Last day of October

Another gloomy, cold day with no rain. Threatening black clouds hovered overhead but not a drop of rain fell. But the cold is enough to make people clad themselves with winter clothes.

The photo was taken at 1.30pm and it was amazingly dark as if evening. The cold humid winds blew but no rain. The forecast is rain for Wednesday and Thursday ... but our forecasts are known to be quite inaccurate. But let's hope and see.

Also gloomy is the social front - another price tag attack; revenge by extremist Jews who burnt an Arab restaurant in Jaffa. This follows a string of such attacks on mosques, cemetaries and other arab buildings. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/vandals-set-fire-to-arab-restaurant-in-jaffa-in-suspected-price-tag-attack-1.392931

And here's an interesting art project to recall the No-Man's Land stretching from New Gate to Damascus Gate ... something that most people have forgotten but still feel it's effects: Israeli police checks. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/reclaiming-jerusalem-s-no-man-s-land-1.392671  Love the story about the nun who dropped her false teeth from the Notre Dame onto the No-Man's Land below and needed the UN troops to retrieve it.

So we wait for the gloom to lift ... either through sunshine or rain. It would be a nice change for November.

Will it rain?

Rainclouds over Jerusalem

October slips by ... and November creeps in. 2011 is coming to an end. And for some of us, it's a relief. The rains of Sukkot ought to fall ... but all we get are dark rainclouds. There was a momentary shower in Tel Aviv - about 5 minutes. In Jerusalem there was a brief drizzle. But the cold has set in. Nights go down to 11 degrees and mornings are 16 degrees. Days go up to 26 degrees. But the cold wind blows ... and everyone is wrapped up for the chill.

Tourists continue to flood the City, causing jams at every street corner. And last Friday's tensions between Palestinians and Israelis at various villages in the Territories have resulted in more military presence in the City. Well, perhaps rain would disperse the crowds and cool down the tension.

Meantime I saw a banner hanging out on a balcony ... "At any price?" Good question ... are some things worth paying at any price? Have we got our priorities right? As we head towards the end of 2011, let's ask ourselves this question.

Cold is in

Another Friday of tension. Hundreds of Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers at various cities in the Territories. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hundreds-of-palestinians-clash-with-israeli-forces-in-west-bank-1.392511  As the Jewish Sabbath sets in, military presence is intensified in the Old City.

And as the Sabbath approaches, another internal problem begins to boil ... the Tent protests of summer, though folded up, is calling for a countrywide protest tomorrow evening to show the govt. that it is not quite dead. http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/social-protest-leader-tells-haaretz-israelis-won-t-accept-the-status-quo-1.392428

I find it all too much. So I spent most of my time trying to rest, what with the cramps and diarrhea. The nights are terribly cold - 11 degrees, so I can't sleep because the sudden chill is quite jarring. Last night I had the heater on ... yes, it is time for the heater to come out. Actually it's my faithful "hot air fan" that I've been using for the past 6 years.

Had a terrible craving for chocs last night as well ... went out to Abu George's provision shop and got myself 4 bars of snickers. Ate them all. My sugar level must be sky high today. Oh well, I need to treat myself once in a while ... will walk 4 km to burn off the sugar after that.

Jordan River

Was down the couple of days with diarrhea again ... and a several severe cramps. Didn't like it at all. I've been monitoring my eating habits: I eat an average of one full meal in every 2 days. That's an improvement from 1 full meal once a week ... no wonder I have ulcers in my stomach. Ugo our seminarian who hasn't seen me in a month said I have gone even thinner than he last saw me. I was wondering about that too, because the shirts that I used to wear that were tight or fitting have become terrible loose this week. In fact I had 5 of them altered otherwise it looked as if I was wearing gunny-sacks. Same with my jeans - gone down a further 2 sizes. Tha'er my friend keeps saying "Eat more" each time I see him. But he's built like Shrek ... so I'm not taking him seriously!

Also down is the temperature! The nights  here have fallen to as low as 11 degrees. Today a very cold wind was blowing and everyone was wearing jackets and pullovers. But an hour's ride away in Tel Aviv, people were still in shorts and T-shirts! What a contrast.

Amazing crowds of tourists have returned. The roads of the Old City were jampacked with them. But you can see Europeans were noticeably absent. The Euro crisis is biting in. Tourists who come are either asians or Latin Americans.

The earthquake in Turkey is the talk about town - now that Gadaffi is dead. Fantastic miracle stories about survivors. But floods in so many countries; yesterday we saw news about the deluge in Ireland and Italy, not to forget Thailand. And only last year we saw widespread drought. What is God telling us?

Another prisoner swap - this time with Egypt and Israel: 28 egyptians for 1 Israeli-American. Talk about town is that this will only encourage terrorists who capture more Israelis.

Today is the annual pilgrimage to the Jordan River. Lots of locals and clergy went down to the Qasr el Yehud, the traditional site of Christ's baptism for the solemn Mass presided by the Custos. Will show you some photos when I find them online.

Black Monday

The situation in Jerusalem worsens after the fatal stabbing yesterday. Today the police have raised the terror alert in Jerusalem. Lots of tensions. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-police-on-alert-in-jerusalem-fearing-terror-attack-1.391728

And its been revealed that the personal information of the 6 million population of Israel taken in the 2006 census had been stolen and uploaded on the Internet. Horrors!!! http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/authorities-find-source-that-leaked-every-israeli-s-personal-information-online-1.391714

An another medical strike is called today ... http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=242925

A bleak day - cold, clammy, cloudy, grey. Reflecting the mood of the country. And I had been suffering another bout of diarrhea today ... spent most of the day in bed. Went out in the afternoon to buy medicine.

So to brighten up the spirits, here's a photo of our cacti in blossom. Strange that it should blossom so late in autumn ... perhaps it's a sign of hope for us.

Poor harvest

Small boy up the tree

The changing weather has made us a little sick ... cold yet sunny. You never know what to wear ... it's either too much or too little. But it makes good weather for the olive harvest. I saw a poor arab family harvesting olives from trees in the public park ... that's how poor they are ... they don't have their own olive trees to harvest. The crop wasn't much ... small olives with little oil but I guess for the poor family, it's a bonus.  It was a sad sight - that families have been reduced to harvesting fruit from a public park just to see through the rest of the year. I was happy though that the police did not stop them.

Dad holds the ladder

A meagre harvest of small olives

Adventure

The day began bad - a fatal stabbing of a Jewish guy in the Ramot quarter north of Jerusalem. The criminal is suspected to be an arab. http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=242741

Had quite an adventure this afternoon. Went to visit a couple of friends living outside Jerusalem. They came to pick me up and drove about half an hour before reaching their beautiful home way out in a neighbourhood in the Judean desert. Absolutely charming house, good taste. When it was time to go home, they dropped me off at the bus stop just outside the neighbourhood. I've not taken a bus since the first Intifada 18 years ago ... so I was nervous. There was a soldier waiting at the bus-stop so I asked which bus goes to jerusalem. He told me to follow him as he was going the same way. After a half hour wait in the freezing cold of the desert, the sun had set, the 292 bus came. He told me to get on with him. Imagine my shock when I entered and found out it was an ultra-orthodox Jewish bus. Men sit in the front, women at the back. After wandering through Beit Tsafafa, Malha, Gilo I thought I was pretty lost. The soldier got off somewhere in the Jerusalem neighbourhood and told me to get off at the final bus station. But other orthodox men - very friendly - told me to get off earlier and change buses no.72. They spoke yiddish and hebrew and poor me had to struggle with my german and few hebrew to communicate. Got off at the bus stop as they suggested and found out I was in the ultra-orthodox neighbourhood of Mea Shearim ... but I couldn't recognise which part was it. In the freezing cold and dark, I decided to flag down the first taxi. The taxi driver asked for 30 shekels in hebrew and started chatting up in hebrew. Once again I had to struggle with my little hebrew until he turned on the arab radio. Then I found out he was arabic and we started chatting in arabic. Then I felt better.

Well it was quite an afternoon. Saw alot of Judea that I never saw, local life, getting lost in the ultra-orthodox quarter and finally coming home tired but happy.

A handful of French

The weather has been getting cooler by the day. Last night it dropped to 16 degrees. Had to put on winter stuff to keep warm.

Yesterday spent a bit of the afternoon at my friend Souhaib's phone shop. He always makes me sit in his shop for a drink while he busily serves hundreds of clients. Souhaib lost 13 kg in 1 month ... same symptoms like me: nausea, vomitting and diarrhea. His diagnosis at Hadassa Hospital is "viral infection". Also went to the tailors to repair some shirts after that.

Tourists come back to Israel, but you can see the effects of the economic crisis in Europe. Other than the handful of French, all other groups are asian - Indians, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Singaporeans. Asia still has the money.

Just back from a private birthday party - Khalil our cook is 40 today. It was a family affair and I was the only non-family member to be invited. Since Khalil and his wife are chefs, you can imagine the fine food we had. The entrecote was superb. And his wife made the best tiramisu I ever tasted .. honestly!

Last night the former Custos Fr G. Battistelli died. R.I.P.

A note in inform all you good people that this academic year (2011-2012), your donations for sponsorship of priests/religious/laity go the 3 students studying for the MA in Biblical Studies here in Jerusalem: 1 from Mainland China, 1 from Mexico and 1 from Italy. Through your goodness they will be able to study another year and when they earn their MAs, they will be an asset to Bible teaching in their own countries. Through your donations, you have become part of spreading God's Word to the world. Donations meant for other sponsorships of local students will soon be posted in http://holylandassist.blogspot.com

Simchat Torah

The feast of the giving of the Torah began last night. Jewish yeshivas were filled with joy (simchat) through songs and dances while the Torah was carried and passed from person to person. In ultra-orthodox quarters, the streets were segregated by gender. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-high-court-upholds-ban-on-sukkot-gender-segregation-in-jerusalem-1.390265  The High Court will ban this segregation next year, though I doubt it will be effective. In ancient times, the drawing of water by the High Priest from the Pool of Siloam took place, the water being offered at the altar of the Temple and prayers said for rain. Usually it would then rain as a sign of God's blessing ... but today the sun is shining brightly.

And here is a video of the Priestly Blessing at the Wailing Wall on Sukkot. Too bad I missed it this year. The Hazzan (cantor) sings a verse and the priests repeat after him. At the end of each verse the people respond with Amen. The priests cover themselves with their tallit (prayer shawls) while extending their hands to do the blessing.

Last day of Sukkot

A rather subdued day after the wild celebrations of the release of Schalit and the Palestinian prisoners. Military presence is till tight around the City and roads that lead to it. Today being the last day of Sukkot, many Jews go to the Wailing Wall to pray and wave the 4 species in prayer (Citrus fruit, willow branch, Palm branch and myrtle branch). The tents or booths they erected will be pulled down tomorrow. But tomorrow marks another feast - Simchat Torah - the joy of the Torah. Tonight they will bring out the Torah scrolls and dance, and they will include gentiles to join in as well. On this last day of Sukkot, 2000 years ago when there was the Temple, the High Priest would offer a sacrifice of water drawn form the Siloam Pool. Prayers are then said for rain in winter.

The weather is getting very cool now. Wearing a jacket or pullover in the evenings is a must. Winter has set in. We await the rains.

A day to remember ... for better or worse

This morning Gilad Schalit - kidnapped Israeli soldier for over 5 years in Gaza - has been released in exchange for 1,027 Palestinians in jail. Palestinian schools have closed for half the day in celebration. While majority of these prisoners are exiled to Gaza or the Territories, some who are less of a danger are allowed back home in Israel. One of them was an old man behind our house. The tiny street was packed with people chanting and waving flags as they carried the old man on their shoulders back to his house where his family was waiting.

This exchange is still a very divisive topic - most Jews want Schalit to be released but at the same time think that the release of 1,027 terrorists, some jailed for multiple life sentences is a price too high to pay. Whatever it is, the decision was made. It now is up to time to tell if it was a mistake or not.

Meantime my worries are closer to home .. like when shall I ever get my operation done? The strike is still on. This morning I coughed and sneezed out clots of blood. It's really making me sick.

Don't forget if you want to check on your donations to help the poor, go to http://holylandassist.blogspot.com  If you want to watch Bible based video programmes go to http://elwebcast.blogspot.com

Sukkot 2

Giant sukka in Municipality Square

Spent a couple of days away from the City ... to rest and recover. Sukkot had just begun when I left. Never saw a sukka? Here are some pics. The sukka is a tent used by farmers as they go out for the autumn harvest. Today observant jews eat their meals inside a sukka for 8 days.

On Saturday morning the jewish priests went to the Wailing Wall to give the Priestly Blessing - an event that takes place twice a year (Passover and Sukkot). I heard thousands of people went there but I couldn't because I had classes.

Mini sukka for 4 people

Saturday was also the feast of St. Teresa of Avila - a very courageous lady who made reforms in her Order despite alot of persecution.

Sunday was quiet. Nice change. Bumped into lots of friends though when I went for a walk with Praveen. He wanted to know where the Convent of the Sisters of Ivrea was, so I brought him there to see it. On the way met lots of friends - arabs who owned shops etc... We also did abit of shopping at Salahaddin Street. He got some toiletries and cups while I got my elbow-guard (I have tennis elbow even though I don't play tennis). And we both got nice bamboo place-mats.

Inside the sukka of Luigi's Restaurant

This morning while about to cross the road, a car screeched next to me and someone inside grinning like crazy shouted "Liiiiiiiiooooooooo" so that the whole town could hear. It was Souhaib  -  a gym buddy who owns a cellphone repair shop. This is the second time he did that. Souhaib has the same stomach disorder that I have; he lost over 13 kg in weight, can't eat, vomits, nausea and diarrhea. He's gone real skinny. But he goes to Hadassa hospital for checkups.

So who else did I meet? There was Ihab whom I met twice walking pass his stationary store: he's another gym bud but though arab he was born and brought up in America, speaks with a southern drawl. Also met Mohanad in his jeans store; bought a nice shirt for 40 shekels but had to shorten it at Abu Muhammed's tailory which is next to Mohanad's cousin's store that sells muslim women's veils; that's where I got Mabel's nice veil!!! Also met Mohanad's brother Achmed who goes to China 4 times a year to get clothes for their store. Met Abu Peter going up Damascus Gate. Met several times another gym bud who owns a Drama Theatre for therapy with disturbed children. Can't remember his name. Met Mr. Serious (can't remember his name), a friend of Ihab. He gets his name because he's very serious when working out in the gym ... no smiles or hi. Anyway there was no shortage of people this weekend ... which is a nice way to start the New Year and Sukkot.

Sukkot

Last night there was a large protest by Palestinians at Damascus Gate. Youths were carrying flags, chanting slogans. The arab crowd that came to watch them was equally large!!! Passive participants who morally want to encourage the protest but afraid to be arrested. Police had started coming in to surround the protesters ... the road leading to Damascus Gate was blocked off from Notre Dame. I wasn't quite sure what the protest was all about - whether it's Sukkot or Gilad Schalit's release or some other reason. I moved on quickly as I too was afraid if the police charged, I'd be trampled.

I was on my way to a little private party organised by my 8 former students to celebrate their final profession into the Salesian congregation. Most made it a month ago. They were from Poland (2), Italy (3), Brazil (1), Canada (1), and the Indian who made it 2 years ago. I was the only prof. invited, besides the dean, rector and treasurer of the salesian community. Apparently they liked me alot as prof. so I got the special invite. And they are very musically talented ... using knives and forks as percussion, wooden shelves as drums, and a guitar, they could sing upbeat songs from Italy, Brazil and Kenya. And the barbeque cooked by themselves was really nice ... a simply meal enjoyed by great company. And there were lots of jokes - the students were imitating each of their professors but were politely demured when asked to imitate me. After the fun, Lorenzo and Dariusz (2 of the students) accompanied me home as bodyguards as they were afraid there might be violence in the streets. It was a fantastic evening. I really felt appreciated by these students.

Meanwhile the medical strike is widening and causing anarchy for the sick. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/staff-shortages-hit-hospitals-as-resignations-start-to-sting-1.389479  My operation will be postponed again. Sigh.  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/israel-s-doctors-and-residents-are-letting-anarchy-reign-1.389247

This evening begins the feast of Sukkot - the greatest feast in the Jewish calendar. And this morning it drizzled ... a good sign.

Eve of Sukkot

Spent the weekend mainly sleeping ... don't have much energy. I don't know if the operation will go ahead (again) as mass resignations of medical workers are being threatened by a prelimary strike today. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/hundreds-of-israel-s-medical-residents-skip-work-amid-threats-of-mass-resignation-1.389131

Tomorrow Sukkot begins - an 8 day celebration of the greatest Jewish feast. In the streets, booths and tents are being erected especially in front of restaurants so that customers can sit inside them to eat their meals. This lasts for 8 days. On the 3rd morning, the priests will go to the Wailing Wall to give the annual blessing based on Numbers 6:24-26. Usually thousands go there for the blessing but last year a record number came. Let's see if I can get there. But as would be expected, tomorrow evening as Sukkot begins, the streets leading to the City will be closed again.


School has started and most of the students have returned. Another year begins ... and hopefully this year, it begins with rain as Sukkot ought to augur. The weather forecasters say Wednesday should see rain in Jerusalem.

ps For reports of your donations to help Hidrimariam the Eritrean seminarian and other causes, don't forget to go to http://holylandassist.blogspot.com

Yom Kippur 2

Now that I have rested from my trip to hospital, let me recount the adventure of travelling on the eve of Yom Kippur. As you would know, Kippur is the Day of Atonement, a sombre day where prayers are offered for the forgiveness of years committed in the past year. 2000 yrs ago when there was a Temple, the scapegoat was offered on behalf of the sins of the Israelites. Today without the Temple, Jews wave money or a chicken over their heads to transfer their sins onto the money or chicken which is then offered to the poor - evil turns to good. Jews fast for one entire day.

Well Kippur is so solemn, everything stops - literally. The entire country simply stops. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-comes-to-a-halt-for-yom-kippur-1.388782  So when I went to the hospital, I planned to come back to Jerusalem before Kippur began on sunset yesterday. The journey took longer than expected and when we arrived in Jerusalem, the sunwas already setting. There were no cars all along the highway leading to Jerusalem, and also in the city. It was so eery, ours being the only car in the street. Traffic lights stopped working. Poor Ramzi was panicking as he was afraid Jews would throw stones at us for travelling in a car on Kippur.

When we reached the vicinity of the Old City, we found ALL roads leading to it were blocked off. Police refused to tell us how we can get back home. They just told us to turn away.

So I told the driver to through King George Street, down Prophets' Street into Damascus Gate area. The driver didn't know the way and made a wrong turning - we entered Mea Shearim!!!! The ultra-orthodox neighbourhood. They came out in droves - hundreds ... and we were all panicking as we thought they would start attacking us for driving a car on Kippur. I told the driver to reverse and he drove in reverse like crazy back to the first road junction which he missed earlier .... phew! Just in time. We turned right and reached Damascus Gate which was not blocked ...

... and that was a very very close call from being lynched by a religious mob. That's life in Jerusalem. One wrong turn in the streets may determine your future!

Yom Kippur

Just got back from the hospital after the CT Scan on my nose. The septum is broken, swollen, inflamed, bloody and the left nostril has hardly any space for breathing. The specialist who interprets the images told me its bad and it's the cause of my constant nosebleeds and asthma ... more than the polyps in my sinus. Must have the op. asap.  :(

Today is the eve of Kippur ... the whole City new and old was swarming with police and soldiers. Roads around the Old City were blocked off. Muslims below 45 yrs were forbidden to enter the City to pray on Friday today. Most gathered at Damascus Gate and prayed in the streets as a protest. The imam gave a fiery sermon against Israel ... very loud on the PA system that most of the Old City could hear. Tomorrow the tension will be no less.

Muslims praying in the streets

New Gate is blocked

Damascus Gate closed

Feast of St. Therese

So I've been offline for a week. Had some good days, but lots of bad days. Still with stomach cramps and diarrhea ... love to eat but can't keep anything in. Visited the surgeon regarding the op. He said the hernia in the diaphragm is not worth operating because it's too close to the heart, stomach and liver. A simple infection could get very complicated if the other organs are infected. And me being so sensitive to operations, he said it's better I learn to live with the pain and change lifestyle ... meaning not to carry heavy things, eat too much (!!!!) or exert physically.

But the polyps in the nose and the infected sinus have to be done. I was told to see another surgeon who is more specialised in asian noses which apparently have fossa and are more boney than cartilege ... and being much smaller than jewish noses. I guess the op. will be after Sukkot ie mid-October. He warned that my face will be pretty swollen and the nose black and blue. Not a pretty sight.

These past 3 days are the Jewish New Year - Rosh HaShana. Alot of tension in the streets; heavy police presence. And cavalry as well. But the City was not closed on Friday so this averted more tensions with the muslims.

Next Friday and Saturday will be Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement which is a solemn fasting day for Jews. Then the following Tuesday and consequent 8 days is the feast of Sukkot - Tents or Tabernacles or Booths. It's the feast of the autumn harvest and is the most important Jewish feast in the calendar ... more than Passover.

Today we heard the sad news that a christian pastor was sentenced to death in Iran. The trumped up charges started with apostasy from Islam, then changed to Zionist and finally they accused him of being a rapist ... all so that the death penalty can be imposed. When will this muslim persecution of christians end? STOP IT NOW!!!

And we enter October, the feast of St Therese of Lisieux. Let's pray for her intercession that through her little way, christians can be saved and protected from these rapacious oppressors who seek to profit socially, politically and economically from the persecution of christians.