In keeping with annual tradition, Ministry of Agriculture inspectors increase their presence and vigilance ahead of Sukkos, making an extra effort to prevent illegal importation of any of the arba minim into Israel, often infested with different bugs. According to the law, every arriving passenger may bring along one esrog into Israel and that is all. The other minim must be purchased locally. They cannot be brought in legally by arriving passengers due to concerns of infestation.

In an effort to avoid causing arriving passengers ‘agmas nefesh’, if one arrives with arba minim, inspectors will give the passenger aravos, hadassim and a lulav; all from Israel, and permit him to bring the esrog. The other minim will not be permitted into the country under any circumstances ministry officials explain.

Customs officials are on the lookout for arriving passengers trying to bring in quantities illegally in the hope of avoiding agriculture inspections and paying taxes. In 2015, ministry inspectors at Ben-Gurion Airport apprehended 650 esrogim being smuggled in illegally.

Today, one is permitted to import esrogim from certain countries without having to obtain special ministry permits, but this does not exonerate one from the various taxes. Hence, the esrogim must be declared upon arrival.

For additional information, one may phone 03-968-1551.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)