Israel’s Agriculture Ministry warned Tuesday that travelers bringing unauthorized Four Species into the country risk confiscation. At Ben Gurion Airport, inspectors will offer free Israeli-grown replacement sets for personal use.
Travelers may bring one etrog for personal use, but lulavs, hadassim and aravot require authorization from the ministry’s Plant Protection and Inspection Services.
The distinction matters for visitors arriving with a complete holiday set. The Four Species consist of an etrog, or citron, a palm frond, myrtle branches and willow branches. They are held together during Sukkot prayers, and observant Jews often devote particular care to selecting their etrog before the holiday.
The warning comes ahead of Sukkot, which begins Friday evening, September 25. Since January, more than 1,200 passengers have been caught carrying prohibited plant material. About three tons have been destroyed. Those figures cover agricultural products generally, not just Sukkot sets.
Behind agricultural border controls is a problem that extends well beyond holiday travel: moving plants between countries can also move pests and diseases. The International Plant Protection Convention estimates that plant pests and diseases cause roughly $220 billion in annual economic losses worldwide. Its international standards are designed to allow trade while reducing the risk that imported plant material will introduce threats to crops and the environment.
For travelers, that means agricultural inspections are separate from the question of whether an item is intended for personal use. A religious purpose does not, by itself, establish that plant material meets a destination’s entry requirements.
American visitors should also consider the return journey. U.S. Department of Agriculture guidance requires travelers entering the United States to declare all agricultural products. Inspectors determine whether those items meet entry requirements, which can vary according to the plant, its country of origin and its intended use. Permission to enter Israel should therefore not be treated as permission to carry the same items back into the United States.
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