Tuesday, December 5, 2023

We now take a pause from our regularly scheduled programming to talk about snow.  Yes, snow.

I have always loved snow.  Many people don’t agree with me, but growing up in a New England Winter Wonderland town, I learned to see snow as something that makes everything pretty. By the time I got to university, I was reassured if it snowed, believing that it was a sign from above that I would do okay on my exam and that everything would be alright. Here in Toronto, I simply say to my snow-hating friends that snow is our reward for putting up with the cold and the gray of this city. More about snow in a moment. . . 

Every day, there seems to be another tension-inducing cause to talk about, worry about, get angry about, and hear about on the news. Yesterday alone, there was the anti-Semitic cancellation of 17 buses scheduled to take people to Ottawa, the UN Women conference about the Hamas raping and torture of Israeli women (not a UN event, but hosted on UN premises), the statements from IDF spokespeople and the countless biased responses from a variety of news stations and publications. There is no lack of war-related issues.

And then there was the Ottawa rally. And the snow. The rally was attended by over 15,000 and viewed on livestream by many thousands more. It was what you would expect from a pro-Israel rally. Enthusiastic, impassioned speeches in support of the Jewish people and Israel, cheering, music, applause, togetherness, all in all an uplifting feeling.

When the snow began to fall mid-rally, people started to notice the unique shape of some of the snowflakes. Unbelievably, they looked like Magen David symbols. Perfect Jewish stars. I admit that when I saw the first of these photos, I assumed it was a photo-shopped image. But then I heard from more people, and I saw more photos. The people who shared them were equally gob smacked. This, my friends, is such a beautiful sign from above. If you don’t believe in things like this, then you can just smile and enjoy the sight. (My own late father, the scientist, would have rolled his eyes at my reaction.) But for people like me, people who definitely believe in signs, this is most assuredly an indication that all will be okay, that our unity is encouraged, that in our support for Israel and the Jewish people we are not alone.

I promise you — this is not photoshopped. View these on your computer screen and enlarge them. And know that all will be okay.

Am Yisrael Chai!