Laylat al Qadr

This evening begins Laylat al Qadr ... the 25th night of Ramadan when muslims believe God revealed the first passages of the Quran to Muhammed. Traditionally muslims pass the night at the Al Aqsa Mosque chanting the Quran. But because of the political situation, Israel has closed off the Old City to all muslims below 50 yrs of age. Barriers have been put up in all the alleys and streets. Heavy military presence. No tourist groups except chinese ... By 4pm arab youths are protesting the ban on their entry into the Mosque. Pushing and shoving with military. Scuffles and fist-fights. Things will get worse tonight. And tomorrow? It's the last Friday of Ramadan so things will get more heated up.

Work continues in the library where carpenters and electricians are doing up 21 new tables. Problem is no one knows when they come and when they leave. Definitely stressing me out. I've been dissembling and assembling bookshelves, transferring books and cleaning up after workers. Then the nose began to bleed. I'm feeling so tired ... and everytime I sleep, I don't want to wake up.

Papayas in Israel

One happy note: 2 weeks ago on the way home from hospital, I found the wet market "Mahane Yehuda" selling papayas! After 20 years I've finally seen papayas. They're very small though, the size of a mango. But very sweet. It was so good to eat it after chilling it in the fridge for a day. I know the govt. has an experimental kibbutz growing papayas and have a filipino franciscan friar who is an expert to direct this project. But I think one of the Thai workers was killed yesterday by a Gaza missile ... so papayas will be very expensive as production stops.