KIRYAS JOEL, N.Y. (AP) - An ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in the Hudson Valley plans to host thousands of people for an annual bonfire celebration.
Kiryas Joel officials are organizing the bonfire for Sunday afternoon to mark the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer (log bah-OH’-mer).
People in the village 50 miles north of New York City claim it’s the largest such celebration in the United States. The annual event draws crowds of people from around the region.
Kiryas Joel was formed in the 1970s by followers of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, who wanted to create a cohesive community that shared religious beliefs and social values.
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