Hundreds of thousands of Israelis both secular and religious celebrated the Shavuot holiday by either attending synagogues or vacationing around the country en masse.
Per usual, large amounts of travelers visited beaches, nature reserves and national parks all around Israel, causing massive traffic jams and crowded conditions.
Israelis celebrate Shavuot
(צילום: רשות הכינרת, חמת גדר, יניב כהן, פארס דעבוס)
On the beaches of the Kinneret, close to 50,000 visitors were logged at the peak hours of the afternoon. Due to congestion, the Tse'elon and Gofra beaches were closed. In order to accommodate the crowds, the Kinneret Authority will extend the hours of operation to 6:00pm on 15 beaches until the weekend.
The National Parks and Nature Authority announced that 100,000 people visited its sites, with heavy congestion being recorded mainly on beach areas such as Palmachim, Achziv, Ein Harod, Horshat Tal and the Dor Habonim Nature Reserve.
Crowds also swelled kayaks on the Jordan River, a farmer's market set up in the Rosh Hanikra grottos and a car show in Carmiel which attracted 10,000 spectators.
Cloud cover and winds are expected to move throughout the country Thursday and Friday, with a slight chance of rain in the north. Temperatures are expected to rise again Sunday, bringing unseasonable dryness.
First published: 19:37, 05.31.17