Forty Days of Rain
Although there has been no deep freeze or pounding snowstorm, it has still been a long winter in the Holy Land. In the Arab world, the rainy winter is known as the forty days, like in the Bible. In such weather, it is best to visit museums or take in a movie at the English-language theatre (hello Star Wars). Houses here are poorly insulated and rain gets in everywhere, which means we have a drafty house, leaky windows and a surprising amount of black mold. In the Northern hills, rain will turn to snow, including at the Holy Land's only ski hill: Mount Hermon. Sometimes (including last year) snow falls on Jerusalem, which means the entire city shuts down after a light dusting. Flash flooding and washouts are serious hazards, especially in dry areas like the Jordan Valley and Negev Desert. On the lighter side, Orthodox men wear large plastic covers to protect their wide-brimmed fedoras and furry shtreimel hats on Shabbat. At the least, the parched land gets...