Snow ... snow ... snow

Jerusalem, Thursday, February 19 ...

Like the other good citizens of Jerusalem, we are hunkered down. But the much ballyhooed snow hasn't materialized, and unless something drastic happens in the next few hours, all the preparations will have been for naught. After last year's snow, which left this city paralyzed for 5 days, someone figured out that having a snow plan might be a good idea. It was implemented on Wednesday. Schools closed at noon Thursday, the powers-that-be begged people to stay indoors, some bus schedules were changed, and the 2 major highways leading into Jerusalem were going to be closed. Snow plows (actually bulldozers because it doesn't snow enough in this country to warrant maintaining a fleet of actual snow plows) were poised and ready. As can be expected, everyone ran to the grocery stores and bought every litre of milk and every loaf of bread they could carry.

While taking a dinner break from writing the above we heard thunder. I looked out the window and indeed we have snow. Maybe an inch  - hardly the deluge that was forecast. Thunder is unusual; it doesn't normally accompany snowstorms. But the streets are empty and no tire tracks, so people really did do what they were asked and stayed home.

It was a remarkably quiet week for us. The only evening activity was on Monday, when Ì went to my first ever professional basketball game in Israel. Games, actually. There were two, for the semi-finals. The reason for going was my hairdresser's future son-in-law plays for Maccabi Haifa (#21), and he said I should introduce myself if I come to a game. Of course I took Nir, whose life, like Ari's many years ago, is consumed by hoops. I got close during the shoot-around before the game, but he couldn't hear me yell his name (I should have had Sid with me), and security was very uncompromising about getting his attention. But he played well - in fact he was the high scorer till he fouled out in the final minutes. The game went into overtime and Haifa lost by a point. I should add that the first game was between Jerusalem and Eilat, and Jerusalem won by 30 points. It took 3 days to recover my hearing, as the video shows.

It's now Friday morning. I promise I will never again badmouth the weather people. It really did snow overnight. About 8 inches. It's beautiful and quiet. No cars or pedestrians. Sid went to the grocery store this morning. He was surprised that there was still milk and bread on the shelves. There must have been a delivery last night before it started snowing. It's supposed to continue on and off during the day, change to rain sometime tomorrow, and then get warmer. By Monday it should all be just a memory. The photos below were taken from our living room. The one on the bottom is something you don't see every day - a snow-covered cactus.

Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem.