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How sweet Jewish New Year tradition causes bitter fight in Israel

Israeli beekeepers are concerned about shrinking living spaces for bees, the challenges of wild bees and nature preservation activists.
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Jews around the world traditionally eat honey on the eve of the Jewish New Year as a symbol and blessing for a sweet new year. Consequently, honey consumption in Israel skyrockets as the new year approaches. According to figures released by the Israel Honey Council, the holidays during the Hebrew month of Tishrei (September-October) account for some 40% of honey consumption in Israel. About 1,600 tons of honey are consumed during this period alone. Some groups, however, are concerned by these figures. They argue that honeybees pose a threat to the wild bee population.

"Pollen is the source of sustenance for bees," said Sharoni Shafir of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and the Environment at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "Over the past few years, the natural habitat of bees has been shrinking as part of a worldwide phenomenon. Wild bees — meaning bees that tend not to live in colonies — find themselves fighting with honeybees for the same food sources to sustain themselves."

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