This has been a necessary but tough blog to write for me. My closest friends in Eretz Israel live in Haifa, some directly in the path of the fire that raged since last Thursday. 42 people died, another 5 are critically injured, hundreds lost homes & possessions and 15,000 were evacuated. Those directly affected carry vivid, unsettling memories, and all who lost their loved ones are hurt & heartbroken in a way that cannot be seen on the outside. Israel is a tiny country & it's society has been touched. I wasn't there, I didn't experience the sights or sounds or smells or terror of the encroaching flames. I thought & thought about how best to tell their tale without intruding, to honour the fallen & express Sympathy & Solidarity. It came to me how best to do that ..... in the pictures of those who were there!
(If you click on the individual images you should be able to access a larger version)
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| Fire licks the Roadside! |
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| This is Nesher, a friend lives on this Mountain. |
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| Running from Beit Oren |
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| Nesher ... Fire moves away! |
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| Carmel Hills |
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| 150ft Flames |
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| Will my Home burn?? |
The Mount Carmel Forest Fire has been contained, Israel's firefighting authorities declared at 4:30 pm Sunday ~ about 77 hours after the initial fire broke out near the Druze village of Usfiya. Firefighters will continue the extinguishing operations in the coming days in a bid to prevent the fire from re-erupting. The police have authorized the evacuated residents of Nir Etzion, Ein Hod and Ein Hawd to return to their homes. Residents of Beit Oren are still ordered to stay away from their homes.
The fire has destroyed more than 50,000 dunam (12,300 acres) of land and damaged three communities ~ 74 buildings burned down in Kibbutz Beit Oren, Ein Hod, and the Yamon-Ord boarding school, and 173 buildings were partially burned. You can help Rebuild Eretz Israel and
those in emergency need in the Haifa region in particular.
Over 5 million trees, some hundreds of years old are reduced to ash & rubble. Please help in the reafforestation of Israel ..... Plant a tree in Carmel Forest!!
EVERY EFFORT HELPS TO RECLAIM THIS PRECIOUS LAND!!!
I have some more very, very dramatic pictures & home video which I have held for tomorrow's blog, which shall have words to remember & pay tribute to the victims of this devasting tragedy. Am Yisrael Chai!!
I wish the firemen, responders, police & soldiers, from Israel & abroad, success in their efforts & my deepest gratitude. Help has come from Russia, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Cyprus, United Kingdom, Canada, Holland & the USA.
ReplyDeleteTo the families of those whose lives were lost, my most heartfelt sympathies and gratitude for their heroic service to Israel. Am Israel Chai!
I wish Tania Lansky was buried as a Jew she was.
ReplyDeleteI visited Israel yearly from the time I was born til I lived there for a year when I was 14. I went back for the first time in 30 years last year.
ReplyDeleteMy relatives live in Haifa not far from the fire.
All I can say that it is disporportionately tragic considering the size of Eretz Yisrael.
I will have trees planted, and G-d willing, I will plant myself on my next visit, whenever that may be.
Mama Lu .... Tania Lansky was a brave, vivacious & very courageous young woman. She is a HERO of Israel for sure, but her mom is not Jewish so therefore neither is she. The Chief Rabbinate was just reflecting this in his decision. Given her death it was a painful one for him. But, it does not take away from her heroic sacrifice. She shall be remembered lovingly!
ReplyDeleteJulian, you made me giggle!! I shall plant myself there too. I plan to make alyiah next year!!
I live just 20 minutes north of Haifa and my sister lives in Nesher. This has been a very emotional time for many of us. I saw the smoke the day of the fire at around 11:30 am and I thought at first it was just a huge polluted cloud.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Tania although a heroine should not be buried in a Jewish cemetary. Those are 2 totally separate issues. She was an incredibly brave and wonderful lady and like Pana said should be remembered lovingly but Jewish law should still not be violated.
Anyone interested in planting trees....
After the flames die down we will have to replant the forests. Phone # JNF to plant trees - 1-800-350-550 .... each tree - 36 NIS (about $10)
G_D bless Israel always! Such a loss in human life and nature. It will be regrown and become beautiful once again!
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