I had to leave town yesterday. More accurately, I had the opportunity to leave my 1 kilometer ‘covid-radius’ when Odelya, my 17 year-old, was invited to join a select group of mucky-mucks for a tree planting in the Jerusalem Forest. Odelya has been particularly active this past year in a group called “Save the Jerusalem Hills.” Together with other environmental groups, local leaders, and Ministers of Knesset, they are arguing against construction of living spaces in areas currently forested (thank you JNF) and blessed with several natural springs. They are fighting to preserve our ‘green lungs’ and are encouraging instead the utilization of inner city locations to provide much needed housing. There are links at the end if you would like to learn more. But for now, back to the beginning.
I had to leave town yesterday. And what a breath of fresh air it was. As we exited the area of paved streets, just on the other side of the Jerusalem Zoo, we were greeted with beautiful signs of spring. The trees and ground were filled with the soft green of new growth, the almond trees and rakafot (cyclamens) are blooming in pink and white and the kalaniot (anemone) in vibrant reds. It was a beautiful sunny, and for February, incredibly warm day. After just a few minutes surrounded by nature, I could sense my body relaxing. Each breath (neshima) I took calmed my soul (neshama). Like everyone else, I have been cooped up at home and surrounded by the sights and sounds of city living. I did not realize how much I had been missing the opportunity to just be in the quietness of nature.
The brilliant red Kalanit flower has a special place in the heart of Israelis as it heralds the beginning of spring. It is likely that this is the flower that the Talmud refers to as klonita and is tied closely in it’s beauty to the word kallah (bride). It is inextricably tied to the land of Israel and her people. Although it blooms in a multitude of colors throughout the country, it is the red kalaniot that draws droves of people to nature. The Northern Negev region is particularly filled with red and hosts the annual Darom Adom festival (the South in Red), a highlight of spring.
For me, having grown up in Southern California and remembering the fields of golden California Poppies, this sighting of this flower is especially exciting. Although they belong to different genuses they look quite alike. My quick escape to the Jerusalem Hills that morning gave me my first sighting of 2021. Of course I then proceeded to take photos (of every single flower).
Preparations for this blooming begins as the strong rains of the winter fall. It is then that the kalanit begins its preparation. Snug in the darkness underground, the tuber fills with everything it will need when freedom rings. It waits patiently through the winter for the first vestiges of spring bursting forth seemingly overnight to color the hills throughout the country with their long stemmed beauty. Each morning they unfurl their petals to catch the first rays of the sun and follow her throughout the day until they once again draw together their brilliance to wait out the night. By the time mid-March arrives and the heat with it, the kalaniot have dried, their seeds have scattered, and their existing tubers return to slumber until the rains begin again.
This was my feeling as I stood surrounded by the colors of nature and turned my own face to catch the warm sun (and some potent anti-covid vitamin D). It was as if this moment allowed me to awaken from my slumber of ‘stay-at-home’ to a place where I could breathe deeply and replenish my soul. Israelis live for the outdoors. We stop to make coffee in the forest, we hike, and we picnic in every nook and corner of the country. We work hard and play hard. And like the rest of the world, staying at home, not being with friends and family, not having the opportunity to be in nature is taking its toll.
We are getting there. As I write, anyone over the age of 16 is eligible to be vaccinated and Israel has reached around 33% immunity (among 70+ Israel stands at over 80%). Although we will not reach heard immunity until our 2.5 million children can be vaccinated, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Yet we still do not know what path lies ahead with seemingly new strains being discovered each week.
But as the Kalanit heralds the arrival of spring, the vaccine heralds the arrival of the ability to live with Covid. Just like the Kalanit follows the sun during the day, we too can turn our faces and lives to those things that enfuse us with joy and meaning.
To read Odelya’s article in the Jerusalem Post click here.