​This is a black and white photograph taken in 1978 of Avraham Ludmir, a leading Israeli etrog exporter. He is packing etrogs for shipping and is seated in front of boxes of etrogs. Each box is lined with flax to protect the delicate etrogs, and Ludmir is placing an etrog in one of the boxes.

Etrogs grown in Israel are sold locally and around the world. The etrog, a citrus fruit, is one of the Four Species, along with the willow, myrtle, and lulav (palm branch), that are used to fulfill one of the major commandments of the festival of Sukkot. 

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Sukkot and the Four Species - The Festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles) has two central commandments. The first is that Jews should live in a temporary abode (Sukkah) for seven days (eight days outside of Israel). The second is that on every day of the festival, Jews take the Four Species (Arba’at HaMinim) in hand and make a blessing over them.

Each of the Four Species has certain requirements for them to be fitting (Kosher) for the commandment (Mitzvah). According to tradition, the buyer should check that the requirements are present in each of the species. The Four Species consist of the Lulav (palm branch), the Etrog (citrus fruit), Hadass (myrtle branches) and Aravah (willow branches).