Stuart Winer is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
Celebrating the New Year of 2014 in the Israeli city of Karmiel, Dec 31, 2013. (photo credit: courtesy Artiom Degel & Conrad Levac)
Israelis joined in the world-wide party that celebrated the arrival of 2014 as the clock struck midnight on Tuesday.
Though New Years, known as Sylvester in Israel, is not an official holiday, thousands still took to bars to celebrate, with officials reporting dozens of injuries from bar fights and alcohol poisoning.
The Magen David Adom rescue service treated 23 people injured in violent incidents, two of whom suffered moderate injuries.
In addition, 49 people required treatment after consuming too much alcohol, Channel 2 reported.
Extra police were deployed ahead of the celebrations to try and keep matters under control and in particular, to prevent the sale of alcohol to under-aged drinkers.
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Israelis call New Year’s Eve Sylvester — a term also used in some European countries, which refers to fourth-century Pope Sylvester I who died on December 31.
Although many Israelis mark the arrival of the New Year, it is a much lower key event than in Western countries and there is no local equivalent to the dropping of the ball in Times Square or the fantastic fireworks displays in capitals around the world. January 1 is not a public holiday, and business is as usual in the work place.
Confetti flies over Times Square in New York as the new year is celebrated, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Craig Ruttle)
Meanwhile, cities around the globe threw their traditional spectacular public celebrations to herald the start of 2014.
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By tradition, and geographic location, Australia kicked off the international partying with a firework display on the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Australia, Jan. 1, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Rob Griffith)
In Dubai a huge pyrotechnics display marked the moment 2014 reached the Middle Eastern state.
Fireworks erupt from the Burj Khalifa, world’s tallest building, at midnight to celebrate the New Year, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (photo credit: AP/Kamran Jebreili)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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