Place - A day in Jezreel Valley
By- Lili Nave
Despite the raging pandemic, and being positioned at the world's top contamination spike, the School Year in Israel, has formally opened, as pre-planned, on Sept 1, while adjusting creatively to the ambiguous risky circumstances.
As to differentiate between safe and contaminated locations in need of closure, the country recently appointed a "Corona Expert Savior " - The Operator - Dr. Gamzo - who has mapped the Israeli cities and communities,
according to a "traffic Light" scheme, marking dicey locations in
"Red, Yellow and Green - go-no go zones".
It is unlikely that the devious stealth virus will stop hitchhiking in- between the densely populated neighborhoods. Nor that it will obediently camp-out at only the highly marked Red segments, as to accommodate political ideological or ethnic interests.
Furthermore, it is doubtful that the Israelis, who by nature are "stiff neck" rebellious people, will agree, once again, to stay put under another lockdown.
The prolonged controversial and confusing past decrees, and the paralysis of the dysfunctional unity Gov, which has been more occupied with its ruling survival, than with the welfare of its citizens, have completely curbed the natives' faith and enthusiasm in its leaders and in any new reimposed limits .
Since our dear Grands are now back to their schooling routines, and are much less in need of our babysitting services, our mobility horizon out of the still miraculously "Green" metropolitan of Tel-Aviv", has opened up.. for the time being...
A charming transparent beach bag decorated by cheerful colorful butterflies which I recently purchased, at a popular Tel Aviv store located off Even Gevirol street, captured my obsession.
This bag "hunting" strangely landed us at the enchanting "Jezreel Valley" .
Known for its strikingly beautiful flat green fertile landscape, the valley is covered with colorful fields of wheat, watermelon, melon, oranges, white beans, chickpeas, green beans, cotton, sunflowers and corn, as well as grazing tracts for multitudes of sheep, and cattle.
The name - Jezreel means “God sows”, alluding to the fertile land in the valley and to an ancient city which once stood here.
The plain in the north of Israel, had witnessed an immense historic scenery. Its strategic location at the southern end of the Lower Galilee, bordered to the south by the Samarian Highlands, by Mount Gilboa in the south east, Mount Carmel in the west , and the country of Jordan to the east, meant that throughout history, armies and travelers going from Istanbul or Babylon towards Egypt or the Arabian Peninsula, along the Via Maris, would pass through the valley, conduct battles on its roads, and conqueror its land, while leaving their rich archaeological layers and marks.
Discovering at home that I was handed a defective, alas the last item of its kind, which couldn't be exchanged, the Tel-Aviv store owner kindly suggested I contact the supplier company "IZRAELA.CO.IL" in hope I would find more of the same bags there.
By then, my irrational attachment to that bag had only steadily grown with the news of its scarcity. I couldn't curb the urge to contact the supplier...
A few persistent phone calls and whatsapps exchanges, finally extracted a confirmation about a few rescued bags, which had been found in storage, that had survived a recent fire disaster, burning most of the supplier's business.
My own chase after this desirable bag, which by now I planned to buy a few more of for gifts, ejected us from Tel - Aviv, to our destination at the heart of the Jezreel Valley - "Kibbutz YIFAT" - which is located adjacent to the town Migdal HaEmek, the Nahalal community, and is only a short distances from the cities of Afula and Nazareth
YIFAT Community, which is now privatized, like many other Israeli bankrupted Kibutzim, was established in 1954 by members of "Kvutzat HaSharon" who previously lived in "Ramat David", as well as by former residents of the neighboring "Gevat".
It was initially named Ihud HaSharon - Gevat, but was later renamed after the biblical town of Yefia (Joshua 19:12),
Upon entering YIFAT's gate, by which now several stores are selling local merchandise, we discovered to our surprise signs directing to
"The Pioneer Settlement Museum" we knew nothing about.
So after stalking on the bags and completing the mission we came for, we decided to explore this open air delightful museum.
Nostalgically, it took us back to the days and spirit of the heroic pioneers, who dried up the plains' swamps, banished its Mosquitoes and Arab enemies, and had cultivated with "blood sweat and tears" the many striving valley communities, and prosperous bread and butter agricultural silos.
Open since 1972, the museum is a testament to the settlers of the Second and Third Aliyah, (the immigrants who came to Eretz Yisrael between 1882 and 1914.
The museum is a great place to bring the little ones for a visit, so they can
discover, climb on, and touch machinery, artifacts and gadgets of the disappearing old world. It provides a wonderful, varied glimpse into what rural life must have been like for the pioneers- Halutzim, revealing a lifestyle that nowadays, can be found in real life only in remote desolated places.
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The most friendly locals insisted we have to taste the valley's home free range grown meat, served at the known establishment called
"Limousine - Butcher and Restaurant " www. Limousine98.CO.IL
located in the neighboring town of Ramat Yishai .
The view of the pastoral green valley fields from this spacious welcoming restaurant, as well as the greatly prepared food was definitely worth the lunch we enjoyed eating there.
So was, also, worth our dessert tasting at "Nadav Kinuchim-Desserts" - a Coffee and Patisserie place, also in Ramat Yishai - a town which has transformed in recent years, becoming a shopping and culinary hub of the valley.
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Although our family was lucky to celebrate wonderful life milestones together, like anniversaries and birthdays, in the past weeks, for which I should count my blessings, I am very eager to have this cursed year inflicted by biblical proportions disasters, to part away now!
More than 200 natural disasters across the world, from the most ever known to mankind deadly Coronavirus , trailed by mega global and economic meltdown, to forest fires and locust swarms, water floods, droughts, cyclones/hurricanes/Typhoons and blazing temperature heat waves, which all have ruined the lives and livelihood of too many, already in 1st half of 2020
Today, most countries are slowly and cautiously stepping out of lockdowns and trying to resume some normalcy.
However, 9 months into 2020, there is still no vaccine or medication for Coronavirus, while contamination, threats of closures and actual confinements, are still the nightmare reality for many individuals and communities, with Israel in the lead.
Lists of other nature disasters of 2020
Started already in December 2019, the Australian bush fires showed no signs of slowing down or stopping in 2020. As per a report published in the Medical Journey of Australia, the Australian bushfire burned an estimated 18.6 million hectares, destroyed over 5,900 buildings, and killed at least 34 people, while over 400 people were killed due to the residual smoke inhalation.
Forest Fires burned for days in Uttarakhand, India which lost nearly 51.43 hectares, and also in California, ignited also by a chain of lightning storms and fierce heat wave winds and severely polluting the air, causing mass evacuations and heavy losses to property.
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Millions of Desert Locusts swarmed East Africa, Parts Of India and Asia, being one of the worst pest attacks in over 2 decades.
First detected in East Africa and then Pakistan, and Iran, the deadly locusts feeding on any kind of crops, fodder and pasture, it destroyed crops
and caused much damage and hunger.
The sudden increase in locusts has been credited to climate change, unusually heavy rains, and increase in temperature, that have made it more habitable to the breeding and swarming of locusts.
Devastating Floods in Indonesia destroyed Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta and some neighbouring areas. Many were forced to flee from their homes. The floods were accompanied by heavy rains lashing the city causing further damage as rivers overflowed and people were submerged in waters that were 5ft in depth. Several were victims of drowning, while others died of electric shocks or landslides.
The Taal Volcano which is the second most active volcano in the Philippines started rumbling in January in Luzon, followed by an eruption and ash dust over 100 km away. It had last erupted 43 years back. The Volcano left huge ash clouds which caused mass evacuations of over 300,000 people. The Philippines is still reeling from the volcano eruption
Earthquakes were reported In Turkey ,The Caribbean, China, Iran, Russia, India and California. So far there have been 45 earthquakes characterized over 6 magnitudes. Jamaica and Russia were the worst hit with earthquakes over magnitude 7.
Cyclone Amphan In India and Bangladesh created havoc in West Bengal and Odisha, leaving behind trails of destruction. The meteorological department termed the cyclone to be an “extremely severe cyclonic storm” that made landfall in both the states with abundant rains, gust windows and lightning, destroying everything that came in its way, leaving chilling visuals all around. The super cyclone reportedly killed 12 people in Bengal, while power supply and phone networks also took a hit in states. Cyclone Destroys Asia’s Largest Street Book Market.
Only this week,Typhoon Haishen slammed Japan and then continued to South Korea. More than 300 flights from 10 airports were cancelled, with some train services suspended. The typhoon caused a loss of power across hundreds of thousands of homes in Japan. Some eight million people in Japan had been asked to evacuate in the path of the storm.
Floods In Assam, India due to the heavy rains in many parts of Assam impacted over 30,000 in a total of 128 villages Crops and domestic animals have also been affected.
2020 has been inflicted also by Heat Waves being ones of the warmest years. Exceptionally high peak temperature over 40C (over 100F) were experienced this summer in Europe, in both US coasts, as well as in Israel
To cool off this volatile disaster account, you may want to, also, know that
Antarctica's vast frozen glaciers of white have been Turning Green thanks to climate change and massive algal bloom.
Warming temperatures and melting snow in the continent are helping in the formation of algal blooms (rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae), which are expanding at a high rate, thereby turning many areas ‘green’.
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Well.,there are still 3 more months left until the exiting of this multi damming 2020,,,,
But only 2 weeks to the arrival of Rosh Hashana- the Jewish New Year.
May all the deadly inflicted curses from around the world, occurring this past year immediately cease! And may the much desired blessings of Health, Healing and Happiness, start pouring in abundance, earlier, with the start of the upcoming Jewish New Year.
Shana Tova, much Love, a New Year full of Honey to you and your family
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