Israeli officials this week expressed satisfaction and were even encouraged by the water level of the Sea of Galilee, Israel's main fresh water reservoir, as the summer months come to an end.
Over the past eight years, the Sea of Galilee, known locally as the Kinneret, has been hard hit by drought, a situation that raised serious questions about Israel's future water security.
But this year the Kinneret sits a full meter higher than it did at this time in 2011. The current level of 212.345 meters (696.67 feet) below sea level is also the highest the Kinneret has been at the end of summer since 2006.
The head of Israel's Water Authority told The Jerusalem Post that the increased water supply was due to decent rainfall last winter, less pumping from the Kinneret during the summer, greater conservation among Israelis, and a growing desalination program along Israel's Mediterranean coast.
Officials noted that if the coming winter has above average rainfall, the Kinneret could recover a significant amount of its lost water. Israelis and their friends abroad are sincerely praying for just that.