Singin' in the Rain

All of us in Israel have many reasons to have danced in the rain in the past few days. The blessed rain actually elicited yelps of exhilaration from just about everyone. On Friday night, as my family sat at the Shabbat table, we kept our curtains open and were entertained by the spectacular light show that the sky provided us. The rain was beating so hard on the windows, it seemed to have a base drum all its own.
The rain remained a welcome guest on Shabbat day and then on Sunday for Purim. Even though folks had to deliver their Mishloach Manot (gifts of food) in the rain, they exclaimed their joy at the stormy weather.
Today at 12:30 PM, I dropped my husband off at Mincha (the afternoon prayer), but got detoured on the way home, because in the middle of the street - Rechov Netzach Yerushalayim - a dozen or two men and children were dancing. Actually, Rechov Netzach Yerushalayim has a street-dance (the original mob dance) every Purim. It's been doing the dance for the past nine years since Efrat's MIRACLE.
Nine years ago, an Arab came into Efrat and tried to blow himself up in our supermarket. B"H, an alert and able Efratian noticed something was not right with the Arab, followed him into the supermarket, and shot him just as the Arab pulled his switch.
A preliminary mini-blast occurred but, B"H, this local hero saved Efrat from the big boom.
That day giant posters were hung everywhere, "Nes gadol haya po" (a great miracle happened here); "Layehudim hayta ora..." (The Jewish people had light and joy and happiness). And they simultaneously poured out into the street to dance and celebrate the miracle.
The neighborhood residents of Dekel, Efrat, have been celebrating ever since.
And even though, today it was pouring heavily, the residents of Netzach still came out into the streets to dance and celebrate and thank Hashem for the miracle He created for the people of Efrat.
The music played and the folks sang and danced in the rain.
Thank you, Hashem, for making a miracle for us in our day.