weather

Today is national election day in Israel, and the weather for the day seems like something right out of a Hollywood movie. There must be some sort of meaning in this. If it were a book, these rain drops would be foreshadowing something. Before you jump to conclusions and assume that the foreshadowing would be something bad, though, remember that this is the rainy season in Israel, and Torah and Jewish tradition holds that rain during the right season is a huge blessing. So, Hollywood scary or Middle East folklore miracle? It's all a matter of personal interpretation.

In the world of politics in the here and now, it was an eventful day as well. The polls saw a very high turnout throughout the day, and the Likud and Kadima parties are racing neck and neck to the finish line.

At first glance it looks as if the people of Israel are battling between the Right Wing views of Bibi Netanyahu in Likud and the more Centrist views of Tzipi Livni and Kadima, but that only gives part of the picture. Many Israelis felt that none of the big three parties spoke for their interests and ideals, and so they voted for smaller parties that you won't hear about in the news. Some of those parties are ultra-Right Wing, but many are moderate and ultra-Left Wing parties. In all, total of 34 different parties submitted lists of candidates. Once the major parties' seats are decided, it will still be necessary to negotiate with the other parties, including the smallest parties who managed to get seats in the Knesset, in order to establish a government. In order to form a coalition the prospective Prime Minister will need 61 seats out of 120 to support him or her.

If this entire process seems a bit like voodoo to you, you are not alone. Many Israelis would like the system to be different, more transparent and more directly controlled by the voters themselves. Some Israelis point out that the State is young and we haven't quite got all the bugs worked out. Others point out that the process for electing the President in the US is at just as murky for the average voter.

Imagine a gray and windy day. It's not so much raining as misting, but it's a thick mist and cuts visibility down to a couple hundred meters (yards) or so. Now, give that a golden tint and make the mist super fine sand instead of tiny water drops. If you take a deep breath of the air, the smell reminds you of the underside of your bed when you went looking for something that got lost under there.

If you are asthmatic, the dust makes it very hard to breathe. You'll need your inhaler a lot, and you should cover your face with a scarf. Sure, you might look like a one of those religious fanatics, but everyone understands. If you really care about appearances, just use a knitted scarf that's obviously European.

The sand is really fine, so even though you have the windows closed, you won't be saved from it's effects. It seems to magically appear as a thin film on your floor -- more so than on regular days, and that says a lot.

That's a Tel Avivi sandstorm.

It's not dramatic like in the movies. No one goes running for cover. Life goes on as normal, but perhaps a bit muted, just like the color of the sky and landscape. You wish it were rain instead of sand. We really need the rain. A grayish day like this should really bring rain. But you have to admit, the golden color is kinda pretty.