Chazal instituted the celebration on Lag B’Omer. Note that it literally means the 33rd day of the Omer, when R’ Akiva’s students stopped dying and the Yartzheit of R’ Shimon Bar Yochai. Celebrating it on the 34th day of the Omer is as meaningful as celebrating it in Cheshvan. Chazal have changed the day of observance at times when it may have interfered with shabbos- such as Taanis Esther pushed back to Thurs, and shushan purim on Shabbos for those in mukafim – the mitzvos that cannot be done on shabbos are done instead on either Fri or Sun. But Chazal did not feel it necessary to change Lag B’omer if it falls out on Sun, so it is very curious why the Rabbanut should feel that they know better. Just like we wait to light chanuka candles until after shabbos ends instead of the usual time, there is no reason why having bonfires motzei shabbos has to involve chilul shabbos. Those who care about shabbos will be sure to light their bonfires in a way that does not involve chilul shabbos, and those who don’t, will unfortunately be mechalel shabbos no matter when lag b’omer is. To give kids off a day of school on Lad B’Omer and encourage bonfires on Sun night is totally pointless. Meron on the other hand is an issue – in fact, the Boyaner Rebbe has pushed off the main hadlaka this year to 3 AM (I think that’s the time) to give the police etc enough time to do all the last minute preparations after shabbos ends, and the buses to bring people after shabbos ends. Other preparations can be done before shabbos. So there does not have to be any chilul shabbos and we can still keep lag b’omer the way chazal instituted it.
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