Rain - גשם

the Chanichim should understand that the water situation in Israel is not good. The water condition in Israel reflects our connection with God and if we are good – “Ben Adam LeChavero” and “Ben Adam LeMakom” it will show in the rain.  This basic assumption is right for both Jews in Israel and the entire world.

Therefore our behavior in Chutz La'aretz – affects the water in Israel.

Israel needs water!!!

Rain makes us & God best friends

-Or-

The lack of water in Israel and what does it have to do with us.

Written by: Chani and Reut, Cleveland

Goal: the Chanichim should understand that the water situation in Israel is not good. The water condition in Israel reflects our connection with God and if we are good – “Ben Adam LeChavero” and “Ben Adam LeMakom” it will show in the rain.  This basic assumption is right for both Jews in Israel and the entire world.

Therefore our behavior in Chutz La'aretz – affects the water in Israel.

Israel needs water!!!

Suggested Age: Chevraya Taf, Aleph

Suitable for Shabbat

Very important:

This Peula contains many details and methods. Don’t panic from it’s length. Read it before and choose the ones that suit your Chanichim the best.

# You can play with your Chanichim fun water games as some kind of introduction for the subject:

-         A drinking contest: Two volunteers are ought to finish a certain amount of water (half a bottle, three cups, etc’) the winner is the one to finish the first.

-         Place a candy in a bowl of water. The Chanichim – two volunteers- must eat the candy with out using their hands.

# To emphasize the importance of the water for living, tell your Chanichim the following:

For older groups: you can let them act a dilemma  - (added at the end)

Two people were walking in the desert. They were walking for many days and no life sign seemed close. They were tired, hungry, and the most of all – thirsty. The temperature was close to 130 deg’ and they barley were able to make the next step. Jacob said: ”if only I had a few drops of water, I’ll feel alive again.” Suddenly Noah remembered that in his back- pack, he might have a small bottle of whiskey that he filed up with water in the last well they saw!! He was so happy. But there was a big problem.  

That amount will be enough to keep only one of them alive.

 # Ask the Chanichim

What should he do??????

For younger Groups: two options for a story. Of course it’s your job to make it interesting. Make up details, dramatize, etc’…

1.     This story happened during the golf war 10 years ago. A pilot named Jon, was flying above the Sahara desert an his way to Iraq.  Suddenly, as a result of a technical problem, the plain (F-16) started to lose height. The pilot was terrified. After a few minutes of falling the plain barley landed and could not take off again. He didn’t have fuel as well therefor even if he knew how to fix it – it wouldn’t help. Jon didn’t know what to do. He knew that the American army wouldn’t find him so quick so he found a few weeds he can eat. But water he didn’t find. He managed to get everything and he was a great hero, but as he finished his last drop of water he just fainted. After a day of being unconscious the air force found his plain and took him. It took him two whole weeks of intensive medical care, and intravenous  to get over the lack of water!

.

2.     The story about “Chony Hameagel” briefly: we had a year without rain in aretz Yisrael so people came to the great tsadik that they had then and asked him to ask rain from Hashem. Chony made a circle around him and said that he won’t move from this circle until hashem will give us rain. Suddenly drops started to fall. Chony davened and said that this isn’t enough so Hashem brought a very strong rain, too strong – the rain broke the trees and caused a flood. Chony asked again, and a blessed rain begun      

That story shows us that Am-Yisrael during all of the generation had a water problem and what solved this problem then?

# Tell your Chanichim to think about the things we need water for. That will make them understand the dependency that we have on water.

Just for example: eating, drinking, taking a shower, 80% of our body is water, T.V screen is made from water (who can live without T.V??), furniture are made from wood that can’t grow without water, etc.

# You can show your Chanichim a map of the water sources in Israel, in order for them to understand the lack we have.

# Give the Chanichim the “Vehaya Im Shamoa” paper and ask them what can we understand from it?

From those Psukim we see that Hashem telling us that our behavior is affecting immediately on the rain, (which mean that we aren’t in such a good condition now…) if we are trying to be good the rain situation can be better it is all depends on us!

Important information about the water in Israel:

@ Watering back yards, grass lawns, and public gardens in Israel - is forbidden.

@ 7 minutes of the Niagara Falls is enough to fill up the Kineret.

@ The Kineret (the main water source of Israel) has been 36 ft’ under its fill.

@ If we won’t have rain on this year we will have to start importing water from

different countries such as Turkey.

Conclusion:

WE CAN HELP!!!! Our behavior here in Chutz la'aretz can make things better, even if we aren’t in Israel. Every person from Am Yisrael can make a difference. If we will try to improve ourselves in our daily routine and be better people- then we can help the rain in Israel to start!

Two people were walking in the desert. They were walking for many days and no life sign seamed close. They were tired, hungry, and the most of all – thirsty. The temperature was close to 130 Deg’ and they burley were able to make the next step. Jacob said: ”if only I had a few drops of water, I’ll feel alive again.” Suddenly Noah remembered that in his back- pack, he might have a small bottle of whiskey that he filed up with water in the last well they saw!! He was so happy. But there was a big problem. That amount will be enough to keep only one of them alive.