Karaite Korner Newsletter #260

Aviv Found!

Aviv has been found in Israel! We found fields of Aviv barley from all three
types of barley that grow in Israel: 2-row wild barley, 2-row domesticated
barley, and 6-row domesticated barley. Some of the locations we found aviv
include:
Marj a-Naja and Argaman (both in the Jordan Valley), Peduyim and Kisufim (in
the Northern Negev), and Mordechai Junction (on the coastal plain). We found
both volunteer barley and planted fields, in more than sufficient
quanitities for the harvest to begin in two week's time during the Feast of
Unleavened Bread. The searches were carried out on Tuesday March 28, 2006
(Jordan Valley) and Thursday March 30, 2006 (Northern Negev and Coastal
Plain). The following people participated in the searches: Nehemia Gordon,
Devorah Gordon, Ferenc Illesy, Avi Ben Mordechai, Dina Marcus, Tim and Deb
Arndt, and Clint Place.

The New Moon which will be visible tonight (Mar 30) will mark the beginning
of the biblical year! Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) will begin
on April 13, 2006 at sunset. For more information on the times of the
Biblical Holidays please logon to:
http://www.karaite-korner.org/holiday_dates.shtml

Happy New Year!
Rosh Hashannah Sameach!