Dateline Jerusalem — I used to live in a wind tunnel, or so it seemed, in the high desert of California. Howling winds and dust storms were so common I sometimes found it difficult to fall asleep without their roar. Once when sitting in my sukkah (a temporary hut or booth) with family and friends for a festive meal during the holiday of Sukkot, suddenly winds picked up the sukkah, leaving those of us at the table and the sukkah itself in another part of the yard. This reminded me of the tornado scene in the “The Wizard of Oz” where powerful winds picked up houses. I was totally prepared for my visits to the windy city of Chicago. Previous wind experiences were nothing compared to the gale force winds this week in Israel.
I awakened to loud booms, howling winds, rustling palm tree leaves furiously brushing against my rattling windows, my pitch black bedroom devoid of any glimmer of light. Considering temperatures were in the 90s, this was not the mild weather I am used to at this time of year. I reached for my flashlight and lit a candle. Electricity was out throughout my apartment. Looking outside, so was everyone else’s. Since I am on cable, that meant no internet or telephone. How did people manage without them? Water still was hot in my coffee urn. I sat down with a cup of coffee and a good book, reading by candlelight. An hour later, the lights went on. I was lucky. A friend’s daughter had no electricity for seven hours. Five thousand homes still are without electricity 36 hours later. The Israel Electric Co. claimed the power infrastructure was severely affected. Power lines went up in flames. Some fell and blocked streets. High voltage wires caused wide damage.
Gale winds and accompanying rainstorms created havoc throughout the country. Hail storms splattered baseball-sized hail, shattering car windshields. It was like being hit by rock-throwing Palestinians, though not quite as dangerous. Trees fell. Buildings collapsed. Cranes in construction areas came crashing down after swinging out of control in the violent winds. A young man was found dead under a pile of cinder blocks when a wall fell on him. Flash flooding struck some areas. Car accidents were the norm. Airports closed down.
In Gaza, where Hamas has dug hundreds of tunnels crisscrossing underneath its streets in an attempt to infiltrate Israel and store rockets, missiles, mortars and weapons, flooding is so devastating more seems underwater than not. I am waiting for them to blame Israel for this.
The good news is that it has become very affordable to travel to Israel. Wonderful deals include flights, hotels, guided tours, and food for over a week for about $1,000. Just my flights alone to the States cost more than that. Usually the weather is not bad. Rain is rare. Come visit. Enjoy the time of your life in this wonderful country.
L’hitraot. Shachar