Heading towards civil war?

The retired secret service director of Israel has predicted that a civil war is more likely than a threat from outside like Iran. He said that Israeli society was badly divided and nothing less than a civil war would erupt. Well I've been saying that for some time now: Israel will implode. The threat is internal, not external. If nothing is done now to heal the rifts between ultra-orthodox and the rest of jewry, the left and the right, the rich and poor, the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi ... Israeli society will implode. I said once that Israeli society is very good and hiding behind a veneer of normalcy - this is understandable given the racial and religious tensions daily - but if it hides too long behind this veil and avoid addressing the uncomfortable issues that matter, then it will erupt with great force. And this war will be fought by jews against jews.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Ex-Mossad-chief-Israels-biggest-threat-is-potential-civil-war-not-Iran-466415  and  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/former-mossad-director-israel-is-headed-towards-a-civil-war-23309  But read also  http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Why-are-there-anti-Israel-Jews-465921

Meanwhile foreign students are angered that they have been tricked by institutes claiming to offer courses on agricultural technology (which Israel is leading the world) and actually making them laborers ... picking fruit and veggies from the fields. The institutes are not academic nor accredited nor have degreed personnel to teach. What a rip off! But like everything else, the institutes will never be prosecuted.   http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.739234

Nice greek food

Yesterday evening I caught up with Prof. Dong, a graduate student whom I helped 3 years ago while he was writing his thesis. He had a scholarship from the prestigious Albright Institute here in Jerusalem and wrote his thesis on Medieval Jewish philosophy ... namely Maimonides and Averroes. Then he came back with his family early this year to do another research. His wife too was doing research, writing her PhD thesis on gnosticism. Well they finished their job and soon will return to China (Shandong University). Prof. Dong brought me out for dinner ... and we had a nice Greek meal. That's a good break from all that chinese food.

Work

Zika is the big news in Singapore. Trying to blame the Ministry for being late in identifying the illness is ridiculous. If sick people don't go to the doctors, then how can it be identified? This type of blame game is so typical of Hong Kong ... I see it's contagious and have affected Singaporeans as well: blame blame blame ... spending so much time and energy blaming instead of solving the problem. Negativity seems to be the main motivation.

Here in Israel a local firm has managed to hack into iPhones. It's causing some panic here but instead of blaming iPhone for security lapses, the attention is on how to stop these intrusions because any false message can be used to incriminate people in this high security country. People can be framed by false photos and messages. This is what people fear.  http://www.haaretz.com/world-news/.premium-1.739241

The earthquakes in Italy and Burma have also woken up the Israeli public to the big earthquake we have been expecting for the past 7 years. it's long delayed ... and each year's delay increases the magnitude of the quake. Studies have shown that 99% of old buildings are not earthquake-proof.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4847567,00.html

Now I bet you did not hear the news about 2 catholics nuns murdered in Mississippi. Persecution of the Church is so common now it seldom gets reported. But yes, 2 catholic nuns killed in the USA.  http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/two-nuns-found-murdered-at-their-home-in-mississippi-84964/

Some ethiopic manuscripts

Some professors have returned from their vacations. On Sept. 1st our libraries will be opened to the public and slowly students will be coming to do their research before the school actually begins. I started on a new project in the library: cataloging the ethiopic and coptic manuscripts in our university library. I brought our ancient books expert from the General Library down to the university to help out in this project.  You can see our manuscripts on our library website http://www.bibliothecaterraesanctae.org

Palm Plaza lights

Palm Plaza at 10pm

It's Monday ... I started work at about 5am. Had only 4 hours of sleep. I must start writing a lot of reports because there might be a change of jobs and transfers next month. I must be prepared to hand over my various jobs to others if the decision is taken. I hope I get to transfer to a retirement home ... to rest and recover from my illness and prepare to die.

The lights in Palm Plaza is a permanent feature now. Every night the lights on the palm trees are on ... and they are very beautiful. A little joy in an otherwise tense neighbourhood. I call it Palm Plaza as most people do because the official name is Mishol HaPninim Garden and no one can remember or pronounce it.

There's a video going viral about a jewish orthodox rabbi calling for the deaths of 2 christian who were evangelising in Israel. Watch it and see the response of the 2 christians. Don't think that this is an exception ... such concepts and attitudes to christianity are held by the majority of Israelis who learn it from school.  https://www.facebook.com/oneforIsrael/videos/1344268295591126/?pnref=story

Several court cases are in session probing soldiers or civilians shooting and killing palestinians. The outcome? http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/exclusive-police-calls-to-free-farmer-who-shot-palestinian-23224    and  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/IDF-investigating-soldier-who-shot-Palestinian-running-toward-checkpoint-466312  are just 2 articles on some of the cases. Mind you, I'm not saying that shooting and killing jews are permissible. No killing is. Not out of fear, prejudice or revenge. But the prosecution of jewish and on-jewish killers are disproportionate. Some newspapers have noted this.

Palm Plaza during the day

Leaving contentious issues aside, the weather is cooler than we expected for August. The nights can get chilly. My asthma is a lot less, just once a night now. But my partially subluxed shoulder still hurts, as my left ankle. These old injuries will be bothering me forever.

Thank goodness it's Monday

Handmade dumplings and fried
long beans for lunch

This weekend was bloody crazy ... so much work I hardly know where I am right now. Saturday I had to start early with library work because the rest of the afternoon was filled with preaching a retreat. In the evening it was more catching up of work in the library. This morning it was another conference at 7am then Armenian Mass at 9am then an emergency translation work which occupied my day till now - 9.30pm. I have worked 15 and a half hours non-stop. Now I am so exhausted I can't sleep.

Fried bread by the
chinese sisters

Luckily the chinese sisters cooked some food and asked me to go over and pick it up. Lucky also their convent is just a minute's walk from my office. They hand made dumplings and northern chinese bread (油饼) which is very nice. It's fresh and there are no additives so I feel safe eating it without fear of an allergic attack. They also fried long beans. So I had something to eat while working.

The ISIS attack on a catholic priest during Sunday Mass in Indonesia is a wake up call for the asian church. You are no longer safe. Meantime Israel has its own problems: repair and construction work on the national train system at a busy Tel Aviv junction was proposed to take place on a Sabbat (when traffic was minimal) so that normal traffic would not be interrupted ... but the ultra-orthodox ministers in the Knesset have come up in arms saying it breaks the Sabbath rule of no work. Progress vs religious observance. They're threatening to leave the coalition and cause the govt. to collapse. Now that's powerful.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4846609,00.html

And now to confound the ultra-orthodox jews even further, the Israeli Foreign Ministry with the American Jewish Committee and the World Council of Religious Leaders are organising a meeting of jewish leaders with leaders of various asian religions like hinduism, buddhism, shintoism etc... Now these non-monotheistic religions are considered idolatry by the ultra-orthodox jews. So we expect some spirited demonstrations and perhaps even violent clashes in the streets. The PM is steering well clear from this bombshell.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/A-swami-a-rabbi-a-monk-walk-into-a-Jerusalem-confab-465963

There is a worrisome news that the cost of EpiPens have risen by 400%. I bought mine for over US$100 and now it's almost US$600. Is that how pharmaceutical companies make money ... from the life and deaths of vulnerably ill people? Shame!! And worse, there is no governmental control over this daylight robbery.

Feast of St. Louis IX

Statue of St. Louis
in the courtyard

The weekend was so so. Wasn't really busy though I still had some work to do in the coastal cities. Managed to take advantage of the several hours to rest in our Jaffa monastery ... which meant sleep. I slept through 12 hours or so. I was just so tired from all the work and tension in the Old City of Jerusalem. I didn't want to get up actually. But Saturday was the Feast of St. Louis IX, king of France.

It's a memorial for the rest of the world but in our monastery in Jaffa, it is a feast day with the singing of the Gloria during the Mass. Why? Because St. Louis lived here twice during his 2 visits to the Holy Land. Well not actually visits ... he came to fight in the 7th and 8th Crusade. King Frederick Barbarossa had built the fortress on this site and St Louis repaired it when it was damaged during the war. That's about 1240. Pretty ancient. The remains of the fortress repaired by St. Louis is still existing within the modern monastery building (built in the 17th century and rebuilt several times due to war). It's a tower which today has been converted into a chapel where daily Mass is celebrated.

The chapel in the
Crusader fortress

Well it was very nice to have been there during the Feast and celebrated Mass with the community. And anyway the best thing was I could sleep in peace. I really needed that.

In the evening I want down to the city centre to buy dinner. I noticed there was a new shop opened where once was the Sushi restaurant. Now it's Broaster Chicken. Went in and immediately the guys serving at the counter called out "Hey here comes a friend from Jerusalem". Well those guys are from Jerusalem and somehow they recognised me. I couldn't recognise any of them!!! Anyway we chatted and I ordered and asked for a little more of this and that which they obliged because "we're from Jerusalem". It was a good dinner for a Feastday.

St. Bartolomew

The 2 Cecilias

Presided at morning Mass today. This week is my turn to preside. The job is called "hebdomedario" which has nothing to do with dromedaries ("camels") but comes from the greek word for seven or week "hepta". Anyway I official thanked Sr. Cecilia for her service at our chapel with the morning hymns and welcomed the new superior (also called Cecilia). Poor Sr. Cecilia was all emotional. You can imagine how she felt after 8 years here, having founded the 1st convent of PDDM sisters in the Holy Land. I gave her as a present 2 prutah or coins - the smallest denomination during the time of Christ ... remember Jesus praising the widow for giving her all i.e. 2 copper coins ("prutah")? She was very emotional but thankful. Anyway the 2 Cecilias just came to my office to pay me a visit: one to say goodbye again and the other to say hello. Well I'll be saying the Armenian Mass at their Basilica for this entire month so the new Cecilia had better get used to working with me.

The Empty Tomb is closed off
except for one little entry

Work in the Holy Sepulcher has been underway for some time now. To be exact, they are restoring the Empty Tomb. Stone by stone is removed, cleaned or replaced by newer/safer ones. Nothing to worry about ... they're not the original stones of the original Tomb. That was destroyed by Caliph Hakim in 1009. What we have today is only a Crusader replacement of the original. Temporary walls have been placed around the Empty Tomb for work to take place, which is during the night. During the day tourists and pilgrims can still visit the Tomb but only through a tiny door.

We had one piece of shocking news this morning in the Isareli media: Palestinian police entered Israel without permission and arrested 4 palestinians wanted for killing arab policemen. Shocking .... but actually Israel has been doing the same all the time! Israeli forces daily enter Palestine without permission and carry out raids and arrests. No one considers that shocking. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/middle-east/israeli-palestinian-relations/pa-security-forces-carry-out-unapproved-arrest-in-east-jerusalem-23172

I'm still trying to arrange my work timetable so I can visit the allergy specialist. I'm scared. Not about the tests ... but how much it will cost. I have no insurance so it usually costs a lot ... if the doctors even want to see me.

Today is the feast of St. Bartolomew or Nathanael. His shrine is in Cana near Nazareth. We've been discussing the meaning of Jesus saying he saw Bartolomew sitting under the fig tree.

Goodbye Sr. Cecilia

It's already midweek ... and towards of August. How time flies. Soon the profs and students will be returning to start the new academic year. Our catholic schools have already started .... but not altogether. The higher classes have begun classes but those lower such as Grades 1 to 6 are still on holiday. The govt. is still not assisting in financial subsidies so I don't know if the schools are able to function full time this year. What a pity.

Sr. Cecilia

Sr. Cecilia the founding sister of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master congregation in the Holy Land will leave tomorrow for her new mission in Italy. She started the foundation of her community from scratch, and single handedly organized the Armenian Catholic rite liturgies and cared for the basilica. She even studied armenian in order to sing the liturgy. But I'll remember her for the lunches and ice creams whenever I needed it. She was always careful with cooking my food whenever her community invited me over for lunch: no gluten, no nuts, lots of meat and veggies. I'm sure not only her community but also the Armenian community will miss her. She was a great organizer and administrator. Tomorrow she'll be sent to Italy to start a new mission. May God bless her and be with her all the way.

Meantime my hands are all black and blue from burst capillaries in my fingers. They hurt very much when they burst and swell. Must be the cortezones I took for my asthma. They thin the veins so they burst easily. Holding a book, turning a doorknob ... all these actions cause a vein to burst. I hate it. But if I don't take the medication, I'll die from asthma ... or a heart-attack as the docs warn me. The labored breathing will cause a strain in the heart. I need to wear finger guards (like in volleyball) to hold the veins in place and protect them from bursting when I exert pressure.

Food glorious food

The Sisters of Mother Teresa celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary today. Well in the Church calendar today should be the feast of the queenship of Mary, but the MC sisters have special permission to celebrate instead the Immaculate Heart which is their patron. I celebrated the Mass for them at 7.30am ... immediately after my 6.30am Mass in our monastery. What a rush.

Sr. Kim's Bi Bim Bap

Someone must have been talking about my pitta bread meals because suddenly the nuns are cooking up a lot of takeaway meals for me. The chinese sisters cooked rice and okra; the korean sister from the 3rd Station cooked Bi Bim Bap; and M. Teresa's sisters had rice and curry prepared. Now I have too much food!!!! And they don't know about this blog. It's very nice of them ... and God is good and provident. So I have meals for the next 3 days. Luckily I can keep the food in our library refrigerator.

Yesterday saw some violent clashes ... not with arabs but ultra-orthodox jews and israeli police. The govt. has been trying to enforce the law that ultra-orthodox jews should also do compulsory military service ... something they have avoided (against the law) for over 50 years. Well one guy refused to show up at the enlistment office so the police came to arrest him. The entire neighborhood of ultra-orthodox jews came out into the streets and rioted. They do not recognize the State of Israel or Zionism ... believing that only the Messiah can establish the State of Israel, not humans. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Dozens-of-haredi-Jews-protest-arrests-over-refusal-to-enlistment-in-IDF-464669  and  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/violent-clashes-in-haredi-demonstration-within-jerusalem-23121

And ultra-orthodox jews in New York have also been showing their contempt for the State of Israel. At a camp for ultra-orthodox youths, a video showed them chanting anti-Israel slogans. Of course if it were done by non-jews, it would be called anti-semitism, hit the headlines and arrests would have been made.  http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Videos-leaked-from-Satmar-camps-show-kids-protesting-Israel-464680

Now I'm trying to arrange my timetable so that I have time to go see the allergist as Dr. John wants. My left ankle is permanently damaged so I have pain climbing down the stairs all the time. That can't be fixed. My right shoulder is still partially subluxed but yesterday I learned how to move it back into place slowly and painlessly (well almost).

Stromata

Half of the day is gone ... celebrated the conventual Mass at 7am then the Armenian Mass at 9am ... now preparing for the Triduum conference at 5pm. What a Sunday. But it was nice because after the Armenian Mass, the superior Sr. Cecilia invited me for lemon ice cream. It was very nice especially in this hot weather.

East growing dates
on the palm trees

I noticed something strange in Palm Plaza outside Damascus Gate. The palm trees are fruiting with huge bunches of dates but they all grow facing east ... with practically none growing toward the west. I wonder why. It looks very lopsided ... over 40 palm trees with heavy bunches of dates only growing on one side of the tree.

Just saw the news ... Israeli schools are teaching mandarin. There are some 3,200 students studying the language ... a rise of over 50% in 4 years. More schools are considering teaching the language now. Very interesting.

And there's another news that in the Old City there is a tattoo shop which goes back to the Crusader period. That's a good 800 years!! Apparently during the Crusader period, pilgrims came to the Holy Land and left with a tattoo to prove their visit and confirm their commitment to their faith. Funny I've been living here so long and never heard of this place. Anyway it proves that tattooing was part of the christian tradition here in the Middle East. http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/inside-the-worlds-only-surviving-tattoo-shop-for-medieval-pilgrims

But 2 more news are the talk of town. The first is the statement by orthodox jewish rabbis regarding christianity (particularly catholicism). In response to the Catholic Church's document Rostra Aetate 50 years ago to open up and accept Judaism and reject anti-Semitism, the orthodox jewish leaders have finally responded by declaring positive attitudes toward christianity and an openness to it. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/12/10/orthodox_rabbis_issue_groundbreaking_statement_on_christians/1193458

Secondly the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America also issued a statement declaring unity with the Catholic Church is "on the way" despite some very insurmountable dogmatic points. It is a very positive document and is much more progressive than the European Lutheran churches.

.... pro mensa

M. Teresa's sisters'
dinner for today

This afternoon I had an appointment with Dr. John .... our "family" doctor in the Custody. It has been almost 2 years since I had a checkup with him. I usually go directly to the Emergency Ward in hospital ... that's more urgent. Anyway doc insists I go to an allergy specialist in King George street near Ben Yehuda Mall. And he was pretty worried that I eat only 2 pitta bread for my meals. "You're not having enough nutrition" he said. Well luckily these days the chinese sisters and M. Teresa's sisters have been providing me with dinner. Today M. Teresa's sisters cooked basmati rice with onions and tomatoes, and mild curry veggies. I always like such simple food. And since I've still got 2 more days of preaching to do, I hope I'll be provided with 2 more meals!!!!! Nice payment. Keeps me alive.

Things are quite calm here in the Old City today. Thank goodness. Pilgrim groups are still very few except for chinese groups. They seem to be the only ones coming. Many shops have closed because it's not worth keeping the lights on when no one buys anything. It's too expensive. Even restaurants are closing down. One good thing is you don't have to line up to go visit the churches. They're almost always empty.

Tomorrow will be a busy day ... I have to preside at the community Mass at 7am at the Flagellation, then the 9am Armenian Mass at the 3rd Station, then preach the retreat in the afternoon for M. Teresa's sisters. I guess I should sleep early tonight.

I've been trying to avoid the topic of the Olympics but finally I'm giving in. No it's not about Schooling. It's about a Jordanian Taekwando guy who took the Gold Medal ... the first ever medal for Jordan. But his family name is "Abu Ghosh" ... the name of a very large clan that controlled the main entry into Jerusalem for centuries. They have their own village, called Abu Ghosh there as well. The Crusaders considered it Emmaus of Luke's Gospel. Well Israeli newspapers are hailing him as a "local" hero whose roots go back to Israel. But it's going to backfire because the fact that he comes from Jordan points to a historical event in the 1950s when the Israeli army expelled / deported hundreds of arabs from the Abu Ghosh clan to Jordan. To claim him as a local hero is to admit that Israel had forcefully expelled the Abu Ghosh ancestors out of Israel. http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.737670

Tu B'Av

It's Friday again ... the weekend has started. Though we're not expecting any violence, the police are not taking any chances and have come out in large numbers to match the thousands of muslims entering the Old City to pray. The New City (which is jewish) was celebrating Tu B'Av (15th day of the month of Av) which is like Valentine's Day. It actually marks the harvest of the grapes so wine-drinking, dancing and all other festive things related to the grape harvest is in order. I think Jerusalem's Arts Festival is timed with Tu B'Av as I can hear concerts in many parts of the New City ... even without getting out of my house. That's how loud it is.

The rains have certainly gone but the damp chill during the nights remain. I think this humidity will be bad for the fruit harvest as it will cause grapes and dates to grow moldy. The grapes are quite in abundance now in the markets ... even the famous Hebron grapes which are sickly yellow in color and long, but very sweet. They're supposed to be the best grapes to make wine.

Homemade noodles
cooked in soup by
the chinese sisters

I've been lucky these 2 days. The Sisters of Mother Teresa cooked rice with veggies yesterday and offered me some. Today the Chinese sisters made their own noodles and boiled them for me. I watched them roll the dough, cut them to strips and pulled them into strings before putting them into hot water. Interesting. Otherwise I'd be eating pitta bread like for the past 2 weeks. 3 pitta for 2 shekels. Sometimes I have a little extra money to buy a small box of salad or labaneh (soft cheese) to eat with it, sometimes it's just plain pitta. Once I tried falafel - fried chickpea balls, 6 for 2 shekels. Tasted good but made me awfully sick sick because it was deep fried. And Buddy loves sharing pitta with me. He sits on my shoulder and takes a bite whenever the pitta is close enough! But eating a hot meal feels always so good.

I'm preaching a Triduum to the sisters of M. Teresa now. They celebrate their patron feast (Immaculate Heart of Mary) on Monday. Then 4 days later I have to preach another 2 day retreat. Then next month I have another retreat to preach. It's exhausting but at least I'll earn a little something to buy my pitta bread.

Rain in summer!!!

The full moon is up again over
Damascus Gate

I've realized that my asthma attacks come in cycles. I get continuous bad attacks for a couple of weeks, then it ends off for another couple of weeks, then it comes back. I am now monitoring these cycles so I know when to take my medications ... and also monitoring the food and conditions whenever it occurs.

The humidity has been rising and dew falling every early morning. It feels more like autumn than summer. Then it finally happened - it rained yesterday!!! In summer!!! Not in Jerusalem but in the plains of Sharon ... that is the lowland between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It is very rare. People there had a big surprise ... a nice one. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4842676,00.html

So the continuing saga of the policemen who scared a palestinian girl, confiscated her bicycle and threw it into the bushes, breaking it into 2. Both police were not charged. The children of the family are living in fear, their father is a cripple, their only toy - a 2nd hand bicycle is broken. Today a kind jewish man donated a bicycle to the children. He remembered how his own jewish father suffered discrimination and could not bare seeing the palestinian children suffer the same from Israeli police. There are still good people left in this world. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-buys-palestinian-girl-a-new-bike-after-border-guards-broke-hers/

Rain clouds over Mt. Scopus north-
east of Jerusalem

On another note, Jerusalem municipal officials are picking on an arab summer camp for palestinian children in the village of Silwan (biblical Siloam). As the main door of the camp site is less than a meter from the road - which is very steep so cars drive at full speed to climb it - the camp organizers placed a tape along the road to stop children from running out of the door and getting hit by a car. In fact 2 children have already been run over. Officials have charged the organizers, made them pay fines and for the past weeks have sent police and officials to enter the camp.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.737248

And horror of horrors - or pride of pride - depending on which side you're supporting ... a rabbi has finally admitted sending his son out to commit arson throughout the country. It was to burn images or photos of women in bus stops, billboards etc... But of course he'll never be charged.   http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/rabbi-berland-admits-that-he-ordered-arsons-23050

Too humid

Very cloudy morning
in Jerusalem

It was a nice day off ... yesterday being Assumption Day. I closed both libraries and told our workers not to come. And there were no classes at 3am. What a heavenly relief. However that didn't mean I didn't wake up early or had no work. I celebrated Mass alone at 5am because my asthma was too bad. I also had to consecrate an extra host to bring to the chinese sisters' oratory. So after Mass I cleaned up my room, fed Buddy and went off early to bring the Bl. Sacrament to the convent oratory. Then there were chores to do till I was dead tired and fell asleep at 11am. Woke up at 1pm and headed to study in the other library 1km away uphill. It was a slow day and I liked it. I needed to get away from stress ... it's my biggest enemy.

The humidity has been intense these few days ... so much so that it feels like autumn already. The Mt. of Olives is covered in mist in the morning and dew covers the ground in our area. The Spring bulbs have started sending up foliage .... too early!!! They should do this only in November.

The ultra-orthodox jews have begun their push to claim "holy land" from secular jews throughout suburbs in the country. The latest is a shopping mall in Kfar Sheva, a suburb of Tel Aviv. Though far enough from ultra-orthodox strongholds, the ultra-orthodox have managed to infiltrate the secular city and force the shopping mall to close on Sabbath. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.736532

And as if the lack of goodwill isn't enough, yesterday's newspapers reported a taxi-driver refusing to pick up a blind woman in the rain because she had a guide dog and he didn't want his new car to be dirty. The Court made him pay 10,000 shekels as compensation to the blind lady for discrimination.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/taxi-driver-to-compensate-blind-woman-for-discrimination-22967

Here's a video of the muslim-jewish clash in the Al Aqsa Compound. There's another video of the riots in our street but I can't find it.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4841361,00.html

But I'm not going to let any of these things stress me out .... I just block out all stressful people and situations. Enough is enough. I am sick and tired of other peoples' problems. Good night!

Assumption Day

Chinese priests and seminarians
make a pilgrimage to the Holyland

Not many people know this ... but the Tomb of the Virgin Mary is in Jerusalem, near the garden of Gethsemane. The stone tomb has been partially broken  due to the ravages of time and war, but is still visible and is well visited by hundred of tourists each day. This has been the earliest tradition in Church history, and has archeological and literary backing. The Ephesus tradition on the other hand, is of a late tradition and no archeological backing. Anyway it is here that the feast of the Assumption is celebrated. The Virgin Mary died and was buried here but her body was then assumed into heaven from this tomb.

Some rightwing residents in south Tel Aviv complained that the Israeli soldiers should not do volunteer work with children of illegal immigrants. The soldiers spend a few hours each weekend playing with the children and teaching basic hebrew. The Defense Minister immediately jumped into the debate and ordered all volunteer work with the refugee children to stop. In fact, banned. His hatred for anyone non-jewish is legendary. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.736898 and http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.736922

The tranquility of Jaffa contrasts
with the tensions in Jerusalem

Yesterday's tensions at the Al Aqsa Mosque is still felt today in the streets ... police and soldiers are everywhere. Local residents don't want any problems. It's people from outside Jerusalem that cause all these violence. Fear of this ongoing violence since last September has seen a drastic drop in tourist numbers. Only chinese tourists continue to come. In fact there has been a 112% rise in chinese tourists while all other groups have gone down by almost 50% or more. It's the chinese that are keeping the industry afloat right now ... and the demand for chinese speaking tourist guides is high. In fact there are not enough chinese speaking guides so the govt. is closing its eyes on chinese students who do guiding despite visa restrictions. Let's hope more chinese priests and nuns will come to help me with the chines catholic groups. They deserve proper catholic guides who can lead them spiritually through the Holy Land.

Tisha B'Av and the Indian National Day

Chinese sisters with Fr. Tojy, head
of the Indian Chaplaincy

It was a long weekend without the computer. The Indian community celebrated their National Day which falls also on the Feast of the Assumption ... but they anticipated it because Monday is a working day and no one would have been able to come. So it was organised for Friday evening but it got cancelled because a palestinian terrorist was still at large and the police thought it was not prudent to hold a public procession before the Mass. Instead it was postponed to Saturday morning at an enclosed event Hall with public security standing by at the entrances.

Indian National Day Mass

Over a thousand indians came for the Mass ... and it was celebrated in english although the readings were done in Malayam, Konkani and several other indian languages. I help with the konkani masses in several cities whenever there is need ... so they consider me part of the indian chaplaincy and thus was invited to concelebrate the Mass. Indian religious sisters throughout the country also came. And our chinese sisters were also invited. It was a big event. The sisters got to meet other indian sisters. They spent the weekend in our Jaffa monastery guesthouse ... a rest from all the work they had been doing with pilgrims. And it was also a preparation for Assumption Day.

But Saturday night was also the start of the jewish Tisha B'Av ... the commemoration of the destruction of the 2 jewish Temples. Its a day of mourning, a national event ... all work and shops close. People fast, don't wear shoes, some rip their shirts as a sign of sorrow ... and they sing the Book of Lamentations. Thousands of jews gathered at the Wailing Wall to lament ... and they were also allowed to enter the Al Aqsa compound. Unfortunately jewish visitors into the Al Aqsa compound (where the Temple used to stand) and muslims inside clashed. The fighting poured out into our street in front of our house as well. Luckily I wasn't home ... I was at the indian Mass in Tel Aviv. But later in the day people showed me videos of the riots. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4841361,00.html
 and  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/7-jewish-visitors-suspected-of-praying-removed-from-temple-mount-22955

Well tomorrow will be another day. Hopefully the tensions would have died down and we can go on with our own lives.

Solemn Weekend

The Dome of the Rock mosque stands
where the Jewish Temple used to be.

Tisha B'Avi starts this Saturday evening. That's the jewish commemoration of the destruction of the 2 Temples on the same day - the Temple built by Solomon in 587 BC and the Temple renovated by Herod in 70 AD. Both were destroyed on the same day 650 years apart. Jews will fast and avoid all celebrations ... it's a day of mourning. The ancient rabbis say the Temples were destroyed because of "sinat hinam" or baseless hatred of jew against jew.

Well that leaves a lot to be said ... because only today we have news saying that the ultra-orthodox rabbis forbid all jews not belonging to their sect to use public ritual baths (mikve) build by the govt. with tax-payers' money. In effect, the ultra-orthodox are condemning all other jews to be ritually impure forever. The ritual baths are meant to cleanse ritual impurity such as menstruation, birth, touching blood or bone etc... Today the govt. decided to build other mikvaot (plural of mikve) for non-ultra-orthodox jews to use but the ultra-orthodox rabbis vow to fight this to the end. Only they are ritually pure - the rest of jewry are not. Baseless hatred?  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.736187

A catholic nun sweeps the filthy road
in front of her convent in one of
the most violent streets in East
Jerusalem

In a dramatic turn of municipality practice, 1200 more police will be deployed permanently in East Jerusalem with 6 new Police Stations there .... all in the bid to control crime and other lawlessness. The local arab population are happy ... because the rise in crime and violence has become so high people are afraid to go out of their houses. Since 1968 when Israel controlled the East (which is arab populated), it has been abandoned to lawlessness. But this last year we saw the majority of terrorists coming from these areas and the police have finally decided to step in. For the moment it is not in terrorism-control mode ... simply making the towns and villages more safe for inhabitants. But ultimately it aims at curbing terrorism in the bud ... in the villages before they reach Jerusalem. Both arab and some jewish leaders are against this; saying the US$1 billion project should go to education and welfare in these areas instead which will produce better results.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Police-look-to-crackdown-on-terror-activity-lawlessness-in-volatile-east-Jerusalem-463728

And even as this "goodwill" gesture to East jerusalem is being planned out, the municipality has gone ahead to take private arab land in East Jerusalem to build a synagogue!! And has backed plans to build 2,500 more apartments in East Jerusalem for Jews. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.736191

And yesterday police arrested 3 jews who made up a story that a Christian group was kidnapping ultra-orthodox children, forcibly converting them to christianity and sexually abusing them. After 2 years of investigation, the police concluded that no such christian group existed but these 3 men were pocketing money donated by the public to "save" these children ... and the child abuses were committed by ultra-orthodox jews themselves. Baseless calumny, sowing religious strife and hatred ... baseless hatred again.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/3-arrested-for-making-up-pedophilic-christian-cult-to-defraud-donors/

So much for baseless hatred .... the lessons of Tisha B'Av are still not learnt.

National day

Watching NDP online

Yesterday was National Day ... Singapore's that is. Thanks to Channelnews Asia online, I could watch the Parade. It's been many years since I watched the Parade ... I remember it used to be in the Padang with govt. officials wearing white. Everything solemn and dignified. Imagine my shock when I saw govt. officials yesterday wearing red T-shirts and waving flags and marching into the podium in twos ... like Noah's Ark's animals. Or as I thought - a Disneyland Parade. And their entry to the stadium was announced and the public was called to applaud ... what was this???? Rise of the personality cult??? In the past, MPs came unannounced, low key, humble. I'm not used to this "new generation" of govt. officials' style. It departs drastically from the spirit of LKY. It's now very Hollywood, hyped and americanised. Not a right move ... because the higher the profile, the harder the fall.

Summer flowers

It has been unusually humid these past few days. In the mornings the Mt. of Olives is barely visible in the mist. And the nights get quite chilly. Someone mentioned that the day temp. is also not as hot as last year ... but we forget the past all too easily and complain only about the present. True. Anyway the humidity is doing great things for the plants ... they are blooming longer than usual into August. And the humidity is a bit of help to my asthma. The moisture in the air reduces the irritation on my bronchus so I get less attacks ... relatively.

Absolutely ingenious ... the PM who is beleaguered with accusations of many things, has now a bill tabled to be passed which will make him immune to investigation for any accusation that carries a jail term of 6 months or less. They're minor offences after all. That's the argument for tabling this bill. The ingenuity of the democratic system.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Opposition-outraged-by-bill-exempting-PM-from-probes-of-minor-offenses-463622

To distract from this contentious issue, headlines have focussed on Israel's first medal at the Rio Olympics. It's a bronze medal for Judo. Not bad. Let's see if there's going to be more medals this week.

Summer time

Munchies galore
at Shlomi's stall

Last Sunday there was a massive manhunt in northern Tel Aviv. No one knows why ... the police did not give a reason. Roads were closed, trains were stopped and searched, police armed to the teeth searching every road and alley. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/northern-tel-aviv-police-searching-for-suspicious-man-22818  Now reports say that it was a suspected Palestinian terrorist. No surprise.

And a stranger than fact story ... a dangerous biker who ran redlights chopped off his fingertips so he could not be finger-printed. That didn't stop the police from identifying him. http://www.timesofisrael.com/driver-slices-off-his-fingertips-to-avoid-being-idd/

And now there's a report that ... well just read it for yourself. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.735486

Summer fruit in abundance ... sold by
Shlomi

What a summer this is turning out to be. But like I mentioned in earlier blogs, all the tension is hidden under a veneer of normality ... in fact, summer fun. Well I guess that's what everybody wants ... a normal summer. A summer when kids can have fun, parents can take a day off, families can go on holidays (within the country) ... and sometimes this comes best when you stick your head in the sand to block out the negative news. It's called self-survival.

Health update. My left ankle is still very painful when I walk. I don't think there's much I can do about it now. The wrist is much better but I cannot carry heavy loads. The past several days I've been feeling very faint ... I guess it's because I've not eaten. I have no appetite but I can feel weakness as a result and know that I need to eat. But when I do, I start throwing up or lose interest in eating all together. All the lovely munchies and fruit cocktail that my friend Shlomi sells in his stall in Jaffa can't entice me to eat a mouthful.

Wish upon a bridge ...

More controversy rocking the country ... but it's pretty small scale. The fish breeders industry in Jerusalem have been protesting all week because the govt. has marked out their land for development.  The breeders are not giving up their fight so easily.  https://www.facebook.com/israel.aquaculture/?pnref=story

The Wishing Bridge in Jaffa rebuilt

Also protesting on Friday were the Women of the Wall ... a group of jewish women who insist on equality at the Wailing Wall; meaning they get to wear prayer shawls and phylacteries and carry and read from the Torah Scrolls (something which mainstream Judaism doesn't allow). The Courts and the rabbis have been battling this out ... and the outcome has been fluctuating between left and right positions. In the end it looks like the ultra-orthodox and rabbis are winning ...  yesterday ultra-orthodox women disrupted the prayers. Watch the video at  https://www.facebook.com/neshothakotel/?pnref=story

A strike at Ben Gurion Airport was called off at the last minute on Friday afternoon ... thank goodness as tourist groups would have been stuck ... not that there are many of them anyway. But news is coming out that arab israelis including an actress have been racially profiled and singled out for extra security checks (which includes strip searching if required) at the airport. A cry of racism is sounded throughout the leftist and centrist news media but nothing will come out of it ... the country is too far right to care about anyone else.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/US-reiterates-concern-over-unequal-treatment-of-Arab-Americans-at-Ben-Gurion-Airport-463399

Photo ftom this year's israeli Unification day coinciding
with arab Nakba day ... 2 groups together ... a rarity

Well not everything is bad news last weekend. There is a small movement within Israel that recognizes that the 2 State solution is long dead. Instead Jews and Arabs should accept that fact that they must live together as one State ... but that means Israel having to negate its "Jewish State" status. Don't know how feasible that will be ... it'll take more than goodwill to pull this one through. http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.735494

And the Wishing Bridge in Jaffa has been rebuilt. It was torn down last year because the wood was rotting, posing a danger to its visitors. Now more solidly built, people can go across the bridge to their zodiac sign (attached along the bridge), look into the Mediterranean Sea ahead ... and make a wish. I wonder if anyone will wish for peace between the jews and arabs, peace in our region.

Transfiguration

It was Transfiguration Day yesterday ... everyone in my community (meaning only 4 because everybody else is on home leave) went to Mt. Tabor for the feast. I of course was in Herzliya for the Mass. I've been very interested in the Transfiguration story told by the 3 gospels and have been studying them for some time. I promised the Transfiguration Chapel group in Hong Kong I'd write a book on it but haven't really got round to it. I should start soon ... given my failing health.

Yesterday's headlines was about the Olympics ... not the opening ceremony but how the Lebanese contingent refused to share a bus with the Israeli contingent bringing them to the opening ceremony. It's a big deal here ... with the Israelis accusing Lebanon of going against the spirit of the Games. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.735481

Cardinal Zen sweeping
the road

And to follow up on the 2 isreali soldiers who bullied the 8 yr old arab girl in Hebron and threw her bicycle into the bushes ... they claim they were doing it to protect the girl. They wanted to prevent her from entering the Jewish side of the road. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.735220
Well my question is: is this any different from what the Lebanese did to the Israelis in Rio?

A very touching photo has been floating around Facebook ... of Hong Kong's emeritus Cardinal sweeping the road to his residence at the Salesian House of Studies. At age 90 or so ... manual labour remains part of his religious (Salesian) vocation. You can be sure you'll not see some bishops let alone cardinals doing this in their own homes.

Herzliya

St. Francis of Assisi Chapel in
Herzliya

Herzliya is a City almost 80 km away from Jerusalem. There's a catholic community there that meets on Friday evenings for Sunday Mass. Sounds strange ... but in Israel the weekend is Friday-Saturday so Sunday Masses are celebrated on these days instead ... with the permission from the Bishops' Conference. In fact all Sunday Masses for migrant workers are on Fridays or Saturdays because its the only time they have time off.

Deserted streets in
Herzliya

I had to go to Herzliya for the Mass yesterday. It was my first time. The chapel is actually a small space in an industrial building ... meant for a small factory. Simple benches and decor ... something very franciscan. I liked it. But without any windows and outside temperature being 35 degrees, it was very hot in the chapel despite 5 fans and one aircon.

The parishioners come from a diverse background: filipino and indian migrant workers, american and african embassy workers ... a very big mix. No organs or guitars .... all music was sung without accompaniment. Very franciscan. It was a very nice experience. But being so far, I could not travel back to Jerusalem after Mass so I spent the night in our Jaffa monastery. Being Friday evening which is the start of the Sabbath, the streets are deadly quiet. Waiting for the taxi to bring me to Jaffa was quite scary as I was practically alone in the City's main road. Sabbath is taken very seriously here.

Meanwhile there was panic in South Tel Aviv's famous Carmel Market ... a man was seen running down the market with a knife in his hands. People panicked thinking it was a terrorist, everyone scrambling and 2 were hurt in the melee. It turned out that the knife-wielder was a lunatic ... or another version has it that it was a gang fight.

And one piece of bothering news this morning - Singapore was targeted by ISIS for a missile attack. Terrorism knows no borders .... just watch out and be careful.

Bad news weekend

Figs are in season

And the education funding saga goes on ... the govt. is now cutting funding to jewish secular schools teaching the obligatory core subjects (just like it did to Christian schools) BUT adding 500 million more shekels to fund the religious jewish schools that do not teach the core subjects. This is totally absolutely the opposite of what the funding of schools is all about. TOTALLY OPPOSITE!!! It's senseless and utterly laughable. It makes a mockery of the parliament that legislated the law on funding. It can only happen here in Israel. And as most newspapers are criticising ... the govt. is funding a generation of jews who cannot count nor know the fundamentals of science or economics or history or geography. Israel is going to have a generation of people who are of no use to the workforce ... and who do not pay taxes or serve in the army. It is doomsday for Israel ... don't expect to win a war with that generation that cannot produce generals and military strategists and scientific innovators. The arabs will do well if they realise this and up their education programme now.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/additional-funding-for-haredi-students-cutbacks-for-secular-students-22754

And talk about bad news ... yesterday a sewage pipe broke just meters away from Tel Aviv's busiest beach. It leaked into the sea, polluting all the other beaches around it. The municipality immediately issued a health warning to everyone against entering the water. You can see sewage floating everywhere. Now do you expect a yeshiva student who never studied biology, chemistry, physics or mechanical engineering to deal with this crisis?????  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/health-and-environment/sewage-flowing-onto-tel-aviv-beaches-in-the-middle-of-the-summer-22716

Well let's hope the weekend won't end like this with all the bad news. Something good might just brighten it up ....

Mid-week

Taped hnnd and foot

I haven't mentioned much about my ankles and wrists after my fall last Sunday. Well the left ankle still hurts very badly whenever I walk down the stairs. And my left wrist is still swollen because a bone was dislodged. I have to constantly pull at the thumb to align it back in place ... and relief the pain.

Yesterday evening I finally got my physiotherapist to come and deal with it. After an hour's treatment, he decided to tape me up with kinesio tape. It brings instant relief ... as many sportsmen will tell you. But it is temporary. I will need more treatment in the next few weeks.

Yestersday's video of an Israeli soldier bullying a 5 yr. old arab girl in Hebron, confiscating her bicycle and another soldier throwing it into the bushes because she apparently cycled into the jewish side of the road... has gone viral. There has been an internet uproar over this and the army has suspended one soldier over the incident but not the other. A military investigation will take place .... but we all know in the end, nothing will come out of it. This is a sad fact of life here.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/WATCH-Border-police-filmed-throwing-Palestinian-girls-bike-in-bushes-463043

World Youth Day: iraqi and israeli
catholic youth together

By the way, the tomb of the Prophet Nahum is in danger of being destroyed. The Kurdistan govt. (where the tomb is situated) is asking Israel for help to preserve the site. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Kurdistan-official-launches-appeal-to-save-Jewish-tomb-462958

Well it seems everyone else is running to Israel for help now. European and American police chiefs are coming to Israel to learn Israel's anti-terrorist tactics.  It's about time!!!! Any govt. would have come to Israel first .... before an ISIS attack occurred. Prevention is better than cure. But european and american societies must remain politically correct .... which is their death sentence.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.734899

And in turn, Israeli airforce is participating in an air drill with Pakistani and Emirate airforce. Unimaginable enemies now hand-in-hand ... makes you wonder how great a threat ISIS has become to be able to unite old enemies.

So things are changing this summer ... politically. The map is being redrawn. It will be interesting to see what it will be like in winter ... especially after the American elections. If the walking joke Trump gets elected ... then America deserves everything he brings to them. That country has been reduced to one big hollywood sitcom.

United in Christ

kids playing with the park sprinklers

The weather continues to be hot ... typical August weather. Daytime temperature reaches 35 degrees and nighttime can fluctuate between 26 to 32 degrees. And it has been unusually humid as well. That makes it all quite unbearable. Yesterday evening I met 2 of my israeli security friends while they were at work .... both sweating buckets of perspiration ... I mean literally sweat pouring down their heads. Their T-shirts were all soaking wet.

I think electricity will be rationed this year like last year because with this heat and humidity, many people will turn on their aircons. The irony of aircons is it generates more heat in their motors outside the house .... hence making the outdoors even hotter than normal.

Lebanese and Israeli catholic youths

Remember several blogs back about the govt. cutting funds for schools that do not teach core subjects (maths, science etc.. secular subjects)? It was the excuse to cut funding from all christian schools (though they teach these core subjects but not Torah) .... but today the govt. has approved jewish religious schools from teaching these same subjects yet give them funding!!!! Now is that double standards or what????

One heartwarming series of pictures appearing in social media )and I have some private pics from the groups themselves)  is World Youth Day ... not the event in general, but the pictures of Catholic youths from enemy countries standing side-by-side, praying, singing and studying their faith. What politics has divided, religion has united. And to see the 2 million youths gathered for the event ... it is a good sign that the Church is still alive and relevant. And the youth, united in Christ, do not see each other as enemies. They are one family.

Work and rest weekend

The beautiful night lights of Jaffa
with the monumental St. Peter Church
at the promontory on the right

The weekend was both busy yet there was a chance for rest. I had to celebrate Mass in the coastal cities again but I managed to pass several hours at our Jaffa house sleeping. I think that was the only thing I needed. To rest. Away from all the stress and demands. The cool sea breeze is very calming ... and so is the silence. I find myself having a bigger appetite there. Back in Jerusalem they are renovating the museum and the debris from knocked-down walls are thrown below my window waiting for the tractors to pick them up and throw them away. In the sweltering heat of the Old City, and cul-de-sac which my room/window is situated ... each gust of wind blows the dust into my room. I've been having 24 hr asthma attacks all week. And the noise of demolition downstairs in the museum and the shouting of workers are unbearable when it reaches a certain extent. So the short (less than 36 hours) of work and rest in Jaffa was very good.

Buddy and the beach

I had to bring Buddy along as no one would feed him if I had left him at home. And he likes company. I bring him in a small traveling cage which I hang on the window facing the sea. He enjoys it very much and eats a lot there as well. Sea-breeze is good for the appetite. In the evening after the spanish Mass, I went to have dinner at Peking Duck with my confrere who happened to be resting in Jaffa for 4 days. It was good to catch up with him. Strange thing is we work in the same monastery for years but hardly have any chance to meet each other or chat. We had to leave Jerusalem in order to find time for fraternity. I guess that's our lot ... we are working so much we have no time for ourselves. But most people will never understand our situation.

The weekend also saw several disturbances around the country. One was the demolition of a bedouin town ... the arabs there clashed with the police as the demolition was meant to pave the way for the building of a jewish town in its place. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.734465

Then there is the disturbing news of the continuing saga of racism against ethiopic jews by mainstream judaism in Israel. Read the article http://www.timesofisrael.com/dark-skinned-dolls-and-history-lessons-how-israel-plans-to-tackle-prejudice/