Thursday, May 3, 2018 3:30 AM

Late at night, I smell smoke wafting in through my basement apartment's windows. Alarmed at first, I remember that it's Lag BaOmer, a holiday marked by bonfires, haircuts, and weddings. (I decided to move here when visiting for a wedding this time last year.) This year, the bonfires are a problem. With the strong winds and dry weather (despite recent torrential storms), too much of the landscape is flammable. The government has banned bonfires in some places and restricted their size in others. Announcements at the House of a Hundred Grandmothers have told their residents, many of whom have breathing problems, to keep their windows shut. Although I enjoy the cool breezes that drift through my apartment, I get up from my bed and close mine.