Rosh HaShana

What a couple of days these have been! The Jewish new Year - Rosh HaShana - and the Muslim Feast of the end of Ramadan fell on the same day; Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Festivities everywhere. But it also meant that all shops and places of interests were closed. Thousands of tourists were caught unexpectedly by this; with no places to visit or restaurents to eat; so they flooded the Christian churches and Christian restuarents. You cannot possibly imagine how packed Gethsemani or the Holy Sepulchre is today. You cannot even enter these churches!

Sadly the muslim kids as young as 3 yrs old celebrate their feast by firing toy guns with hard rubber pellets (parents think it is great to give their kids toy guns). These pellets can blind the eye, and even break glass of car windshields. Yes I was shot - on my back - last night. They stand in practically every corner and shoot at passing cars or foreigners. When violence and savagery is encouraged at such a young age, no wonder there is no peace among this people. What a terrible way to celebrate a feastday.

The rains continue to dapple the days and the cold has set its foothold. At sunset everyone wears thick jackets and back home, winter blankets are brought out to use.

We now wait for the Jewish feast of Yom Kippur next week; and Sukkot in the following week. And the rains will hopefully pour - a sign of God's blessings on our dry parched land. Maybe it can wash away the violent upbringing of these little children in the streets who learn anger from their parents.