I missed R2BC last week as we were away. We had a wonderful weekend and I meant to write about it as soon as we got back. But there was a lot of catching up to do and reports to write for each of my pupils for the parents' meetings on Tuesday. I had to organize DD staying over at our friend's house on Tuesday, she needed new sports shoes so that was one evening gone, I had to schedule my meeting with her teacher for another time as I had to be at my own school on the same evening as DD's parents' meeting. And there was other stuff that fell, punkt, in the middle of an already busy week.
Finally, today I had a free morning and I meant to write two weeks' worth of reasons 2B cheerful in one post. But I just can't today.
Today ten 12th Grade teenagers from all over Israel, are being buried after a tragic trip to the desert. They were coming to the end of their high-school careers and had been accepted to a pre-army seminar for next year. It's like a gap year with serious learning and experiences towards adulthood and preparation for a more mature national service than had they gone straight into the army at age 18. The seminar organized a hike to the desert. All the seminars do it - it's a getting to know you, bonding thing. It's a highlight and greatly anticipated by the participants.
However, we had torrential rain and storms in Israel on Wednesday and Thursday. The Ministry of Education cancelled all trips. Even trips to places not in the countryside and not in danger of flooding were postponed to keep people off the roads as much as possible. In central Jerusalem some roads turned to rivers as the ground became saturated and the drains became full.
Despite warnings not to, this particular seminar decided to take the risk. They went to the desert anyway. A place where we all know that dramatic flash floods can occur without warning. Tons of gallons of water suddenly appear out of nowhere - gushing down the mountains and sweeping away everything in its path. We've all seen the video clips of instant Niagra Falls where just a minute previously the ground was dry and people could walk along the wadi floor.
They went anyway. They took 25 of our finest youth and came home with only 15. The country is in mourning. Arrests have been made. Ten families have been torn apart forever. Forever heartbroken and no way back. I have no R2BC today.
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| The storm from my window. |
Today ten 12th Grade teenagers from all over Israel, are being buried after a tragic trip to the desert. They were coming to the end of their high-school careers and had been accepted to a pre-army seminar for next year. It's like a gap year with serious learning and experiences towards adulthood and preparation for a more mature national service than had they gone straight into the army at age 18. The seminar organized a hike to the desert. All the seminars do it - it's a getting to know you, bonding thing. It's a highlight and greatly anticipated by the participants.
However, we had torrential rain and storms in Israel on Wednesday and Thursday. The Ministry of Education cancelled all trips. Even trips to places not in the countryside and not in danger of flooding were postponed to keep people off the roads as much as possible. In central Jerusalem some roads turned to rivers as the ground became saturated and the drains became full.
Despite warnings not to, this particular seminar decided to take the risk. They went to the desert anyway. A place where we all know that dramatic flash floods can occur without warning. Tons of gallons of water suddenly appear out of nowhere - gushing down the mountains and sweeping away everything in its path. We've all seen the video clips of instant Niagra Falls where just a minute previously the ground was dry and people could walk along the wadi floor.
They went anyway. They took 25 of our finest youth and came home with only 15. The country is in mourning. Arrests have been made. Ten families have been torn apart forever. Forever heartbroken and no way back. I have no R2BC today.
How terrible - and how irresponsible of those in charge - good to know arrests have been made - although it will be small consolation to the families.
ReplyDeleteWe had a terrible incident here in Toronto last Monday. One sick individual, angry at the world for his shortcomings rented a van and mowed down 25 people on a busy street - mounting the sidewalk, hitting a bus shelter and running over people who never had a chance - 10 have died. It wasn't a terrorist - just some sick individual angry that he didn't have a girlfriend and blaming everyone else. The dead range from 22 to 94. Sometimes there are no words.
I read about that. Just getting on with your life and minding your own business can be a frightening prospect in this day and age.
DeleteSo very sad. A tragic loss. My deepest sympathies to all :-(
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting MumB. Unbelievably tragic.
DeleteDesperately sad, and so avoidable, which makes it even more tragic :(
ReplyDeleteYup. There is a lot conflicting information coming out as the organizers insist that they took advice but no one can say who they actually took advice from. The parents received a whatsapp the day before saying that all the relevant permissions had been given and security issues checked but now they can't say what these were. Apparently some parents tried to get the trip postponed because they were worried about the weather but the seminar wouldn't budge and insisted they'd checked with weather experts. No weather experts have come forward to verify this. Some kids pulled out because they knew it was unsafe. Other whatsapp messages expressed doubt and fear but the kids went anyway = there is a lot od peer pressure not to be a wimp. Lots of anger as well as grief here.
DeleteJust heartbreaking. You have to wonder what on earth possessed the organisers to still go? Just awful.
ReplyDeleteMachismo has been suggested, or plain arrogance.
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