Wells and water – Israel’s lifeblood

Wells of water seem to be a recurring theme in the parashiyot of the Torah read at this time of year regarding the patriarchs. And for that matter their importance continues to be highlighted through the chumash as we first read of Moshe Rabbenu in Midian and then later as the wandering in the desert proceeds. As indicated by stories associated with, for example, Eliezer, Jacob and Moshe, these sources of life also served as meeting places including the places where betrothals were initiated.

It was at a well that Avraham and Avimelech swore to have a peaceful relationship – hence the name of that well Be’er Sheva (the well where they swore) that has come down to us through millennia of history.  And of course they also served as sources of conflict as tribes in a desert or near-desert environment sought to protect their interests against the interests of those seen as intruders.

Thus we read in this week’s parasha Toldot that the Philistines had stopped up the wells that our patriarch Avraham had dug. And when Yitzchak sought to reopen them: “The shepherds of Gerar fought with the shepherds of Yitzchak saying the water is ours.” (Bereshit 26:20) Only on his third attempt was he left in peace to enjoy the water found.

Millennia have passed but little has changed. Access to water is still a cause of conflict in the Middle East. I recall seeing a film about Lawrence of Arabia in which a number of scenes referred to his difficulties in uniting the disparate tribes of the Hejaz area as they were constantly bickering over wells. Scenes were almost biblical.

Of course at least in Israel, wells have long ceased to be the basis of water supply albeit their continuing significance in less developed countries. However, anyone wandering through parts of Yerushalayim such as the earliest settlements outside the Old City will still see relics of the wells that supplied those early settlers – and were a valuable source of water as late as during the War of Independence when the city was besieged.

So what is a well? It is much more than a hole in the ground – it is a way to access ground water and bring it to the surface. One needs to penetrate the water table (the depth to which water rises in the ground) and thereby facilitate access to it. Unfortunately, too many wells lead to a lowering of the water table and accessible supply is diminished unless replaced by runoff from rain.

However, in Israel precipitation is far from plentiful and such replacement in full generally does not happen. In the modern era urbanisation is also a negative in this regard – unless captured, rain water may not penetrate the ground and rather drain off to the sea.

While wells may not be as significant to urban dwellers today as in past eras, access to groundwater for agriculture certainly is. And like the fabled story of the person in the boat who drilled a hole under his seat thereby endangering all, too much extraction of ground water – whilst it may provide short-term benefit to the one extracting it – can endanger the whole environment.

This problem has often been cited in the context of disputes between Israel and the population of the “territories”, some of whose water-thirsty population pay less regard – to say the least – to long-term implications of the drilling for water they need in the immediate term, or reduction of groundwater quality through pollution. As early as the 1950s the American inspired “Johnston Plan” attempted to resolve disputes between Israel and its neighbours who sought to monopolise the tributaries of the Jordan river, thereby reducing flow to the Kinneret – Israel’s greatest water storage. It was based on the assumption that an equitable distribution of water resources was essential to development and peace in the Middle East.

But given the relationships between Israel and its neighbours at the time and since, the problems it sought to rectify have largely persisted. That is not to deny that some progress has been made – even to the extent of facilitating a certain level of peace. A key to the peace treaty between Israel and neighbouring Jordan 25 years ago was agreement for provision of water to the kingdom. More recently Israel increased its allocation of water to Jordan in the context of negotiations on other matters.

As we saw on Shemini Atzeret, we still pray for rain as that on which we depend for life. Nevertheless human ingenuity has come to the fore thereby reducing our dependence on rain. Israel has five massive desalinisation plants that effectively create sufficient potable water to serve the household needs of the totality of its population, although that doesn’t include water needed for agriculture.

In regard to that need Israel is a world leader in dry climate agricultural techniques, thereby minimising the needs of that sector. Less dependence on the Kinneret has meant that even though some potential supply is lost as it is siphoned off from tributaries to the Upper Jordan by Syria and Lebanon, the Kinneret in recent years has been close to full.

Sadly, however, it has not been sufficiently full to allow any substantial amount of water to flow through the Jordan downstream as far as the Dead Sea, which is in a serious state of decline owing to evaporation as well as lack of inflow – but that is another story.

There had been hope during the last winter, when there was heavy rainfall, that the Deganya dam at the southern end of the lake would have to be opened for the first time since 1992, allowing excess water to run south along the River Jordan to the Dead Sea. But a relatively dry March and April dashed those hopes. As the rainy season commences in Israel once again we all hope that this might be achieved this year.

Shabbat shalom
Yossi

Yossi Aron OAM is The AJN’s religious affairs editor

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