I’ve just been invited to a barbecue next week and it’s only February. Is this a record?

General election day is a national holiday, hence the barbecue invite. Usually there is only one such holiday a year unrelated to a Jewish festival: Yom Ha’atzmaut, which falls in April or May. The fact that the current unseasonably hot February weather happens to lend itself to al fresco dining is irrelevant Barbecuing is what we do on national holidays in Israel.

If you’re reading this in a cold, snowbound place you are probably envious of us sitting here in our shirtsleeves. Don’t be. The lack of rainfall this winter in Israel is likely to produce a major crisis for which we are completely unprepared, and we haven’t heard one word about it from any of the prime ministerial candidates. Still, cooler weather and rain is forecast for next week.

Although it's great being able to arrange a barbecue from April until the end of November without ever having to check the weather forecast, there certainly won’t be any beefs if next week we’re forced to eat indoors because of the rain.