Mah Nishma Yeladim – What’s New Boys & Girls?
I’ll tell you what’s new in Israel – GESHEM – RAIN!!! Heavy, pouring rain like the one in the picture of the Israeli girl caught in the storm. I know, I know – rain goes back to the time of creation, but last year and the year before, and the year before that, we had practically no rainfall. The rain was so little, that drought conditions were declared. Farmers had a hard time growing their fruits and vegetables. Even worse – our sources of drinking water started to dry up. The water level of Lake Kinneret – the Sea of Galilee – which is pictured above and is our main source of drinking water – got so low that it went below the red line. We were in BIG trouble. Then this year rolled around, beginning with Rosh Hashana. Looks like the prayers for rain during the High Holidays must have really helped because lo-and-behold the skies opened up. We’ve had thunderstorms the likes of which we haven’t experienced in years, maybe decades. Lake Kinneret began to fill up again. Yay!! It rose almost five feet. That’s a lot – but it still doesn’t put us in a water comfort zone. And wouldn’t you know it – our last major thunderstorm fell around the Purim holiday. Everyone says the last rain of the year always falls on Purim. It poured on-and-off for three days. All the Purim parades and outdoor pageants had to be postponed until Shusan Purim – the day Jerusalem celebrates the holiday. Purim is celebrated in Jerusalem on that day because in Biblical times it was a city protected by a surrounding wall, just as the city of Shushan in the Purim story. Like clockwork, the sun came out on Shusan Purim and all the outdoor celebrations were held. But, you know what? Even though I have to put on a raincoat and boots, rain please don’t go away. Come again another day VERY SOON. I hope someone up there is listening. Help me get this message across. Join me in singing and dancing to the Israeli folk song "Mayim, Mayim”.
Looking forward to a few more wet days…Zvuvi
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