Last weekend, Bibiana Mikharnova, the owner of the “BB Gelato” ice cream shop in Prague, whose exciting story we published here in Mako about a month ago, arrived in Israel.
As I recall, Bibiana, who speaks Hebrew fluently and managed to live in Israel for six years about 20 years ago, fell in love with Israel and since returning to the Czech Republic in 2005, she used to visit the country at least once or twice a year. Since the Shiva massacre in October, she has not come to visit due to the war, and decided to light a candle every day for the Shabbat of the abductees in her business. After the publication of the article, many Israelis who were moved by Bibiana’s gesture and prayers, came to her ice cream parlor in the center of Prague and wrapped her in warmth and love, which they received back from her.
As mentioned, on Thursday she landed in Israel together with her husband, Valsta, to celebrate their honeymoon. “We chose to come to Israel after our wedding because for me it is the most fun and truest thing in the world, to come here after the two terrible years that this country went through,” says Bibiana. “We so wanted to fly here and every time we had to postpone because of the campaign against Hezbollah and the war with Iran, and I’m glad it came out at the best time now, to celebrate our marriage.”
They started their vacation in Israel in Kiryat Haim, at the home of their old friend Ilana Degani. “I met Bibiana 10 years ago during a trip to the Jewish Quarter in Prague,” says Ilana. “I approached her stand and we started talking, and there was an instant click and we fell in love with each other. Since then we have been sisters in heart and soul, I fly every few months to visit her. She is a woman with such strong strengths, and all the love that has come to her in the last few months is what she deserves the most in the world. She and her husband go above and beyond, they always think of the Israelis and our country is deep in their hearts. When the war broke out, they were terribly worried and pained by what happened in Israel, and made sure to pray and light Candles for kidnapping in their business every day, they love Israel on a level I have never encountered.”
According to Ilana, the smallest things managed to excite the two during the last weekend. “They were very happy that it finally happened and they were able to come to visit us in Israel after the difficult time we went through. They are excited and enthusiastic about every meal, everything, everywhere. There are no such things. The fact that they chose to honeymoon in Israel means everything.” Ilana and her family members, who know the Czech couple well, decided to surprise them and hold a “mini wedding” for them here as well. “I asked her to come with a wedding dress, she didn’t understand why but I told her she had to do it and that I really wanted to. We organized a small event for them with our family, henna, dancing and food. They were moved to tears.”
Even before her arrival in Israel, Bibiana promised that when she got here she would go to a local supermarket and purchase products for the IDF soldiers and distribute them, and so it was. On Friday, she and her husband went to the supermarket together with Ilana and bought snacks, hygiene products, drinks and other things that would be distributed to the soldiers they would meet later on in their trip to Israel.
After the exciting weekend in the north, Bibiana and Valesta said goodbye to Ilana and her family this morning. “It was sad and exciting at the same time,” Bibiana says. “It’s hard for me to describe in words what Ilana has become for me over the years, she is much more than a mother. This is an amazing woman who entered my heart from the first moment and helped me with everything I asked of her. We packed the boxes for the soldiers together and she surprised me hugely with the surprise wedding she organized for us.”
Bibiana and Valesta will spend the next two days meeting other friends in the streets and taking a trip to Jerusalem, after which they will arrive in Eilat, the southern city where it all began. “I am returning to the place where I traveled for the first time in the country and which made me fall in love with Israelis and your amazing country. This is the closing of a circle for me, precisely in such a difficult and complex time for the Jewish people. I want to thank all the dear Israelis who supported me on social media, who came and wrapped me with love in our ice cream parlor, but it is important for me to say that it is all thanks to you. You brought me happy moments of happiness, tears, and thanks to you I realized how much it is possible to love people. What I got I haven’t received from the Israelis anywhere else in the world, although this is only the beginning of our trip here, but we are already planning the next visit.”