From Sadness to Joy

High Pressure over Africa will maintain mostly sunny skies, light winds and warm temperatures for both today (Remembrance Day) and tomorrow (Independence Day).

By late Thursday, a trough of low pressure should break off of a deep trough over central Europe.  It is forecast to drop southward into the eastern Mediterranean, bringing with it chilly temperatures and rain on Shabbat and Sunday.  As of this forecast, there is a 25% chance of heavy rain and thundershowers.   These would lead to flooding in our rivers and streams. So stay tuned.

Most Israelis are tuning into the Remembrance Day ceremonies today or even visiting loved ones who fell during the country’s many wars and terrorist attacks.  Most recently, a Palestinian father of five perpetuated another attack and was shot dead, but only after ramming his car into pedestrians.

Besides hatred, what motivates a father of five to set off on a suicide terrorist attack?  Money.  The Palestinian Authority continues to pay its citizens and their families for committing terrorist attacks  — the bigger the attack the higher the pay.  It continues to do so despite the fact that the Israel government withholds tax payments equivalent to those paid amounts.  It’s obvious what the priorities of such a government are.

The result is that each year additional people mourn the passing of the latest victims of Palestinian terror.  Yet, each year we leap from mourning to celebration as Remembrance Day is followed by Independence Day.  Why the juxtaposition in days?  Perhaps to remind us that despite our losses, new joy and new successes can spring from the roots of our sorrow.