Spring is here

With Pessach just less than two weeks away, spring is everywhere you look in the Golan.

The rolling hills and cliffs coming down the Golan on road 87 from Qatzrin are as picturesque as one can find: rich green grass dotted with lovely yellow flowers (I really should know their names by now). The past few mornings, I've seen a few storks gliding through the northern air; although, not as many as I've seen in recent years. However, even a novice bird watcher like me can know that you must be patient. And besides, there were also a couple of vulture spottings.

Yes, spring is really here - tonight we change the clock and next week I'll be coming home from work in daylight. O' winter, where have you gone?

Desperate times call for even more prayers

Before I meander into the dire rain situation, I’ll being on a positive note. The past couple of days, the weather has been absolutely terrific; overcast dark grey skies that have yielded an abundance of rainfall.

And how do I know? Because for the first time this winter, water is accumulating in the seasonal brook opposite my house.

Nonetheless, as we head into March and with another six more weeks of praying for rain, this has been an awful winter in terms of precipitation in the Golan Heights, and Israel at large. From what I remember, November started slowly with little rain, December was slightly below average, January’s skies were akin to summer, and February has been an on and off month.

Granted, the rabbis have encouraged people to add a special prayer for rain; however, now they’ve added an additional prayer. The communal prayer, similar to a rain dance without the dance, is said on the Sabbath when they open the holy ark.

I’ve been in Israel for over a decade, but never recall getting this desperate for rain. So if you’re feeling good, go ahead and do a little jig for rain.

Legs of pain

Last Thursday, I got enough energy in my body to drive down from the Golan to run the Tiberias 10 kilometer race (6.2 miles).

I'm not particularly fast, and I was originally training for the marathon, and stopped training for six weeks ago because of my knee. So granted, I was just aiming to finish it; the icing on the cake was to do it in under an hour and 15 minutes.

The race started on time at 9:10 in the morning - ten minutes after the 32nd Annual Tiberias Marathon - and I started slowly at the end of the pack. And there I'd stay for most of the race. I was feeling good, though, but of course making sure to pace myself so I could finish the race. Shortly after the halfway mark, I started picking up the pace and passing people and when I approached the finished line, I got my first glimpse of my time.

I crossed the finish line at 01:03:40.30 or 01:03:15.60 after I crossed the starting line, i.e., it took me around 25 seconds to get to the starting line.

Needless to say, I was very proud of myself. And although my legs were extremely sore for the next few days, it was well worth it. I can't wait for 2010.