Story: Israel's Stormy December 2021

News on Corona's Omicorn variant, conquered the media's center pages, during the month of December. Once, again. The pandemic's fifth wave, rattled about 90 countries around the world, with its contamination tsunami spike,

Yet, though fast to spread and contaminate, Omicron is definitely much less lethal then the Delta variant, as recent UK research results confirmed, and with the success of buster vaccination protectioon , the panic its appearance raised , hopefully soon subside with it.

Life's plans again, became insanely erratic and unpredictable.

Many countries which were marked as RED, had imposed lock-downs on its citizens and had flights banned into them, or had aborted flights within them.

Mandated vaccines are, finally (too late .. too little) being considered for air travels.

as is a 4th booster to be administrated to those over 60th in age, those with underlying background risks, and to medical staff.

Academy of Hebrew Language picked a nationally agreed upon word- טרלול-(Tirlul- Lunacy) for 2021, to define this existential fickle, state of affairs, caused by the pandemic and experienced due to national responses in dealing with, and containing the spread..

Visiting in Israel since Oct 2021 we had no clue, until the lasts minute, if we could depart the country. on January 5th 2022, as originally planned.

Once the annual Palm Springs International Film Fest, I was due to attend, got canceled on Dec 29th, instead of taking the risks in flying back to RED USA, we decided to extend our stay in Israel, until after Passover (April)

Winter Storm

In addition to the on going pandemic lunacy, this first winter's major "Carmel Storm" had its devastating debut, this month, as well.

Accompanied by ghastly winds and record-high unusually heavy rainfall showers, lightning, thunderstorms, cold temperatures, hail and even snow, for the 3 days it frequented the country, the mighty intense force of nature had inflicted the country with many floods throughout the coastal plain and southern desert areas, as well as, fallen trees, power shortages, fires, wrecked cars, and even one death (read more)

Art Storm

Also the colorful exhibit of the acclaimed Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama at Tel Aviv museum, took the Israeli art lovers by a storm. Tickets were sold out as they went on sale

and the long dense lines didn't deter the visitors, who couldn't have enough, of the striking colorful infusion, and its mirror reflections.

The several enclosed spaces, were mobbed despite the pandemic contamination's risks.

Birthdays

In the midst of all these nature dramas, and right during the Xmas holiday season, our grandson's Leo 6th (Dec 24th) as well as my Mom's 99th (Dec 26.) birthdays were festively celebrated.

Both were so very much delighted to reach such milestone age, and we -the family were all thrilled to join in the partying.

It is incredible that my mom - Ruth, has lived almost an entire century, during which amazing and extraordinarily historical events, breakthrough innovations and major pandemics took place..

The major events (listed below) I - her only daughter, reminded her of, during the family's birthday celebration in Haifa, were shared in the presence of David - her son in-law, my 2 daughters - her only granddaughters - Keren and Inbal, and their husbands Elie and Amit, as well as the only 2 Great-Grand kids- Leo and Alex, and the she-dog Rugalech,

Mom's birth (one of 6 siblings) on Dec 1922 in Warsaw Poland, coincided with the Formation of the Soviet Socialist Republics Union, with Germany's hyperinflation of 7,000 marks for single $ US dollar, and with the assassination, 5 days only after being elected, of Polish President. (Gabriel Narutowicz ).

That was quite a month of turmoil to be born into, considering also the end-tail impact of the Spanish Flew. pandemic.

in 1922 also the biggest discovery of Tutankhamen's Tomb was a huge news item, and maybe also a positive prophetic omen, contributing to Mom's extended longevity...

As a young child, Mom lived when the economic depression of the 1930 took place, and as a teenager she witnessed the rise of Fascism and Totalitarianism, experiencing WW II and the Holocaust - most pivotal life changing experience, during which Mom lost most of her immediate family.

Ruth at her younger years

She resided in Communist Russia and Poland during the 40th and 50th, and in the Post War era, lived during the Nuclear age, the Cold War, the Space Race, the Aviation Revolution, the Feminist and Sexual Revolutions, as well as the Digital Revolution and grand innovations like Artificial Intelligence, the internet, Personal Computers, smart phones, and a whole range of innovative electric and electronic home improvements devices,

Yet, when was asked, the best innovative invention, by her writer standards, was the type writer machine.

Mom wrote for years for the Israeli Polish language News-Paper and

published 4 books, which can found, both in the libraries of the Israeli Yad Va-Shem, and Warsaw Polin museums.

Mom was als0 an avid Zionist. She was involved with the movement, delighted like many others at the news on the 1948 foundation of the State, and made Alia, immigrated to Israel in 1957.

She survived 2 husbands, and other suitors, and overcame as a divorcee sole provider, all the wars, terrorist incidents, economic hardships and cultural/lingual barriers, which the budding Jewish Democratic state, was afflicted with.

Mom lived through the Fall of Communism, of the Berlin Wall in 1989. and the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

Furthermore, Mom survived a whole range of this past century's maladies and major pandemics, including this 2019 Corona one.

She also benefited from the big discoveries of Penicillin, which successfully was in use since in 1928 and from the first RNA vaccine against Covid -19th, in use from 2020, as all from other medicinal innovations, invented in between.

Xmas illumination in Haifa

Haifa, the beautiful mix ethnic city, in the north, where I grew up in, and where my Mom has been residing, for over 60 years, became a pilgrimage magnet for Israelis, who flock into town, every Xmas season, from all around the country, to bask in the magical beauty of the holiday's flickering light fest.

The season's decorative illumination can be seen at the Cristian Arab's neighborhoods, the churches, monasteries and restaurants peppering the city, .

Xmas Tree at the Haifa's German Colony

The illuminated Haifa's Baha'i Temple

A very Happy and Healthy 2022 Civil New Year