Too many Israelis are unwilling to risk a repeat of the first storm of the winter of 5774. Last winter, many or possibly most Israelis did not stock up as advised, and in cities such as Yerushalayim and Tzfas, as well as areas in Yehuda and Shomron, residents were stranded for days, some without electricity and water and too many without basic food supplies.

As predictions of snowfall and accumulations on Mt. Hermon, in Yerushalayim and Tzfas and Gush Etzion, continue, people seem to remember last year as they are heading to stores in large numbers. The Osher Ahd supermarket in the Givat Shaul neighborhood of Jerusalem, which is usually tranquil on a Sunday evening, was booming like a few days before Rosh Hashanah on Sunday night 13 Teves. Speaking with shoppers that all had the same message, “The storm is coming”.

Out of character perhaps for Israelis, many are stocking up and clearly they expect power outages as candles are being sold in large quantities. At Machane Yehuda midday Monday, 14 Teves, grocery stores are quite empty and the streets are booming with shoppers, more in line with a Thursday afternoon shopping scene, not a Monday.

Police announce that this time around they will not permit thousands of motorists to become stranded as was the case last winter. In last year’s storm, too many motorists found themselves in a pikuach nefesh situation as the snow continued to accumulate and they were stuck in vehicles, many with young children and infants. Police report highways leading to the capital will be shut at the first sign of snow accumulations. This includes both Highways 1 and 433, the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway and the Jerusalem-Modi’in Highway respectively.

Israel Electric Company officials have announced the opening of two situation rooms in the capital, and Jerusalem City Hall officials report that they are monitoring the storm carefully and will be prepared this time around.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)