Lychee

When jewish society is seen by the world these few weeks as divided and intolerant, there's nothing better to divert attention away from it by pointing fingers at sensational claims - such as this "booklet" that claims the Vatican trains muslim extremists how to kill Jews. It's not only pitiably laughable, as even the Israeli soldiers don't believe it, but it becomes horrendous when there are people who actually believe in it! Now if this was a book about Jews teaching muslim extremists to kill catholics, it will either be cheered or you get arrested for being anti-semitic. But Vatican bashing seems to be ok ...... i wonder if this can be considered a hate crime to calumniate the church. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1101158.html. And meanwhile christian buildings are vandalised and staff threatened by allegedly the orthodox jewish community http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443843203&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull If this were to happen to a Jewish building, you can be sure anti-semitic laws would hound the perpetrators to the ends of the earth.

But let's backtrack to the secular-orthodox war in Jerusalem. I was out for a walk this morning with Fr Marcello along the boundary of the ultra-orthodox neighbourhood Mea Shearim. It was like a war zone. Garbage strewn across streets after streets, flies and burnt piles everywhere. Road signs vandalised, traffic lights smashed, trees stripped of branches. I want to say it was horrible, but I think the real word is "sad". Now that the woman is convicted of starving her child, you can bet there'll be more riots today.

On a brighter note, Fr Marcello and I went on our Sunday walk as usual to do the chores (buy stuff for the rest of the week). We found Israeli grown lychees sold in the supermarket. They're not as red as local ones but the texture and taste are pretty ok - but consider the price ... it's about US$8 for 20 lychees. Fr Marcello bought a small pack of 20 to try.

But even earlier in the morning - at 4am I went to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass. The street was filled with muslims after prayers .... it's some feast for them yesterday and today.