Last week, Jews in Israel added to thrice-daily prayers the traditional request to the A-lmighty for rain. Knesset Members will meet on Tuesday to recite a special traditional hymn and pray for much-needed precipitation.
The event will be held as part of the Knesset “Beit Midrash” (House of Study), which was founded by national religious MKs for both observant and secular legislators to study current events as they relate to Judaism.
The MKs will recite the hymn “May the Living A-lmighty open the Treasures of the Heavens” at the room of the Knesset Committee for Education, Culture and Sport.
Flooded Roads near Netanya
Photo: Flash 90 At the same time, the legislators will be praying and learning, the current winter storm is expected to weaken after having dumped near-record amounts of rain in the north for this time of year but, so far, almost nothing in the south. The official forecast for Monday calls for the rain to reach the northern Negev in the afternoon or evening hours before the system weakens and moves out of Israel late Tuesday.
The Golan Heights, Upper Galilee and the northwestern region of Israel have received up to three times the normal amount of precipitation for this time of year while the amount in Jerusalem is slightly more than normal.
The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has received more than double the usual amount of rain for this time of year, and the lake’s level has risen several inches. It still lacks more than 16 feet before dams would have to be opened to prevent flooding to the lakeside city of Tiberias.
More than four inches of rain have fallen in the Tel Aviv, Haifa and several northern areas since the rains began falling last week.