It’s the 33rd Day of the Omer, the 7 weeks between Passover and Shavuot. Eve speaks with Dr. Doron Sar Avi, head of the Department of the Land of Israel Studies at Herzog College about his area of expertise, Shimon Bar Kochba and the second century Judean rebellion against Rome that ended so disastrously. How did it start? Were the famed Rabbi Akiva and his students involved? Hadrian used to trade land for peace? Who is Messiah supposed to be, anyhow? And should Bar Kochba even be associated with Lag Ba’Omer? Current Israeli archaeological digs are contributing tremendously to 1800 years of written sources both Jewish and non- when added to much speculation and the wisdom of hindsight the emerging theories make this a fascinating interview. Bonfires away.