What Brought Kibbutz Members, Public Figures, and Rabbis Together on the Kinneret Island?
Rabbi Amos Shushan, who attended the emotional prayer event, shares in a special interview: "We committed to hold the prayer specifically on the island in the Kinneret."
- הילה פרידמן
- פורסם כ"ט טבת התשע"ח
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![Rabbi Amos Shushan]()
Rabbi Amos Shushan
At the onset of the fifth consecutive drought year, there have been increasing calls for mass prayer gatherings for rain, hoping to change the dire decree.
A large public prayer was held in the Kinneret on Wednesday, the 16th of Tevet, just two days before blessed rain began to pour joyfully and abundantly on our land. The prayer was led by the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, alongside other rabbis from the northern region, with the participation of many farmers from local secular kibbutzim. The prayer took place on an island that formed in the southern Kinneret due to the drastic drop in sea level, symbolizing the current drought.
One of the prominent participants in the prayer gathering was Rabbi Amos Shushan, the regional rabbi for the Poria Ridge communities in the Jordan Valley. I reached the rabbi's home in the middle of a stormy and rainy Friday, exactly two days after the prayer.
Rabbi Shushan, isn't it surprising that the initial initiative for the prayer in the Kinneret came from Idan Greenbaum, the head of the regional council, who is not religious by definition?
"When there is a cessation of rain, we are accustomed to pray to Hashem. There are also additions in the prayer like 'Answer us Creator of the Universe'. The surprising thing is that often the initiative for prayer comes from residents and farmers who are not observant, especially from the head of the regional council, as happened 25 years ago during a severe drought in the region. The secretary of the kibbutz movement at the time, Ze'ev Shor, called for rain prayers. Indeed, it ended up being a rainy year.
We see people who seem disconnected from tradition, but they are very connected. In their eyes, after trying other ways, they realize it's time for prayer. This is the spark that exists in every Jew.
For example, Menashe Shalom, the manager of the factories and orchards at the Tzemach area, who was actively involved in preparing for the prayer, told me that they are essentially dependent on rain and deeply wish for the prayer to be answered.
It's very significant to me that the desire for prayer came from the general public, not just from the observant community.
Idan Greenbaum, the regional council head, even mentioned that the King of Morocco recently asked the Jews living in his country to pray for rain, and from this, we learn how strong the prayer of the people of Israel is, even in the eyes of the nations."
Rabbi Amos ShushanIn the photo taken at the prayer event, you are seen standing on a small island.
"The Kinneret is so lacking, people don’t realize how much. Therefore, we committed to hold the prayer specifically on this island in the Kinneret, formed due to the lack of rain. We traveled in motorboats from the marina at Beit Yerah straight to the island. On the island, we recited the prayer said on Shemini Atzeret, 'Open the treasuries of heaven', and the 'Answer us Creator of the Universe'. I was privileged to say the part of accepting the yoke of the kingdom of heaven, to which all present joined with depth of heart, and it must be highlighted: we stood there with dozens of kibbutz members and officials from the area. At the end of the prayer, we sounded the shofar, and by Hashem's grace, we now see the results. We must remember that last Wednesday was a truly summery day, and there weren’t even clouds in the sky, and now the land is already full of puddles."
So now we must say thank you to the Creator of the Universe...
"With Hashem's help, we are planning a Thanksgiving prayer with the Chief Rabbi and all those who participated in the rain prayer. There is a great principle in this – not only to pray in times of trouble and distress, but when blessed with rainfall, we must say thank you. There is a Thanksgiving prayer in the siddur written exactly for this – a thank you for the rainfall. It is always important to thank the Creator of the Universe for the goodness and abundance He grants us, and this is important also to ensure the rains continue and do not cease."
The Cessation of Rain – A Sign that Hashem Cares for the People of Israel
What should we as Jews understand when the rain is delayed? Is Hashem angry with our actions? Signaling us to repent?
"While we were on the island, I heard people expressing deep sorrow over the lack of rain. I actually tried to light up the point with another perspective and said – see how much Hashem cares for us! The cessation of rain comes to tell us 'Pray'. It is meant to awaken each and every one of us. There have been times when spiritually things were not considered good for the people of Israel, and yet they had rain. Such a situation may be seen as Hashem seemingly ignoring humanity, putting them in such a low state, that there isn't even a need to awaken them.
"Precisely from this drought, we must grow and draw closer to Hashem, for as it is written in the Torah:
“For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it by foot like a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.”
The Torah makes a comparison here between the Land of Israel and the land of Egypt, stating that in Egypt there was the great Nile River, so there was no need to call out to Hashem for rain. The Nile could sustain them for a long time even during a drought, and they lose the bond and connection to Hashem. Precisely in the Land of Israel, we are required to cry out for rain frequently, and this maintains a strong and healthy connection between us and Hashem. When I hear from secular kibbutz members that a prayer is needed, it is a genuine awakening that happens to them, and this is what Hashem wants, yet we all need to awaken to repentance, to correct our ways, and many times it is clear that Hashem answers us immediately."
"While we were on the island, I heard people expressing deep sorrow over the lack of rain. I actually tried to light up the point with another perspective and said – see how much Hashem cares for us! The cessation of rain comes to tell us 'Pray'. It is meant to awaken each and every one of us. There have been times when spiritually things were not considered good for the people of Israel, and yet they had rain. Such a situation may be seen as Hashem seemingly ignoring humanity, putting them in such a low state, that there isn't even a need to awaken them.
"Precisely from this drought, we must grow and draw closer to Hashem, for as it is written in the Torah:
“For the land you are entering to possess is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and irrigated it by foot like a vegetable garden. But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.”
The Torah makes a comparison here between the Land of Israel and the land of Egypt, stating that in Egypt there was the great Nile River, so there was no need to call out to Hashem for rain. The Nile could sustain them for a long time even during a drought, and they lose the bond and connection to Hashem. Precisely in the Land of Israel, we are required to cry out for rain frequently, and this maintains a strong and healthy connection between us and Hashem. When I hear from secular kibbutz members that a prayer is needed, it is a genuine awakening that happens to them, and this is what Hashem wants, yet we all need to awaken to repentance, to correct our ways, and many times it is clear that Hashem answers us immediately."
"Rabbi Zamir Cohen and I are very good friends," says the rabbi with a smile, "and he is one of the supporters of the project to disseminate the sanctity of Shabbat through a prize-winning quiz". Rabbi Shushan is responsible for the spiritual side of this project, writing the questions for the quiz and even hosting it, all on a voluntary basis.
"We were privileged that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, may his righteous memory be a blessing, came to the event in his later years, despite the difficulties. He valued the Shabbat laws quiz very much. I love Hidabroot very much and know personally former secular individuals in the Jordan Valley, the area where I serve as a rabbi, who have become more observant from watching the channel. You can see how the spark ignition started on Hidabroot channel."
