'Shmita' Year Controversy in Israel

Jews around the world recently celebrated the Jewish New Year, ringing in what's known as a shmita, or sabbath year. A shmita occurs every seventh year, when the Torah states that no crops are to be grown on Jewish-owned lands in Israel.

A new ruling by the chief rabbinate has left the level of observance to the decision of local religious leaders, embroiling this shmita in controversy.