths stopped on Log-ba-Omer and that is why, after mournful days, people start to have weddings, to cut hair and to shave.

At the countryside we conducted "the competition of erudites" in order to find the most conscientious person among the children. Both boys and girls talked enthusiastically about the heroes who fought for freedom, and about bar Kokhba in particular, whose name was always regarded as a symbol of heroism and courage. Maxim Smerichinskiy and Yaroslava Gvozdevskaya won the competition.

Then we conducted a "Makkabiada". The main competition of the "Makkabiada" was "The best archer" contest devoted to the memory of Shimon bar Yohai. It was followed by "The best bonfire keeper", "The best athlete" and some other contests. The most active participants Valeriya Starkova, Arina Kou and Danil Slesarevskiy were presented with the memorable prizes. Under a baton of the leader of Youth Club Mariya Korolyova children conquered the peaks, swam and sunbathed.

Thus the Jewish community of Taraz celebrated the most wonderful holiday Log-la-Omer, which was held outdoors. During this day thousands of people come to tomb of the Teacher on Mount Meron in Galilee to read Torah and to sing and dance around bonfires. Our children talked about Torah and sang, and were happy that our people have such remarkable holidays.

Alla Korolyova