Rain Rain Go Away?

I have made reference in a number of previous posts to the rain that is supposed to be falling in Israel at this time of the year. The rain has not yet fallen, and the drought has not seen any improvement. Yesterday, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel declared a day of fasting and prayer in hopes that it will open the heavens.

It is difficult for me to stress how badly Israel needs this water. Recently I read two expert evaluations of the ongoing drought. One of them suggested that the extreme heat experienced this summer would have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths if the technologies for desalinating and moving water around the country did not exist. The second prediction posits that without a normal amount of rain this winter, there is a good possibility that Israel will have to take up a program of water rations next summer.

As for the title of this post, I cant' help but laugh when I see the Facebook and gChat status messages of people who are residing in the United States. On an average rainy day it's not uncommon to read a complaint or two about the rain, and perhaps even one that says "rain rain, go away." Water is critical here, which is generally not something that is experienced in the United States.

What can we do in Israel to help?
Shorter showers, turning off water while brushing teeth, doing only full loads of laundry, turning off the water while scrubbing dishes, and more...

For those of you in the States or in other places where rain is abundant, the next time you're complaining about rain, just remember there are people not so far away who would rejoice in the streets when the rain falls.

Shabbat shalom.