The Cheesiest Holiday of All

Photo: Flickr

Though most holidays across the western world are usually marked by BBQ, roasted turkey or a leg of lamb, Shavuot, the feast of weeks, is the only holiday on the Jewish calendar where it is not only customary to eat cheese but moreover to praise the cows and goats that blessed us with their produce.

While Shavuot has religious importance for the fact that on this day the Jewish people led by Moses received the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai, since the creation of the State of Israel it has also been an agricultural one. On Shavuot Israeli farmers collect the first harvest of the season and the Spring. And as some religious Israelis find their way to Synagogue on this holiday, secular Israelis head out to the kibbutz and countryside for wine, fruit and a lot of cheese.

Photo: Gan Shmuel archive

As part of the holiday, it is customary to pay tribute to those who provide us with dairy and embody the idea of a “land of milk and honey”. Like all thing Israeli, the Israeli cow is a mix of many nationalities. Part local, part Swiss, part Dutch, these cows are considered world record holders as far as productivity is concerned. According to this year’s milk census, an average Israeli cow can produce close to 3435 gallons of milk a year, almost 1,000 gallons more than its U.S peer.

While it is harder to pet a bee or pay tribute to a hive, one can’t overlook the importance of these insects in sweetening up our palates. 50 million tons of honey were produced in Israel last year, providing us not only with nutrition but with beautiful flowers across the country.

So whether you’re a cow, goat, sheep or bee lover, Shavuot is definitely a holiday for you. Moo.

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