Pentecost and exams

Students slogging in the library

So a whole week has passed. The heatwave is hitting us with temperatures of 38 degrees on Tuesday but dropped to a cold damp Wednesday. Perfect weather for viruses. You never know what to wear as heat and cold just changes so quickly. The Jewish Pentecost came and went without much major incident. Several zionist ultra-orthodox jews tried to enter the Al Aqsa Mosque area but were stopped by police. Now it's our turn for Pentecost.

The Pope's invitation to Israeli President Peres and Palestinian President Abbas to the Vatican tomorrow for a Prayer Summit is our only hope now for a peaceful solution to the dead-end talks brokered by the USA. Let's hope the Holy Spirit will descend on all and inspire some breakthrough to the stalemate.

Sr. Nimfa our graduate

Exams are underway ... and some already finished. Nimfa, our filipina student and PDDM sister graduated at last. It was a proud moment for her and her community. She treated her classmates and professors ... and me ... to a great dinner at Notre Dame Center. Soon she'll return to the Philippines to teach but I hope she'll also do her PhD soon. Meantime other students are slogging to get through the exams. Our library is full even on a Saturday. Even students of govt. schools are doing their exams. Tense moment for many families especially those doing Tawjihi or matriculation (A levels). It'll determine if they get to further studies or out looking for a job ... which is practically impossible as unemployment is at an all time high both in Israel and Palestine.