Zeidy looked thoughtfully at Malky and Eli. “You know, you two remind me of myself and Tanta Temi at your age”

"Wow! Look how full it is!”

“Look at the treetops sticking out of the water!”

“The island is nowhere to be seen!”

Two years ago, the Bernstein family had taken a trip to the Kinneret and the water level had been dangerously low. Trees grew on the shoreline that had once been part of the big lake. Where there had once been a boat rental, grass grew with just enough water to make it muddy. The children had been taught in school that they needed to daven for rain. Ima and Abba had promised then that if Hashem answered their tefillos and the Kinneret filled up, they would return to the Kinneret for a boat ride.

Now, on Chol Hamoed Pesach, after two very rainy winters, the Kinneret was full and the Bernsteins found themselves back at the shore. The children could hardly believe their eyes, noticing the difference from the last time they had been there.

It was a hot day, but there was a pleasant breeze blowing off the water. Ima and Bubby spread a blanket far enough away from the water that it wouldn’t be dangerous for the younger kids, but not too far for the older kids to walk to the dock for the boat ride. Ima started to open an endless supply of plastic containers, with apple slices, carrot sticks, sliced cucumbers, colorful pepper rings and hard-boiled eggs. And the biggest, hugest container was full of Bubby’s special almond coconut macaroons.

Right away Malky and Eli’s hands shot out to take a macaroon, so all either one of them was able to grab was each other’s fingers.

“Move your hand! I was trying to take a macaroon!” yelped Eli.

“You move your hand! I was about to take a macaroon,” Malky shot back.

“I think I made about a million macaroons. There’s plenty for everyone,” said Bubby calmly.

“But I was going to take and Eli put his hand in the way so I couldn’t,” Malky whined.

“Way to twist things around, Malky! I was about to take when you put your hand in the way!” declared Eli.

“I’ve heard enough fighting from you two for one day,” Ima said. “If I hear one more quarrel, you can both stay back here with me and Bubby and baby Rivky and little Shimi while Abba and Zeidy go on the boat with the other children who know how to enjoy the day.”

Eli scowled at Malky, and Malky glared at Eli, but both ate their macaroons without another quarrelsome word.

Zeidy held up a carrot stick. “Bubby’s cookies look delicious, but I have to watch my sugar.” After munching some vegetables, Zeidy looked thoughtfully at Malky and Eli. “You know, you two remind me of myself and Tanta Temi at your age.”