Miracles of Rain, 600 Meters Above the Sea of Galilee, Part 2 by Malik Kirat
When returning home afterward I had Dylan’s verse going on and on. Even out of the context of the song it fitted so true for the kind of our country life. You judge the direction and the strength of the wind by the Israeli flag in the front yard. The puddles on the garden path should show was the night rainy or not. Almond trees bloom predicts the warmer part of the winter is here and the Sea Squills blooming mostly mean the summer is going to turn into the autumn. If it is still midwinter and the sprinkles out in the fields are on open, then we hadn’t seen much rain. What are the signs predicting rains to come?
Rain and water are indeed very sensitive issues for any Israeli. Lately, the overall climate changes are causing endless headlines and campaigns for preparing for the next drought to come. Spring, Summer, and autumn could be very dry. Winter could be almost without rain or with rains coming in a very few short strong waves, with water draining too quickly and not to the places we could preserve or use it. Israel in all its agricultural glory is still a very much desert country, with water resources depending entirely on the ”Heavens above”. No truly large river is feeding our Holy Land. So if the Sukkot Holidays won’t bring a traditionally awaited rain, soon enough every conversation will have a part about ”Geshem”, ”Rain” a much desirable by all.
And then it would be everywhere – why the rain isn’t coming yet, already we’re in November. Some will pray for it separately and in large assemblies, some will grimly predict a drought coming and criticize the yesterday’s ”parody” or ”the game in raining”. Some will praise the desalination of the sea water method. Some will criticize the agreement on supplying a large quantity of water to Jordan. Some will rely on the ”Hakol Ihiye Beseder” – a Hebrew traditional “Everything will be Alright ”.
