Winter is here in Jerusalem, Israel. It is cold and wet. When it rains clothes do not dry and my toes do not warm up, even in my new warm furry slippers. Traffic is a mess. People were just hit by a bus in the center of town and the ambulances raced by my window.
In the US they changed the clocks this weekend and people are dragging themselves back to Monday morning jobs.
So to brighten your day, I want to share something positive, really amazing when you think about downer world headlines.
Last night I was lucky to attend the Masa Israel Journey mega event at the Jerusalem Convention Center. Taglit-Birthright brings young people for a 10 day free visit. However, this Masa program is for 18-30 year-old young adults to come for a year of volunteering. This gathering of thousands filled the main auditorium with Israeli flags, real fire and incredible energy.
Natan Sharansky was popular and having a great time.
But it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who must have really been glad to be there. He was treated like a rock star! Too bad most of this enthusiastic crowd cannot vote now. They cheered and applauded him like his own party certainly did not in Likud meetings today.
The auditorium for his speech sounded like that of an US presidential candidate who just won the primary election with his most ardent followers.
Idan Raichel and his band, and others put on an impressive show, but it was the audience that I had to stop and video.
Thousands of young people from around the world, in Israel to volunteer, singing and dancing
Am Yisrael Chai!
How can this not brighten your day?
