A bumper etrog crop
WHILE lemons and oranges may be a dime a dozen on backyard fruit trees, cultivating an etrog is a much more difficult prospect.
WHILE lemons and oranges may be a dime a dozen on backyard fruit trees, cultivating an etrog is a much more difficult prospect.
But Velvel Lederman, better known as children’s entertainer Uncle Velvel, has grown his own etrogs in time for Succot.
“It’s incredibly exciting. I know that other families have grown their own as well, but this is amazing for me because they are so big,” Lederman said.
“The tree is six years old, but this is the first time that etrogim have stayed on the tree so close to Succot.”
During past years, Lederman has turned the etrogs into jam.
“It’s allowed me to prolong the mitzvah by eating the holy fruit for the whole year, but this time I can use it during Succot.”
He said it can be hard to keep the etrogs on the tree in Australia because of the weather and because wildlife like the taste of the yellow fruit.
“I had a really huge etrog on the tree with a lovely colour and shape and it was so heavy that it hung close to the ground, and one morning I saw that a possum had a bit of it for his dinner,” he said.
Lederman decided to plant a tree after singing to children during a Succot concert. As he cut open an etrog, he told the kids he would plant seeds so Bondi would be full of etrog trees. “I forgot for a year but then I found an etrog, planted a seed, prayed a lot and watered it.”
Six years later the tree is producing etrogs, but Lederman said while they are great for teaching and entertaining kids, they might not be kosher to use when shaking the lulav.
“There is nothing like getting your hands on a fresh etrog and knowing they are in your backyard!”
JOSHUA LEVI
Velvel Lederman grew his own etrogs at home for Succot this year.
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