A Quick Word

Happy Hanukkah Everybody!


Sorry it has been so long since I last updated. I have been having a great time in Karmiel... we have ended orientation and are actually volunteering and keeping busy with other things around the city. This past weekend I was on another Keshet seminar, this time I learned about Economy, Industry, and Tourism in the North. It was a great learning experience and it was great to see all the other Shnatties back together again for 5 days. We have been so busy, and this upcoming week will be even busier, since I will be traveling with the youth/ teens of Karmiel on a Hanukkah trip ending in Eilat. We will be in and around the South of Israel visiting sites, hiking, and camping quite a bit. We are all really excited!

I will write a proper update towards the end of the week/ beginning of next week with details about Karmiel, Keshet, and the trip... but for now, I wanted to say a few things about the fires in Israel.

First, I am fine and there haven't been and still aren't any threats to Karmiel from the fires. We are in the North, but we are a significant distance away from the Carmel Mountains, which is where it all started. I'm not sure how much you are hearing in the US and other places, but there was originally one fire, started by negligence in a Druze village, and because Israel is in such a drought, the dry forests easily caught fire. At one point, there were 7 forest fires around Israel, six in the North and one in the South. The cause of the fires following the first big one is yet to be determined. At this point, we are being told that all the fires are under control, thanks to great emergency work of the IDF (Israeli Defense Force), Israeli fire crews, and fire crews from around the world, including an incredible fire fighting 747 from the US. There is a lot to be done still by means of restoration. Unfortunately, a whole kibbutz, Beit Oren, and many other homes and developments have been burnt to ashes, and in total, there have been more than 50 deaths from the tragedies. We are all hoping the crews have a easy final step in ending all the craziness. To keep up with the aftermath, I suggest looking at jpost.com or haaretz.com. They are two big Israeli newspapers that I have been frequenting to stay on top of the issue.

Thats all for now... I am having a great time, and am full of Sufganyot (doughnuts) especially after our Hanukkah party tonight. Remember you can always comment on the blog or email me if you have questions!

I'm out--
Ethan