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/