Comments (0)Mermaid, Shmermaid
August 28, 2009Neil Rubin
Editor
Is Daryl Hannah busy with a remake of her 1984 movie “Splash” about a mermaid’s journey in humandom, this time filming off Israel’s coast?
Or is it just a visitor from Neptune’s reign who wants to take advantage of Israel’s great northern beaches?
Or is it perhaps the legendary friendly gefilte fish that patrols the shores of the Land of Israel to protect the Jewish state and its citizens? (OK, I made up that last one, but I do think we have the makings of a great kid’s book here.)
In recent months, several residents of Kiryat Yam have called city hall to report sightings of a half-girl, half-fish doing tricks, such as jumping in the air like a dolphin, before disappearing into the sea, according to the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz.
As a result, the powers-that-be in the Israeli coastal town near Haifa are offering $1 million to anyone who can bring them proof that the sea creature is real. That’s led to assorted people gathering at the beach in the evenings, when the mermaid is said to emerge, trying to get a look at the creature and to snap her picture.
It’s a shame that Daryl’s legendary co-star, John Candy, is no longer among us to get his take.