Special prayers for rain were recited in synagogues throughout the country today, as the drought continued to parch the Israeli lands that have felt very little or no rain at all during this winter’s “rainy” season.
Bedouin tribes in the southern Negev sought vainly for new pastures–and found none. The lack of rain has affected the subterranean wells. Even the waters of the Yarkon River, which feed waters to parts of the Negev, were extremely low.
Coupled with the damages caused recently by the swarms of locusts, the drought is affecting Israel’s agricultural economy to an extent which is beginning to provoke great concern in government circles. As a result of the two misfortunes, the prices of fodder have risen. Irrigation has also been reduced because of the drying-up of water sources.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.