Level of the Kinneret, October 2015

We have another day of thunder and rain in Israel today. While some areas are flooding we hope that the level of the Kinneret is rising nicely. The level of the Kinneret listed on the 25th October just before all this rain was quite concerning. We need a very good season of rain in order to restore the level to a healthy level.

Have you read much about Lake Kinneret also known as the Sea of Galilee? Did you know that it is well below Sea Level? Did you know there are two water levels that are constantly being monitored, these are known as the upper red line and the lower red line. Below the lower red line is a black line which is a level that becomes problematic to the ecology if the water drops so low. The past year the water level has dropped to very close to the lowest red line. The graph below shows the water levels with the upper red line, the lower red line, the black line below the lower red line. The lowest point on the right side of the graph is the level the water had reached by 25 Oct 2015.

As you can see, there have been years when the water level is touching the black line. We do not want this to happen for many reasons.

This information together with the graph can be found on the website SavetheKineret 

You can return regularly to see the changes in the graph, it is updated regularly.

Since water is very important for healthy living, there are many ways that are recommended to conserve or save water. Did you know that there are close to 200 ways to save water? Do you know any of them? Do you put them into practice? An important one is to teach your children the value of water and not to waste it. 

Here is a fun one, if you accidentally drop ice cubes, don't just put them into the sink, instead, put them onto house plants.  

Be a leak detective, check all faucets, connectors, hoses etc for leaks. If there is a leak, repair it speedily.

Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes, this will save water estimated at being 1000 gallons a month. 

There are many more ways to save / conserve water. What is your favourite method of conserving water? Is conserving water important to you? For more ideas, you can take a look at the website water use it wisely

Stay warm, dry and safe

Shoshanah Shear

Chessed Ve'Emet

Rain, Kineret and Weather in Jerusalem

It has been a few weeks since we posted about the weather in Israel and Jerusalem in particular. We are happy to say there has been much rain. Windy days too. At this moment on Friday morning the rain has subsided and the wind is still active. There are predictions for rain to continue this afternoon and for snow for Jerusalem tonight and tomorrow, ie over Shabbos.

So if you are visiting Jerusalem and walking to friends, family or kind and caring hosts for your Shabbos meals do make sure to bundle up. If you live in Jerusalem, you can bundele up too, :). You just may be walking in the snow either to or from Shul or your meals. If it falls later on, take care when going to Shul in the morning. 

There are a few Hallachos for snow on Shabbos. If snow falls on your clothing, you can gently shake off unmolten snow. If it falls on a waterproof raincoat, you can shake off the snow more vigorously. It is not permitted to make snow balls or a snow man if the snow settles sufficiently. Snow itself is not Muktze, however we can not mould it into any shape on Shabbos. Remember, no photographing on Shabbos either, even if the snow flakes are beautiful or fun or the white on the roof tops or at the Kotel is impressive and a picture. The snow comes from Hashem and He requests us to observe the Shabbat.

So if there is snow fall this Shabbos, enjoy the beauty and the clean white snowflakes, but remember to follow the laws for Shabbos. 

The last few weeks of rain has had a positive effect on the level of the Kinert. In the last few days there has been a rise of 5 cm. The level of the Kineret is currently -212.83m and 82cm above what it was this time last year. 

Keep up the davening and good deeds. We want the Kineret to be full to the appropriate level that there is no flooding but we have the quanitiy of water required to take us out of danger zone.

Shabbat Shalom, Good Shabbos, Gut Shabbos - all acceptable ways to greet your fellow Jew for Shabbat

 

Level of the Kinneret

Can it be a whole month has gone by since we last posted regarding the Kinneret? Amazing!!

I took a look at the last post and the level of the Kinneret was -213.67m. The level I found for today is -213.66m. That means that the level of the Kinneret has risen by 1 cm. Not much in a month now is it. The level is still higher than it was last year, it is 36cm higher than it was this time last year to be exact. Is that enough?

NO!!

We need more rain and we need the level of the Kinneret to rise. What can you do??

Pray hard for more rain. AND, send us ideas so that readers can learn how to help use the water in Eretz Yisrael in the best possible manner. Here are a few ideas to get you started:  Fix your leaks, repair leaking toilets. If you have an urn you use on Shabbat, don't just throw out the water, use it to fill a hot water bottle or to clean the floor.

How else can we save water or help the Kinneret?

If you have ideas, do let us know, AND keep up those Tefillos.

Shavuah Tov

Shoshanah

Latest on Rainfall and Level of the Kinneret

We are back to the topic of rain and the level of the Kinneret.

Some people like to ask the spelling of certain names or words. Is Kinneret spelled with one 'n' or two?

The truth is, the word is Hebrew and the correct spelling is   כנרת

There has been lovely sunshine again in Eretz Yisrael, which means not much rain happening. 

The level of the Kinneret is -213.67m, 40cm above what it was this time last year, but still too low.

While we daven for rain, please look at ways to conserve water. If you have leaks, have them repaired.

If your toilet is faulty with dripping water, have it repaired.

If you ahve water left over in an urn and dont want to use it, why not use that water either for plants or to clean the floor. Respect the water we do have. We are not out of the woods yet.

Do you have other ideas as to how to save our water and use it wisely and respectfully? Please do let us know.

Have a wonderful day. Enjoy the winter sunshine and remember to daven for Rain.

Israel, Rain and the Kineret

Shavuah Tov from a rainy Eretz Ysrael.

What a Brachah that there was rain in the Holy Land of Israel over Shabbat.

The weather report stated that in addition to rain there would also be thunder, a special time to say a specific Brachah, on the thunder of course.

Where we are there was lovely rain, but no thunder. I dont know about in the centre of Yerushalayim but up in Tzfat there was thunder as well as rain.

So how does this rain translate practically? Is it helping us to get out of the danger zone with sufficient water supply?

Over the past few days, Israel has received rain, however the water level of the Kineret remains at -213.67m, -67cm below the lower red line.

"How can that be?" one might ask. Let us do a little maths.

Rain over a few days over the whole of Eretz Yisrael must SURELY lead to rise in water level of the Kineret. How can it be the water level has remained the same?

Well the water level only raises when the quantity of water entering the vessel of Lake Kineret exceeds the water usage. Presumably if it has been cold, which it has, then evaporation will be less if at all. But there is still the amount that residents in Israel are consuming.

So keep on Davening, Keep on doing Mitzvos, we have a way to go still to be out of danger in terms of water supply.

It's Raining!!

It's been a beautiful few days in Eretz Yirsael. Warm winter sun, not too bright, lovely for getting out and about, seeing the country and completing necessary tasks, chores or errands. But winter in Israel is a time for much needed rain and today we are blessed with rain. Yay!!!

Am I becoming a weather bureaux? NO, but weather and more importantly adequate rainfall in the correct season is part and parcel of life in Israel.

So what's doing with the Kineret. Well the level has fallen over the last few days. It had reached -213. 65 m a few days ago. Today it measures at -213.67 m. The level is higher than it was this time last year by 24 cm, but we need lots more rain. We don''t want the level to fall, we want it to rise, up to the water level that is safe for us here in Israel.

I hope you dont get bored with our weather report. What else is there to life in Eretz Yisrael?

Well I asked some friends what they liked most about Eretz Yisrael. 

The answer was:

"The kedusha. You can feel it in the air- before you even land at Ben Gurion."

"I LOVE the old city - I LOVE tzefat, I love the ramat hagolan I love chevron , I LOVE THE KOTEL, I LOVE THE HOLY LAND !!!

"I LOVE SDEREOT I LOVE ITAMAR , I love maale adumim I love nachalot, shall I keep going ??? My love is unending !!"

"I become highly aware of my neshoma, when I have the zechut to be in E"Y. I feel a deeper bond with HKB"HU when I am there"  

We'd like to hear from you, our fellow Jew and fellow Oleh or Olah. What do YOU like most about Eretz Yisrael? How are YOUR Aliyah plans coming along? If YOU are already here, how are YOU settling in?

 

Israel, the Kineret and more

It is Thursday, time to begin preparing for Shabbos again. The weather has been just gloroius or has it?

Soft sunshine, wispy clouds, beautiful sunrises and sunsets. But this time of year our thoughts are not of sunshine, not in Eretz Yisrael anyway. Our thoughts are of the need for rain and to fill the Kineret.

Recent reports state that the level of the Kineret is either -213.645m or -213.65m. It is 26 cm higher than it was this time last year, but we have a long way to go.

We don't want to wait till the end of winter for a sunden downpour that is more like floods and removes valuable top soil. We need a gradual, steady, gentle rain that fills the Kineret and all other water supplies to our precious land.

So keep on Davening, keep up the Mitzvos. May we be blessed this year with ALL the rain we need in the proper time.

Shabbat Shalom