(VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

Many Israelis are still trying to get over the grief of last week’s flood tragedy involving a school trip in the Aravah that claimed the lives of ten teenagers, leaving others injured. Since that tragedy, some school officials, those who ignored warnings of inclement weather and sanctioned the trip, have been arrested, released to house arrest, and are likely to face criminal charges.

In Eretz Yisrael today, Wednesday, 17 Iyar, there are increasingly audible calls to cancel the bonfires in Meron and around the country due to hot and dry weather, which will be accompanied by strong wind gusts on Wednesday night. Some of the voices of caution are also coming from the frum community, persons fearing another tragedy chas v’sholom.

In the accompanying video, the nation’s main TV News forecasters join together, predicting the hot, dry and windy weather. They advise persons that if they must have a bonfire, to have water on hand, to take necessary precautions, and to make certain no fire is left unattended, but properly extinguished before participants go home.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)