THE FIRST RED ANEMONES OF THE BLOOMING SEASON WERE SEEN IN THE BURNING SOUTH OF ISRAEL.

 By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN January 16, 2024, 19:56 Updated: January 16, 2024, 22:06. First red anemone in western Negev. (Photo credit: OMRI SELNER/SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE IN ISRAEL

Dan Alon, CEO of SPNI, said, "One of the most encouraging things is to see the renewal of nature at the site of one of the largest disasters the state of Israel has ever experienced."

In the Eshkol Negev National Park, the first anemones of the season bloomed this week. Their bright red hues gushing from the ground provide a stark contrast to the scorched landscape that had been ravaged by fires and killings just three months earlier.

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) took a photo of the flowers.

Dan Alon, CEO of SPNI, said, "One of the most encouraging things is to see the renewal of nature at the site of one of the largest disasters the state of Israel has ever experienced. Nature may not be able to fix what happened, but it can help in healing and recovery."

According to Amir Balaban of SPNI, anemones, or "kalaniyot" in Hebrew, bloom in winter. Blue and white anemones are already growing in the northern regions. However, from late January to mid-February, the flowering season reaches its peak, when the whole country, especially the southern part, will be decorated with a beautiful red carpet.

The most popular flower among Israelis, according to a SPNI survey, is the anemone. However, in the middle of the 20th century, the population of anemones in Israel decreased as a result of the number of people picking them. Their rise was aided by educational, legislative, and law enforcement initiatives, as well as SPNI campaigns encouraging people to "look but not touch.".

"Anemones are perennial flowers with small bulbs hidden in the soil," says Balaban, who was the first known victim of the October 7 massacre, and "the flower attracts pollinators, including bees, who collect pollen and Mate, spreading the next generation."

After the Darom Adom (Red South) festival, founded by Ofir and Vered Libstein in 2007, flowers became very popular. The first victim of the October 7 massacre was Ofir Libstein, head of the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. He and his son, Nitzan Libstein, who was 19, were killed defending Kibbutz Kfar Aza.

To date, the Darom Adom festival has been held annually from mid-January to late February and has received visitors from all over Israel. It involves enjoying red flowers, arts and crafts, and live performances. However, this year, the festival will not be held.

On her Facebook page, Libstein is pictured lying in a field of red anemones with a smile on the back of her head.

Two days before the Hamas rampage, Libstein received a group of 700 Christian Zionists in the Negev and along the Gaza border to dedicate land referred to as the "Christian Embassy Nature Park," which had been restored through a Christian gift in collaboration with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, the Jewish National Fund. Dana. The Christians have chosen to rehabilitate parts of the Be'eri forest that have been burned by Gaza arsonists, who launched fire kites and balloons from Gaza over the past few years.

As the IDF and its tanks rushed to defend Israel on October 7, terrorists damaged the park and later suffered damage themselves.

David Parsons, vice president and senior spokesman for the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, said Christians around the world hope to plant 1,200 bright red tulips in the area as soon as they can return there in memory of the 1,200 people lost to Hamas.

Balaban said, "This year, in the south, a large flowering area was affected by the war, and we hope that part of the restoration in the future will also involve nature and the environment in full cooperation with the community."

Alon states that seeing the first anemone "is a unique and emotional sight that gives rise to thoughts about the future. Rain and renewed nature give a sense of hope."

"We all mourn the incomprehensible deaths of the victims, worry about the well-being of the abductees, pray for the speedy recovery of the wounded, and hope for the return of our soldiers. We also hope that the residents of the [south] return and rebuild their lives and that Israeli tourists can return and travel in peace and safety."

News Sources: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-782451