The wildfire in Haifa has been the worst Israel has ever had. It burned more than 10,000 acres and killed over 40 people. I no longer know how it started.
They have changed their minds so many times as to the cause.
It doesn't matter though.
When we went into Akko this weekend
and the mushroom cloud of smoke was awful.
To top it off, we had the worst winds we've had since I got here.
It has constantly been shifting,
making it impossible for the firefighters to contain it.
Israel had a huge wakeup call this weekend, and I've heard more than one Israeli say they are embarrassed that
Israel doesn't know how to handle the fires.
Their army is one of the best in the in the world,
but when the fires broke out,
they literally did not know what to do.
My director came in today and told us a little bit about what she had experienced this weekend. Her home is in an area that was endangered by the blazes and spent the weekend packing "the essentials",
being ready to leave as soon as the winds shift.
She shared with us that although this was a scary time, she was torn with the thought of being grateful the wind did not push the fire towards her, and knowing that it meant it was taking others homes.
This is a trait I feel so strongly in Israel.
"All Are One"
.
A good thing I believe has come out of this; in Israel’s distress, countries that were not necessarily "friends" came to our aid. I hope Israel and others see this as a step forward. It would have been a perfect opportunity for some of the surrounding countries to let Israel burn (literally) and they didn't. Their assistance is immeasurable and the fires would still be burning full force if not for their kindness.
My friends and I are planning on volunteering to replant the trees lost in the fire and as our neighbors say, "Do a little dance of luck" for them.
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