Priestly Blessing

Jewish priests blessing the people

Today is the 3rd day of Sukkoth ... the day the Jewish priests, descendants of Aaron, come to the Wailing Wall to bless the nation. Thousands of jews and some foreigners came to the event. There 1st blessing was to take place at 9.30am and the 2nd at 10.30am after the relevant morning prayers.

I went early as I knew it would be packed and I won't get a good place. Also my jewish friends were there ... not for the blessing but to work as security. The blessing was late ... almost 9.50am. The cantor called hazzan called out sonorously "kohanim" meaning "priests" and all the priests, having washed and purified their hands and feet, gathered along the Wailing Wall with prayer shawls covering their bodies, raised their hands and sang the blessing of Aaron form Number 6:24-6.

Arab and Israeli police scuffle
photo from Haaretz

Though I go for the blessing every year, it never fails to strike me. It's very profound, very ancient, very surreal. An ancient ritual which took place 2000 years ago when the priests use to bless the people in the Temple.

But there was trouble on the way home. Arab women and students were waiting for the jews to leave the Wailing Wall and began harassing them, shouting insults and blocking the streets. Police had to come in and separate the jews and arabs. Later more arab demonstrations in the streets tough nothing violent. Nevertheless several people were arrested, including jews who attacked arabs.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.678063?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Bro Denis, our longtime teacher at my secondary school, died last night. A french canadian Gabrielite brother who spent his entire life in Singapore as a teacher. Great man and missionary. RIP

Meantime the eclipse of the super moon 2 nights ago is causing zionist christians great fear ... superstitious and lacking any theological formation, a spirituality based on superficial reading of the bible and blind zionism, they now think the eclipse is the end of the world. Good for them.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Last night's full moon
over the City Walls

2nd Day of Sukkoth and the nights saw running battles in the neighbourhood behind my house. This morning going out to Herod's Gate I saw the street ("Herod's Gate Ascent" of course) with rocks and broken bottles strewn everywhere and the street reeking with tear gas. Strangely during the day it's very peaceful ... and it's in the Territories that riots break out, like the violent one today in Ramallah. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Clashes-erupt-in-West-Bank-following-Temple-Mount-confrontations-419394

Empty piglet baskets and
a pot of chinese tea

I don't have much time to follow these riots, though I'd love to ... because I have lots of work to do. Instead today I was at the Media Centre where I once was the director, to edit a news clip. Have lost touch with the editing process ... The present director told me that I have to come back and work one day a week because I produce and direct very good programmes. Maybe I will .... if I have free time.

The Mid-Autumn Festival passed quietly ... I think I was the only one to celebrate it .... there's a chinese sister next door and a korean sister further down the road but I don't think they celebrated anything. I had piglet cookies and chinese tea. Hmmmm forgot to invite the 2 sisters over.

The moon was still full yesterday and quite lovely. The night wind was cool, about 23 degrees. Sitting out on the terrace was pleasant ... except for the rioting downstairs between arab youths and Israeli police. There were lots of fireworks and firecrackers ... which could be joyful on such an occasion ... if they were not used as weapons against the police.

Total eclipse of a supermoon

Full moon over the Mt. of Olives

A night of clashes and running battles in the Muslim Quarter. The rest of the City was very quiet though the Jewish Quarter was awake all night with the Sukkoth celebrations. Way into 3am I could hear the Jews at the Wailing Wall blowing the shofar (ram's horn). Arab youths barricaded themselves inside the Al Aqsa compound, vehement against the entry of Jews into the area.Inevitably clashes occurred and this morning the Israeli police did a rare thing by actually raiding the Mosque compound to capture the muslim youths or trap them inside the mosque itself. The fighting spilt out into the streets where I live. At 7am there were huge explosions behind our house; arabs were shooting fireworks and throwing stones while police fired tear gas and stun grenades. It wafted into my room and I couldn't breathe. Decided to move out to my workplace up north of the City to avoid anymore tear gas. My asthma is bad enough.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.677830

The little dot of light in the
middle is the "diamond" before
the moon went out totally

It was the autumn moon and it looked enormous. But at 4am the total eclipse began. I watched it for an hour till it virtually disappeared ... with the final "diamond on the ring" moment. Then the eclipsed moon glowed blood red in the earth's shadow. It was amazing. The next a full supermoon is eclipsed totally will be in 2033. I'd probably not be around so it was good I caught it last night. Took many photos of it but they didn't turn out good.

There's something seriously wrong because despite my daily medication, the asthma has worsened these last 3 days. It's like I'm not taking any medicine at all. Yesterday I blacked out because I couldn't breathe. Lucky I was next to my bed so I didn't hit my head on the ground again like the last time. Maybe it's time to see the specialist again.

Sukkot / Mid-autumn festival

Restaurants have booths/sukkah
outside their main doors

This morning saw a sudden rise of tension in the Al Aqsa Mosque compound ... apparently arab youths again threw stones and bottles at Israeli police and this time the Israeli soldiers came in force and occupied the mosque area. It was very forceful as the military had little time to restore order in the compound because the jewish feast of Sukkoth begins tonight. It's the most tense moment among all the autumn feasts because some jews believe the messiah will return during this feast of Sukkoth so they must destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque and rebuild the Jewish Temple to hasten the Messiah's arrival. This usually means extremist jews entering the Al Aqsa compound trying/symbolically rebuilding the Temple by bringing in bricks. Muslims will feel provoked and react ... and the cycle of violence starts. It happens every year.

Inside a sukkah

Meantime I took a stroll around the New City this morning. Almost all the restaurants have sukkoth (meaning booths) outside their shops. It's stipulated that jews during the 8 days of this feast, must eat inside these booths and not indoors. It's rightly called booths and not tents because as you can see from the photos, it's square/rectangular and has branches as its roof. The sides are removable, usually made from wood planks, branches or nowadays plastic. It's meant to be a storage space where the autumn harvest was kept while farmers were harvesting; they'd eat in these outdoor booths and even sleep in them till the harvest is over. Sukkoth (singular is sukkah) is therefore the autumn harvest feast. Some people would hang fruit (real or plastic) inside the sukkah.

The Shawarma restaurant below Mandarin Restaurant had a sukkah built but placed it directly in front of Mandarin's door, blocking entrance to it. Ah Ling the manager was very angry and got her 2 male workers to re-position it in front of the Shawarma shop and threatened to tear it down if the Shawarma owners pushed it back to block her entrance.

Well Sukkoth is celebrated at the same time as our Mid-Autumn Festival ... so here's wishing everyone a happy mid-autumn. Don't overeat the mooncakes or piglets, though chinese tea is good is good for your health!

Protestants gather in Jerusalem for Sukkot

Things were calm and quiet today. But thousands of protestants are converging into Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkoth with the jews. It's organised annually by the International Christian Embassy and protestants from over 80 countries converge for the feast of Sukkoth in order to fulfil the prophecy of Zachariah 14:16 ‘the nations...shall come up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles'. It culminates in the Jerusalem March where the protestants march through downtown Jerusalem in support of the Jewish People.

The Singapore delegation
to Sukkot

Singapore is represented by a small group of protestants. I met some of them along the Via Dolorosa. As expected they were misinformed about the sites and of Catholicism. So after visiting and explaining to them some sites and it's biblical textual and archeological proves, they came out wiser and more open minded. In fact they were very appreciative of the new information they learned. We chatted a lot and in the end they said they'd send up some Char Kway Teow and Chay Tao Kway when a group comes to Israel. What a nice thought.

However not everyone is happy. Rabbis have viewed this protestant enthusiasm with great suspicion. This year the 2 Chief Rabbis have actually issued a public statement condemning this protestant march and asked the police to stop the event. They claim it's a trick by the protestants to convert jews to christianity. Well let's see if the police will heed their call. After all the several thousand protestants bring in a lot of tourist money which the govt. needs in this dreadful time of low tourism. Let's see if money or faith is more powerful this week.

Meantime Muslims are winding down with their Eid al Aha celebrations. For the past few days the muezzins have been singing litanies of Allah Akbar ... which at 4am can be quiet a problem for those who are asleep. My problem however is a fever and diarrhoea and asthma. Don't know what to do about it.

Call to help Syrian christians

Inspecting the damage in Syria

It's Friday ... and the City is deadly quiet. After yesterday's feasting, almost all the muslims are taking a day off. Practically all the shops in the Muslim Quarter are closed, hawkers are not around to ply their goods, bedouin women are not selling their fruit and vegetables ... the streets are eerily quiet. There were hardly any jews going to and from the Wailing Wall as well. I guess most of them are busy at home putting up their tents or booths because Sunday night begins the feast of Sukkoth. Since tomorrow is Sabbat, they cannot work and Sunday is too short a time to create the booths, so I guess they'll start working on it today.

My asthma is dreadful and I get exhausted climbing stairs or slopes. Yesterday an older friar told me it could be my heart ... he had the same symptoms before. He urged me to go have my heart checked up. I'm a little apprehensive.

Syrian refugee children cared for by
the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul
in Lebanon

We received photos from Syria showing the dreadful destruction of the city of Aleppo. It's still under siege and it's only a matter of time that all the christians in there will be killed ... including our parish, friars and schools. I also received photos from Lebanon where the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul care for the Syrian refugee children, providing them clothes, food and some form of basic education. All your donations have gone to help these missions. Please continue to be generous. Remember to check out http://holylandassist.blogspot.com

Climax of Eid al Adha

So the surreal events of Israeli celebrity Bar Rafaeli's wedding continues. She wanted her wedding in the Carmel Forest to be private so the Civil Aviation Authority ordered a no-fly zone there ... meaning  commercial and private flights will all be diverted. Then the Minister of Transport ordered a reversal because "the sky belongs to all Israelis" after a public outcry. Today the Civil Aviation Authority decided to defy the Minister's orders and went ahead with the no-fly zone over the wedding.

More chinese coming to work

Unbelievable? Over here money and celebrity pulls the strings.

Last night muslims spent all night in the Al Aqsa Mosque praying. It marks the high point of the Eid Al Adha feast. It was very crowded as Israel lifted all restrictions to muslims entering the Old City - a goodwill gesture as the newspapers say. The noise in the streets was dreadful and kept me awake the whole night. The morning prayers at 5am was attended by thousands. Then sheep were slaughtered as part of the ritual. This evening there will be lots of mutton to eat.

There's something in the air that's causing my asthma. And it's pretty bad. Am getting 24 hours again despite taking Telfast everyday. And my stomach ulcer is hurting again. Well I guess I'm not the only one in pain: news is out that Israel will be bringing in 20,000 more chinese workers in the construction industry. This is upsetting local workers (not that there're many) and politicians who claim these workers are being abused, made-used of by unscrupulous agencies, pulling wages down and discouraging technological advancement. I hope this won't lead to anti-chinese feelings.

1st day of feasts

Ultra-orthodox jews wear
white, going home from the
Wailing Wall

Despite the tense atmosphere with heavy military presence, both feasts of Yom Kippur and Eid Al Adha began quietly without incident. Jewish men wore white, no leather shoes and remained quiet while walking to and from the Wailing Wall. There was a very solemn mood as usually these ultra-orthodox talk loudly and are always in a rush ... they never walk, they run. But for Yom Kippur (and Tisha B'Av), they walk slowly. They started fasting since sunset yesterday and end the fast this evening when the sun sets. Not a drop of water ... just like the muslims in Ramadan. It's harsh especially because today is one of the hottest days of the month.

Outside the Old City, the roads are deadly quiet. No cars, no buses or taxis or train. Total silence. The Day of Atonement is taken very seriously even by secular jews. Though they might not fast they'd at least stay at home and keep it a solemn day with no TV or other entertainment.

Damascus Gate last night

For the muslims it's Eid Al Adha ... they slaughter sheep and cook it to be shared with family and neighbors. Damascus Gate last night was filled with hawkers. Many shops remained open to late in the night. All the men have had new haircuts and everyone is wearing new clothes and shoes.

Well I hope this peace holds up for the next few days. I don't believe anyone wants to ruin the feast days with violence.

Yom Kippur / Eid Al Adha

Now I'm not just disturbed ... I'm angry. Justly angry. Four East Jerusalem arabs yesterday have been sentenced for ATTEMPTED burning of a synagogue and other jewish structures to jail terms ranging 2 to 5 years. Well .... how about jews who actually succeed to BURN our churches, or mosques or houses killing families inside?????? No one has been charged. No one has been sentenced. This blatant double standard of justice is not part of a democratic system. It is very upsetting.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.677047

Pomelos are in season

Military presence has been boosted in the Old City as we approach the start of the jewish Yom Kippur and the muslim Eid Al Adha. I just can't imagine what will happen tonight at Damascus Gate where adherents of both religions will enter the City through it. Last night almost 100,000 jews gathered at the Wailing Wall to offer the Selichot prayers - prayers for forgiveness. It was loud ... and kept me awake. The Wall is about 700 meters away from my room.

And Israel has begun to close the borders with Palestine for 24 hours for fear of arab terrorists entering Israel during Yom Kippur. Of course that also means that arab muslims from Palestine cannot come to Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque to pray during Eid Al Adha.

Next week will be the jewish feast of Sukkoth or Tents ... the autumn harvest feast. Locally chinese pomelos are cultivated and they're on sale in the markets. Both arabs and jews love the sour acidity of the pulp so they're a very welcome fruit.

We're expecting another heatwave tomorrow ... around 40 degrees. It'll be hard on the jews who are fasting for Yom Kippur. I could feel the rise in temp. these few days as my asthma has returned ... the heat causes the dust to accumulate in the air and many asthmatics are suffering like me. Awful. So while the jews mourn in repentance on Yom Kippur and muslims rejoice in the sacrifice of a ram instead of Ishmael (in judaism and christianity it's Isaac) ... I stuck with asthma and just praying for better health.

Justice anyone?

Confrontations on unequal
playing fields

I am disturbed ... very disturbed. During this week's violence in the Old City, the govt passed new legislature that permits police to shoot bullets at stone-throwers ... meaning arabs ... because "stones kill people". However at the same time rightwing groups are howling at the govt for extending the detention of jewish terrorists as abuse of power and illegal. How come there are double standards? How come when an arab throw stones, he gets arrested, shot and his house is bulldozed to the ground, potentially losing his citizenship. But when a jew burns a church, sets an arab family on fire killing baby and parents he is only detained, not charged, and his detention is considered illegal and abuse of power by other jews? This cannot be biblical; this cannot be how judaism was founded on. This is very disturbing.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Court-upholds-administrative-detention-of-far-right-activist-Meir-Ettinger-416693  and  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Regev-Rock-throwers-families-should-lose-National-Insurance-benefits-416686

And if you think riots are initiated only by arabs .... today ultra-orthodox jews rioted in their Mea Shearim neighbourhood against compulsory conscription to military service; they have avoided this legislature since the founding of the State of Israel. But of course breaking the law for over 60 years has not put anyone of them in jail, nor detained, nor charged ....   http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Dozens-of-ultra-orthodox-protest-Army-conscription-near-Jerusalem-416707

And talking about justice ... jewish supermodel Bar Rafaeli will be married next week and doting govt ministers immediately called for a no-fly zone over the Carmel Forest where the wedding would be held; that means no commercial or private or military aircrafts allowed to fly over there. Halloo? For a wedding? There was a public outcry and finally today the Minister of Transport called off the no-fly order because "the skies of Israel belong to all Israelis" ... I know most of you reading this who live outside of our area find this at least amusing ... or at most shocked by the ludicrous and blatent flouting of law and order; or democratic equality; or common sense ... but this is a reality here.

25th Ordinary Sunday

Fresh fruit on sale
in Musrara

Another day of relative calm. Life is as usual. Shops open, kids go to school, people go to work. Thank goodness all the drama is over. Fresh fruit and vegetables are available again ... in a flourish of colour.

On the other hand, I've been having a series of stressful moments since yesterday. Visiting religious want this and that ... free of charge ... meaning I have to buy it for them. Then a last minute desperate appeal from the sisters at the 3rd Station of the Cross (which is an Armenian Catholic cathedral) for Sunday Mass as their priest is in Amman. So this morning I had to rush over  and celebrate the Mass. Poor Sr. Gabriela was all alone to prepare the cathedral as all the other 3 sisters are away. The seminarians from the White Fathers came for Mass as did several other people. Together with the regulars, it made up quite a crowd. There was even an Armenian acolyte to serve my Mass. With only Sr. Gabriela left in the choir, it looked like the Mass would be a disaster ... but luckily I know several parts of the liturgy in Armenian so I could help sing. Pretty impressive I must say.

I have an ingrown toenail and my big toe is massively swollen now. Can hardly walk. But another stress ... a visiting chinese sister is "asking" me to bring her around the Old City for a visit. My poor foot.

Calm returns

Market day as usual

Running battles continued through the night till 3am. It was terrible. And it occurred not only at Damascus Gate and Herod's Gate where Molotov cocktails and stones were thrown in response to Israeli stun grenades and tear gas, but just behind our house. Arabs fired fireworks at the soldiers which can be very deadly, and soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades ... so loud I could not sleep. Each explosion shocked me. I didn't dare close my eyes to sleep as I never knew when the next explosion would occur.

By morning everything was calm again. It was as if nothing had happened. The barricades were removed, bedouin women returned with their fruit and veggies to sell, shops reopened. But this is quite a deceptive calm ... next Tuesday begins Yom Kippur which coincides with the muslim feast of Eid el Adha (Sacrifice of Ishmael, not Isaac by Abraham) and we expect more violent tensions. The streets in the Muslim Quarter especially the Way of the Cross was eerily quiet today with only a few groups. We do not expect groups to return till after Sukkoth when the tensions will be much lessened.

Nanjing professors in my library

Despite the violence I still had to go to work. Well, mainly because a group of researchers from Nanjing University had asked to see me. Don't know how they knew I existed but they got my number and asked me to give them a talk. It ended with a question-answer session. It was very pleasant. I believe the group was invited by the Hebrew University as a couple of the local professors accompanied the group.

The previous night the bishop of Suzhou with his priests and nuns and laity (42 of them) were on pilgrimage and asked to see me. It too was a pleasant meeting. But as you can see, besides the work and classes during the day, I also have meetings at night with groups. Sometimes my day ends at 11pm which means I get 4 hours of sleep. It's very exhausting.

Violent Friday

Confrontation as Musrara is
blockaded and arabs cannot
go near the Old City 

It was a Day of Rage not unlike the Intifada days. After midnight the police and soldiers came to lock down the Muslim Quarter. It was drastic. Blockades surrounded the Quarter in concentric circles and entry was only permitted to arab men over 40 years and hold an identity card.

Blockades began as far up as Palm Plaza outside Damascus Gate, and further up north in the Musrara open market. The 2nd ring was at the top of the Damascus Gate cavea. Once inside the Old City, all the alleys have been blocked off, plenty of soldiers at the Austrian Hospice and all the way down to the Wailing Wall, or eastwards down Via Dolorosa to Lions' Gate.

Palm Plaza is blocked off as well

I was on my way home from work at 1.30pm and had to pass through Damascus Gate. Foreigners are allowed free access. But I stopped by Musrara to witness the protest which ended up in a violent scuffle; tear gas and stun grenades were fired to disperse the crowd. Entering the Old City down El Wad street (the ancient Tyropoean Valley) I could not go any further against the wave of arab muslims leaving the Al Aqsa mosque and going out through Damascus Gate. I stood at the doorway of a small mosque and took photos as the tiny street was packed with chanting angry crowds while soldiers tried to scatter them into smaller groups. Tensions flared and scuffles resulted.

Outside of Jerusalem we hear news of riots as well. 4 policemen were hurt as arabs threw Molotov cocktails and even fired guns near the entry to Bethlehem. The situation has worsen and it would not seem to get any better for Yom Kippur which clashes with Eid el Adha next Tuesday. And then there's Sukkoth on Sept. 23rd.

Calm day

Things have calmed down inside the Old City. No more running battles or firebombs but there were isolated clashes in the areas outside Jerusalem, such as the fire-bomber in the village of Issawiya who was shot by police last night. But all in all, calm has returned ... for the moment. Arabs have called for a Day of Rage on Friday to protest the raid of the Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli soldiers. Israel is setting up it's anti-missile system called Iron Dome, in the south in anticipation of Gaza firing rockets into Israel this Friday. Friday will be tense ... but we get a respite today.

The ongoing strike by catholic schools have gained support from the Israeli Left. Left and centre newspapers carry editorials calling on the govt to be fair and just and give the necessary subsidies to the schools. However few editorials are hopeful, admitting that the rightwing and extremist Jewish parties have control over the govt. and is determine to kill off christian schools. The following editorial is worth a read:  http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.676277?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Dinner with my former students

Last night I had a good time with my former students. They asked to eat dinner out with me so we went for a simple meal. At the end they surprised me with a lovely gift ... a handwoven stole from Poland with the image of St. John Paul II. They wanted to congratulate me on my 25th anniversary as they have no chance to celebrate it with me because they would soon be leaving for their own countries to be ordained. It was very kind and thoughtful of them.

Miss Bird playing with
her new toy

My asthma is down significantly ... possibly because the sandstorm has blown away and last night's rain cleaned the skies and streets. But I'm generally fatigued as I have not had a holiday the past 13 years. Each summer as everyone goes away for a 3 month holiday, I'm back home working even more than normal because without students around, we can clean the library, take an inventory of the books, make repairs etc... 13 years is a long time. I'm utterly exhausted. The asthma is a blessing in disguise as it forces me to stop working and rest in my room. That's my holiday. My only fun is watching Miss Bird playing with her toys, clucking like a hen and being my best friend.

Divine displeasure

Via Dolorosa is eerily empty
due to the violence in
this street

Clashes in the Al Asqa compound is now a daily event. For the past 2 mornings, violent confrontations between muslim youths and Israeli police took place. The govt convened immediately last night after Rosh HaShanah to introduce new and harsher laws against people who throw stones and missiles. But that is not likely to stop anyone from doing it. In all intents and purposes, I can only conclude that the 3rd Intifada has started. There have been various shocking videos posted on Youtube showing the unbridled violence perpetrated by both sides. But I find it unbelievable that the Mosque guardians would allow youths to accumulate stones, fireworks and other weapons inside the mosque to be used against the police. Videos inside the mosque clearly show the mosque used as an arsenal. Likewise the Israeli soldiers violent treatment of arab elderly and women, beating and pushing them to the floor is unacceptable.

In the New City, the streets are empty
due to Rosh HaShanah

Christian schools continue to go on strike, holding demonstrations in front of the Education   minister's home. http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel/.premium-1.676072  The latest theory of this injustice is: christian schools have a success rate high above all other schools in producing intellectuals; these intellectuals have become the voice of the silent suffering people against the Israeli govt; by killing off the schools, the production of intellectuals will stop and hence there will be no opposition to the govt.  At the same time a newspaper report revealed that 10,000 ultra-orthodox children are attending illegal schools some just meters away from the Ministers' offices in Jerusalem, with insufficient hygiene facilities and food/water provision ... yet authorities have done nothing about it.

Last night there was lots of lightening in the sky after midnight. And it started to drizzle heavily till 4am. Strange as the rains usually come after Sukkoth (mid-autumn). Jews say early rains such as this, is a curse from God, expressing God's displeasure because Sukkoth is the feast of harvest and the rains will destroy the crops. It should only rain after the harvest is completed. Well with all the injustices and violence in the country ... is it any wonder why God is unhappy?

Rosh HaShanah

Lovely sunrise after the sandstorm

Yesterday morning's violence in the Al Aqsa compound was repeated this morning. Arab youths threw stones and molotov cocktails as Israeli police open the gates of the Al Aqsa compound for tourists and Jews to enter. Now that's the problem ... it's the feast of the Jewish New Year and some nationalistic jews, who are forbidden by jewish rabbinic law to enter the compound, insist on entering and praying in there. Unfortunately the muslims do not tolerate anyone (including christians) from praying inside the compound and so start throwing rocks and molotov cocktails. Police and soldiers fire tear gas in response, arabs return fire with fireworks and the whole deal blows out of proportion. This morning was the same but the police were ready and the violence did not spill into the streets.

Offerings from the harvest during the
Mass of Monti last Saturday

The sandstorm has finally stopped and the sky is visible again. The sunrise was beautiful but the heat was still very oppressive. Summer is not letting go easily but Autumn is certainly fighting to get in. The nights are chilly and trees have begun shedding their leaves. Fruit are ripening so the streets are full of grapes, pomegranates and lots of gourds and squashes. It would have made the markets a lovely and colourful experience if not for the violence in the mosque ... the streets are dotted with soldiers and police, making it very tense.

Well if things won't get better ... Yom Kippur falls on the same day as Eid El Adha, the muslim feast of Abraham's sacrifice of Ishmael (not Isaac). I don't even want to think about it.

Clashes in the Old City

Tear gas fired in Bab Hutta
Quarter just 40m from
my house

Friday and Saturday passed off without incident but right now there's a clash inside the Al Aqsa compound and is spilling into the street in front of our house. Tonight begins the Jewish feast of Rosh HaShana (New Year) and I think this morning Jews had entered the mosque compound to pray (which is not allowed by civil and jewish religious law) - remember the Al Aqsa mosque compound was once where the Jewish Temple and Holy of Holies once stood. As usual the muslims must have protested, the israeli soldiers entered and conflict must have started in there. At 6.30am stun grenades were already fired inside the compound.

Feast of Monthi in Jaffa

By 7.15am the protestors had spilled into the street in front of our house and the Bab Hutta quarter. Tear gas and stun grenades were fired many times to disperse them. I realised the protestors were all students. Apparently the Israeli soldiers closed the 5 schools inside the Al Aqsa compound so these students could not attend classes. I guess the next few days things will get only more heated up .... in 10 days it's Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and the week after Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles/Tents).

Bishop Shomali blsses
the statues

Yesterday I was in Jaffa to help the Indian Catholic community in their celebration of Monti, the Goan feast of the Nativity of Mary and also the autumn harvest. Almost 2000 indian catholics, mostly konkani speakers but also a few other language groups like Sri Lanka and Malayalam attended. The Auxiliary bishop Msgr. Shomali and 6 other indian priests in the Holyland were in attendance ... plus me. I don't speak konkani but I've been helping out by celebrating the Mass in english for their community whenever their chaplain was out of town for the past 5 years, so I know them well and vice versa.

Monti Fest started with a procession of the statues of Mary (one as a baby - her Nativity; the other of Lourdes) brought in from India. The procession started from St Peter's Church in Jaffa to the parish church of St. Anthony 600 metres away. But with the large crowd, it took one hour to complete it. Then there was a Mass which lasted 2 hours. After Mass the community prepared a lovely dinner for the priests ... and we could eat in private, away from the 2000 people. I loved the lamb curry very much and ate 2 servings. By the time I got back to Jerusalem it was 11.30pm. Exhausted.

Another sandstorm day

Awful sky with no sun

The sandstorm continues ... though much less in intensity. Still breathing can bet very difficult for those with asthma. At its height, it measure 4000 (something) per cubic metre. Now it's dropped to below 1000. The sun is still blanketed out by the sand. Walking in the streets, you find your mouth, nostrils, eyes all covered with a thin layer of extremely fine sand (or dust as the weather forecasters call it). And this is supposed to continue through tomorrow as well. Everyone is waiting for this dreadful storm to pass and then the massive cleaning up begins: from clothes to houses to cars. I can't imagine the amount of water to be used during this process. We're in a drought and we can't afford to waste so much water just on cleaning up.

There's been no reports of violence today. That's good. But the bad news in the headlines is that the culprits who set fire on the arab home killing both parents and the 1 yr old baby are getting scot-free because "there is difficulty in putting the killers on trial". Wow ... and it was very easy to put the protesters of this killing on trial just one week after it happened. http://ebx.sh/1KGEzOt

The christian school strike continues ... without funds, the schools cannot open because it cannot pay its teachers and staff, electricity and other things. Pope Francis has spoken of this to the Israeli President who visited the Vatican a couple of days ago, but the Israeli govt. will not budge. In the words of the following article, the govt wants to starve the christian schools to death.  http://www.globalresearch.ca/with-schools-starved-of-funds-christians-question-their-future-in-israel/5474663    And guess what? Churches outside Israel are deadly silent about this ... not one word of support to the local church. Well, we're used to this ... the catholics around the world are too busy with same-sex marriage, women priests, communion in the hand, wearing veils or not during Mass ... to care about their fellow believers facing persecution in the Cradle of Christianity.

More sandstorm

Sandstorm: better today

The sandstorm continues today ... though much less intensive than yesterday. Visibility has improved but the govt is still warning everyone to stay indoors. Several hundred cases have made it to emergency rooms yesterday ... I thought I would have to go too ... except that I couldn't possibly even step out of the house let alone travel to hospital. The sand was just too much. I had asthma attacks all day and night. I was thinking what an inglorious way to die ... choked to death by a sandstorm. Laughable.

Only in Israel

There had been several violent attacks yesterday in the northern parts of the country, Strange because the sandstorm should have kept everyone indoors. The govt has vowed to increase military presence in the highways where most of the problems occurred: arabs throwing stones at passing cars. As the Jewish New Year is in 4 days time, and no work is allowed for 2 days (Sunday and Monday being the 1st and 2nd days of the New Year), the govt fears arab attacks might increase.

My nosebleed stopped last night as the sandstorm reduced in intensity. But I was still breathless today. Went to work but couldn't stay for long so went home at noon to rest. Rest? fat hopes. Phone ringing, people coming to ask for this and that. I feel like Charlie Brown moaning "Good Grief! Why me?" Maybe it's better to die ingloriously ... choking on sand. At least I get to rest in peace thereafter.

Massive sandstorm

Sandstorm at 6.30am

It's a nightmare for every asthmatic in the Holyland today ... a sandstorm of biblical proportions! You can't see beyond 100 metres. The sand is so fine it gets into every crevice. And the wind is hot ... it feels like 40 degrees.

Tourists and locals have bought every single mask from the pharmacies. Everyone is coughing and rubbing their eyes. It's a terrible experience ... I think it's the worst sandstorm we've had in 25 yrs ... that's as long as I can recall.

The Old City is half hidden by sand

My nose has been bleeding all day. The heat and sand is causing chaos in my poor nose. Now after the operation, my nasal canals are open and more air is getting in ... now more sand as well. It irritates the nasal membranes and then starts bleeding. Awful. And I've been having asthma attacks since yesterday when the sandstorm started. It's suffocating and the worst thing is there's nothing you can do. Despite all advances in technology, Mother Nature still rules.

The Mt. of Olives disappears

I've decided not to go to work today but stay locked in my room. But that's too good to be true. Telephone calls, visits by friends, friars and professors ... I've been busy all morning. And the asthma kept coming. This is not good. I think I'll have to turn off my phone and just disappear from the radar ... just like the Mt. of Olives disappeared today under the cloak of desert sand.

Turbulance

Bedouin women selling
fresh fruit at Damascus Gate

The catholic school strike has gained support from israeli arab schools - meaning arab schools in israel that are funded by the govt. Today these schools also went on strike and their students demonstrated in the Ministry of Education compound. And a long list of professors and educators signed an open letter urging the Ministry to act justly and subsidise the catholic schools because these schools are publicly known to be the most successful in the country ... with the highest success rates; better than Israeli schools. Catholic schools have provided many leaders of society, breaking the cycle of poverty for numerous poor families through education. The Ministry's move is effectively to kill off all catholic schools by withdrawing subsidies and prohibiting schools from raising fees. The injustice lies in the fact that similarly designated Jewish schools are subsidised 75% by the same Ministry. Remember you can help our catholic students during this dreadful situation by sponsoring one of them for merely US$1100 a year.

More bad news as the mother of the baby burnt to death by Jewish settlers last month, has also died from her injuries. Palestinians have called for a day of rage - meaning all shops and offices close in protest, demonstrations in the streets etc .... even the bedouin women selling fruit and veggies at Damascus Gate will not be doing business. The poor family has now lost both parents and the baby. The only survivor is only 4 yrs old. Though a couple of extremists have been arrested, there have been no charges, no indictments, no names released, nothing. Everything is hushed under a court gag order.

Sand storm today

And to add flames to the fire, Israel has ordered the demolition of 13,000 palestinian structures in Palestine. Sounds strange? Israel enters Palestine, takes over parts of it and orders its local houses and structures to be destroyed. It's the largest ever demolition. And the Jewish High Holy Days are just round the corner and tensions are naturally higher than normal. It's a tinder box waiting to be lit. As far as I can see, it's bad timing when so much discontent is fermenting in the air ... like the dreadful desert sand storm we're experiencing today. Let's pray and hope there'll be no violence in the coming weeks.

Discrimination against Christian Schools

"Christian schools achieve some of the best results of all schools in Israel, with 69% of Christian pupils matriculating from high school compared to 61% in the Jewish sector and 50% in the Muslim sector according to the Central Bureau for Statistics. 

However, for several years the Christian school system which includes 33,000 pupils, has faced severe cutbacks in funding. Today, the Christian schools receive just 29% of schools in the state school system, and are facing a shortfall of NIS 200 million for the new academic year, according to Father Abdul Massih Fahim, director general of the Christian schools network.  It has been approximately seven years since the schools received 75% percent funding. " 

The right-wing Education Minister is determined to kill off Christian education in the Holy Land:

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Demonstrators-demand-equality-as-Christian-schools-in-Israel-remain-shut-415402

Bravo Pope

It's good to see the Pope taking the lead in housing refugees, and calling all churches and monasteries and convents to house at least one family. This is the moral force that european govts are seriously lacking. Following behind are Austria and Germany ... the people (not govt) are welcoming the refugees and providing temporary help. Now let's see if UK will do something significant ... after all they were the lapdog of the US's decision to bomb the Middle East into chaos. These last 2 culprits who have started the mess and tragedy in our region are very silent and not accepting any refugees at all. Don't worry UK and US ... we don't want to be in your country in the first place. You don't deserve us.

Local Dim Sum company
delivering goods

Christian schools continue to remain shut despite the opening of the school year. And today we learn that Israeli Arab schools will also close in support of the christian demand for justice. That means muslim schools as well. That's good. The move to cut 45% of subsidies to christian schools while setting a ceiling on how much schools can ask parents to pay is the rightist move to kill off christian education. And it has been proven year after year that these christian schools outdo in excellence even the Israeli schools, with very high success rates. Don't forget you can help our christian children attain this excellent education through a sponsorship programme.

The weather remains hot and dry. Autumn is setting in because Rosh Hashanah is next week, followed by Yom Kippur and then Sukkoth. It's the Jewish High Holy Days ... practically a month in duration. As for me, I think I'll celebrate with some Dim Sum ... it's getting so popular here that now there's a local company making frozen Dim Sum and selling them to asian restaurants and supermarkets. Will take a photo when I go buy some.

Feast day of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Chapel of the MC convent in Nablus

The first weekend of September is upon us. The year has certainly passed very quickly. Yesterday saw no violence in the City ... thank goodness. But the horrifying waves of refugees into european shores is the talk of the streets. Like the 13 yr old syrian boy said in a tv interview: the solution is not whether which european country is willing to accept these refugees, the solution is stopping the war in Syria. The syrians don't want to live as refugees in europe, they want to live in peace in their own country. Thanks to Bush and the previous US govt who started the war and chaos in the Middle East, Europe is now reaping the fruits. Stop the war, and everything else will fall in place.

Today is the feast day of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. The community of sisters in Nablus (Samaria) had no priest to celebrate the Mass for them so they asked me to go. It's well over 80 km from Jerusalem and runs through hot dry hilly lands ... with lots of Israeli security checkpoints along the way (even though it's actually Palestine and Israeli soldiers should not be in there). The sisters take for some 20 handicap or abandoned elderly women. They do a great job despite the little resources that they have.

My feast day lunch in Nabus

I celebrated the Mass for them and after that they cooked a lovely homely Indian lunch for me: steamed rice, curry veggies, chicken, lemon chutney and some peaches. Lovely to have hot food in my tummy at last. My diarrhoea finally stopped last night and I was feeling better. But having to travel 2 hrs on desert road to arrive in Nablus ... I thought it best not to eat anything the night before so as not to risk anything. The journey home was dreadful ... a bad traffic jam inside the city and then another traffic jam at the foot of Mt. Gerizim where the Samaritans live. The heat was terrible and I had a very bad headache as a result. Still have it. So I'll need to sleep it off. I think I had a little heatstroke as well ... nausea, overheated system, nosebleed. The car that brought me was old and had no aircon nor shade. I guess I'm in no hurry to go back to Nablus any time soon.

The horror of a heartless continent

The horrors of babies drowning and washed ashore on european beaches is the topic of street talk. It's horrifying ... but it's even worse when we see christian countries refusing aid and refuge. especially Hungary which was once the Austro-Hungarian empire, seat of the Holy Roman Emperor, Defender of the Christian Faith. The Syrian christians are escaping ISIS persecution and run into heartless christians in Europe. Any wonder if they should give up their christian faith and become muslims? Muslims and Jews are laughing at christians for being so merciless to people of their own faith. Shame on european christianity ... Europe has lost it's conscience. There is no christianity left in Europe ... just crass consumerism, atheism and talk. Why bother celebrating the Holy Year of Mercy in Europe? It does not understand mercy!! When ISIS arrives at Europe's doorsteps, don't expect us to help. We'd be long dead by then.

Photo taken from Internet

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Mat. 25:41-46)

Help sponsor a catholic student

Photo from CNN

Violence continues in several pockets of the country. The main area these last 2 days is Jenin, a palestinian village near Galilee. Traditionally this is the village where Christ met the 10 lepers and cured them but only the Samaritan returned to thank him. An Israeli operation to arrest a Hamas official led to riots. In fact, riots are still taking place now.

Photo from Metro News IK

There is a viral video of an israeli soldier grabbing the neck of a 10 yr old boy in a headlock, the boy had a broken arm in sling. It took place in an arab village of Nabi Saleh where the arabs are protesting the building of a jewish settlement on their land. Some had been throwing stones at Israeli soldiers. Western activists tried to intervene but were rebuffed. Then many arab women decided to take things into their own hands. They grabbed the soldier and tried to pull the boy away from him. One redeeming thing though ... the soldier was very restraint and did not hit out at the women who were practically clawing  him to pieces.

Greek Catholic bishop and Franciscan
friar with students and teachers
protesting at the Ministry compound

While schools throughout Israel and Palestine started on Monday, christian schools in Israel went on strike instead on the 1st day of school. The Israeli Ministry of Education has decided to cut 45% of its subsidy to christian schools thus creating financial difficulties in most christian families to pay for school fees. The economic situation in the country is dire and most people hold 2 jobs just to get by. Now without this subsidy, christian families will be forced to let their children abandon school because there is simply no way they can help pay the fees. If you wish to help sponsor a catholic child to school for this academic year 2015-2016, write to me. It costs approximately US$1100 per child for one academic year. Be a blessing to the Middle Eastern christians!