Lag Ba'Omer begins tomorrow (Wed, May 9th) at sundown. Are you having a bonfire?

Lag Ba'Omer is a minor Jewish holiday that falls between Passover and Shavuot. Oddly enough, no one is 100% sure what it celebrates. Some argue that the holiday commemorates the end of a plague that afflicted the students of Rabbi Akiva, while others believe it celebrates a victorious battle during Simon Bar Kokhba's revolt against the Romans.

Whatever the reason, during the Omer (a period of mourning) Lag Ba'Omer is a time when weddings can be held and people can celebrate with family get togethers and evening bonfires. According to some, the fires represent the light of the Torah.

Learn more about this holiday in: What Is Lag Ba'Omer?

Image credit: Michael Cogliantry / Getty Images

Author Maurice Sendak died May 8th at the age of 83 after suffering complications from a recent stroke. Born in Brooklyn to Jewish immigrant parents, the beloved children's author was known for picture books that he wrote and illustrated himself. Among his most famous works are "Where the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen," both of which tell the stories of young boys who embark upon night time adventures. His most recent picture book, "Bumble-Ardy," spent five weeks on the New York Times best seller list for children in 2011.

The New York Times published a wonderful article about Sendak, discussing his frail childhood, the impact of the Holocaust on his family in Europe and his experiences growing up as a lower class, Jewish gay man. "All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy," he is quoted as saying in the article. "They never, never, never knew." The article also describes Sendak's life-long passion for drawing and how a 1948 job building window displays for F.A.O. Schwarz led to his distinguished career in the publishing world. To read more, visit "Maurice Sendak, Author of Splendid Nightmares, Dies at 83."

Although the Omer is a relatively serious period of semi-mourning, I couldn't resist sharing this cute cartoon about The Count discovering how Jews count each of the forty-nine days.

The Omer (ancient Hebrew term for "sheaves of a harvested crop") are the forty-nine days between the holiday of Passover and the holiday of Shavuot. The days of the Omer are counted aloud as part of synagogue services and some Jews will also keep track of the days at home.

Also known as "Sefirat HaOmer" (Counting the Omer), traditionally the Omer is a time of semi-mourning. Observant Jews will not get haircuts or celebrate weddings during this period. In Kabbalistic circles, the Omer is also viewed as a time of reflection that is meant to prepare us for receiving the Torah.

You can learn more about the Omer in: What is Counting the Omer?