Funeral Day of former President

100s of black security cars to
transport heads of state lined the
entire King Solomon Street

Shimon Peres was buried today. It was the highest security event ever to be organized. Shin Bet the national security agency admitted that it was unprecedented in Israel's history: 70 world leaders including 20 presidents, 5 heads of state and royalty, 15 foreign ministers and many more dignitaries. The burial took place at 11.30 and the roads gradually reopened although some major routes are still closed, such as the highway to the airport.

It was good to see Palestinian president and Israeli PM speaking civilly at the wake. Even PM's wife spoke to the Palestinian president. I guess Peres succeeded in death what he sought for in life ... getting the 2 enemies to talk. Well Peres wasn't always the peace-maker that we remember him as .. he had had a long life - 93 yrs in all ... and the early years saw him as a tough zionist who started the settlement movement, displacement of countless palestinians, confiscation of palestinian lands ... things that palestinians today remember him for. But in the course of his long life he saw the need for moderation and change .... hence his move from rightwing to leftwing (center left is more correct). That takes political bravery in a volatile region like Israel.

I was laughing when I read The Straits Times' FaceBook article that Singapore will add 60 more CCTV for security reasons to the existing 70. In our Old City alone we have 320 CCTVs !!!! The moment you enter the Old City your every move is monitored ... you can't escape. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/60-more-locations-to-get-cctv-cameras-to-deter-illegal-parking-from-oct-6?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&xtor=CS1-10#link_time=1475140775

Via Dolorosa is
empty

With the sudden influx of political leaders from around the world in our neighborhood the security inside the Old City was equally high. The streets remained quiet and deserted despite being Friday. Via Dolorosa was empty even at 11am. All night and morning, security helicopters were flying overhead ... making sleep impossible. Poor Buddy was frightened all night and hid under my pillow till morning. Classes at Ratisbonne (Salesian Theological College) were almost cancelled as roads around the institute were closed. They reopened only much later and classes resumed.

My shoulder gave me a lot of pain last night ... I think it partially slipped out of joint again. The pain was excruciating and kept me awake all night. Good thing ... because Buddy was very afraid of the helicopters and noisy soldiers in the street. He flew to my bed and tried to hide under the pillows. So i stayed up with him and it was a good bonding opportunity. For once he was looking for food!!

Miracles do happen

Our former president and statesman Shimon Peres died last night at the age of 93. He's known as the president/statesman of hope ... that was his constant message. And he never took himself too seriously. When he stepped down as president, he made several video clips of himself searching for a job ... at the age of 90. Very funny. He can laugh at himself.  http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/shimon-peres-funniest-moments/

Flyer of arab food by delivery

High drama yesterday evening ... received a warning (we have phone apps that warn us of missile attacks, terrorist attacks, war etc...) that all roads in Jerusalem were blocked off and a terror alert was issued throughout the City Old and New). Only an hour later were we told that a terrorist had entered Jerusalem and evaded the police. A 15 yr old arab boy. Sounded bit exaggerated that the entire City had to be closed off because of a 15 yr old boy. We had older and worse terrorists than that and the City was never closed off. Anyway the alert was called of after a couple of hours. We're not told if the boy was caught or whether the entire event was just a drill.

Sr. Sophie's
roasted chicken

Miracles do happen. Yesterday evening I was very very hungry when I got home from work. Hadn't eaten anything since the night before. At our reception, I found a flyer of a new arab takeaway restaurant .... good food and relatively cheap. I wanted very much to eat a roasted chicken drumstick (featured in the flyer) .... it's been so very long since I tasted one. But I couldn't afford the delivery meal. Just then my phone rang. Sr. Sophie called to ask "Are you downstairs at the door? Don't go away; I have something for you". 15 minutes later a car drove up to our door and the driver gave me a bag from Sr. Sophie - one whole roasted chicken!!!!! God surely works in mysterious ways.

Tuesday

Body search at Palm Plaza
(newspaper photo)

Went to the doctor's this morning for a jab. The shoulder still hurts and I must stop carrying the backpack; the weight adds a lot of pressure on the shoulder joint. Doc said the weather is changing and I must be careful not to fall sick as it will exacerbate my asthma. I don't think I'll take a flu shot this time. Usually the doc gives me one when the weather changes. My headache has lasted over a week now. The nausea is less ... so I'm still wondering what is the cause. Doc said it's exhaustion - both physical and mental.

Arrest in a street corner probably for
not possessing an ID or legal papers
(newspaper photo)

More police action in the streets these days as the Jewish New Year rounds the corner. Lots of stop and search at every corner inside and outside the Old City. It's a scare tactic to deter potential terrorists. There's an interesting article on an online newspaper about the recent arab violence: it's especially markedly different from previous attacks because they were perpetrated by very young children, and the analysis is frightening: they are doing it not for nationalistic reasons like before but simply to commit suicide. Several of these children did not even carry knives or weapons ... they just walked right up to soldiers in order to get shot dead. Life has become so unbearable and hopeless it is better to die. This is so sad, so tragic, so frightening.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4859239,00.html 

Just had a nice chat with my old classmate from '92. It's good to catch up once in a while ... can't imagine him now with grey hair and 3 teenage kids. How time flies. We chatted about our other schoolmate who is now archbishop and apostolic administrator of the Holy Land. All our paths have changed. God has his plans. Always mysterious ...

Autumn has come

Sweet consolation or death by
diabetes

What a terrible day .... have been feeling very very nauseous and dizzy all day. No idea why. Definitely not the heat as it's quite cool. {perhaps it's all the tensions building up. School starts next week .... more pressure. Summer holidays are over and I haven't had one day of vacation. And the anxiety of riots and more violence next week when the Jewish Holy Days begin .... I'm cracking up. Life seemed a lot easier in the past, not because there were no tensions and wars ... it's just that my stress-resistance has worn down. There is only so much I can take ... and the last straw always breaks the camel's back.  Then again someone suggested that it could be the side-effects of the medicine I'm taking for the subluxed shoulder. It's still hurting but not as much. Sleeping remains an agony as I cannot put any weight on the right shoulder ... it'll pop out of the socket again.

Today the new "obedience" was released. It's the transfers and new jobs that each of us will get for the next 3 years. Many have been fretting over the weekend because no one knows what to expect. Today we all got the news. Happy for some, sad for some. But it's an obedience ... we have to follow it.

Olive trees are
pruned

Yesterday I took some time to walk to East Jerusalem to say hi to a friend. Haven't seen him for quite some time ... he runs a bakery and usually has fresh bourekas (puff pastry stuffed with various things) and all other sorts of treats. His wife and baby were also at the shop ... first time I've met them. I noticed there was a tray of doughnuts ... very very tempting. But the thought of rising sugar levels and its consequence stopped me from buying one.

It's autumn ... fruit are being harvested and trees are being pruned. The olive trees in the parks have been pruned already. It's a bit early because usually the municipality allow the poor arab families to come and pick the olives first. This year nobody had any as the trees and fruit were pruned and discarded quickly away.

26th Sunday of the Year

Palms overloaded
with dates at Palm
Plaza

There was a slight drizzle last night as I came home from work ... it was getting cold even just at 9pm and small drops of condensation could be felt. It really feels like autumn. The autumn crop of fruit are due for harvesting. That includes, dates, olives, grapes, pomegranates .... the 7 species mentioned in the Book of Deuteronomy. The palms at Palm Plaza are heavy with huge loads of dates. And the wild parakeets are enjoying eating them. Same thing with the olive trees in the parks ... most are ripe and purple but here the poor local arabs go to collect the olives.

As the Jewish holidays near, police and military presence are getting heavier. Lots of police dogs and horses as well. The annual tension of these holidays never die down.

Israeli implosion continues as the Israeli Chief Rabbinate annulled the conversions to judaism made by american rabbis. In effect the Chief Rabbinate in Israel is declaring itself the sole legitimate authority to enact conversions and other matters. The Chief Rabbinate is acting as if it is the High Priest and Sanhedrin ... both of which have no effect since there is no Temple. It's like a Pretender to a long lost throne. Well tensions have arisen because  of this. The actual system of rabbis is that all are equals ... but it doesn't seem so now.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.744063

And more implosion to come as the Jewish Holy Days are round the corner. A huge public concert to http://www.timesofisrael.com/women-left-off-the-bill-for-tel-aviv-unity-concert/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Mounted Police and the local tram

celebrate unity and forgiveness for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is now the turf of discontent because no women performers are included. Apparently an anonymous donor of the event is religious (read "ultra-orthodox") and does not allow women to perform in public (any difference from Islam?). Not much of "unity and forgiveness" ... that's what everyone is complaining.

On a nicer note, there's an Oktoberfest here in Palestine in a  totally christian village called Taybeh. It produces the best palestinian beer also called Taybeh. Apparently it's getting famous around the world and international beer-lovers are flocking to it and praising it. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/watch-oktoberfest-in-west-bank-23846

And another positive news - tours of the Old City are being organised for muslim, christian and jewish students to overcome prejudice and misinformation about each other. It's a very positive step and I think it should be encouraged.  http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Christian-Jewish-and-Muslim-youth-from-Jerusalem-take-a-stand-in-the-Old-City-468615

More on the new Archbishop

Archbishop Pizzaballa's solemn entry
into the Old City

It did rain yesterday !!! Not in our mountain area but down in the plains further north and west. It was a drizzle but it was a good sign that autumn has come. The temp. is pleasantly cool today and I'm sure the nights will slowly get colder. Sunrise is much later now ... about 6am and sunset is earlier, around 7pm. I'll have to check when daylight saving changes back to solar time. A quick browse through the Internet tells me it should occur on Oct. 30th. That's well after the Jewish Holy days.

Sr. Rose places a garland on him

I wanted so badly to finish renovating my office because a lot of the office  they had learned when junk and stuff are cluttering the school hallway. But doing it alone with a subluxed shoulder, and constant asthma because of the dust (20 years of dust ... don't blame me, the people who work there never cleaned the room) was nearly impossible. So I got the help of the Missionaries of Charity (M. Teresa). 3 of them came over to help clean the office and put in place all the files and equipment and other stuff. We finished most of it in 3 hours. Thank God and the sisters for the help. I still need to rest my shoulder as it hurts very much.

Here's an interesting article on the new Apostolic Administrator of the Holy Land. You should read it. https://cruxnow.com/analysis/2016/09/22/popes-potential-masterstroke-takes-charge-holy-land/

Patriarch Theophilos of the Greek
Orthodox Church

It's not easy for the diocesan clergy or Rosary Sisters (diocesan congregation) or some laity that the Vatican did not appoint a Patriarch for the Latin (read "Roman") Church here. But it's a necessary move to reorientate the diocese and revive its spirit. Other churches such as the Orthodox and Eastern and Protestant are very hopeful that things will get better on the ecumenical level as when Piazzaballa was the Custos. he managed to unite the churches and got everyone to work on common projects. The best example is the restoration of the Empty Tomb of Christ ... a very complicated place with ancient rules and traditions among the ancient churches. Still it got ahead and the other Orthodox patriarchs are very pleased.

Orthodox and protestant bishops
welcome the Archbishop

On the national level, tensions are rising on the northern border with Israel as Syrian rebels begin to gather there. More missiles have accidentally fired into Israel. Everyone is preparing for war. In fact 3 days ago the entire country had a war drill when the sirens blared twice (once in the morning and once in the evening). And the heavy bombardment of Aleppo is very distressing .... many there are christians. And many have died in the past few days. There is no water or food or electricity. No shelter either for the cold weather in the night.

And one final piece of news: extremist jewish groups rioted when an Armenian Choir sang in a public event. It was the Jerusalem Arts Festival and many religious groups performed at various corners of the city streets. The Armenians have regularly been targeted by the jews because they live next to the Jewish Quarter and so are easy prey. Jewish intolerance for christians are on the rise ... and left unchecked by the police. Slowly it will become like Syria. Christians in the Middle East carry the Cross everyday ... to die on Calvary.

Rain tonight?

Rain clouds over the
Old City

The sky was cloudy and gray today. Rain clouds from the west (Mediterranean Sea) have been blowing across the country all day, bringing in a lot of humidity. The temperature has also dropped. Forecast was for rain but we got nothing. People are saying it will tonight. Well let's hope so.  The drought is killing us here.

Notwithstanding the subluxed shoulder that's healing, there was a lot of heavy lifting of books, cabinets, shelves, tables and files the whole day.  We're renovating the library office and lots of accumulated stuff of the past 20 years needed to be cleared off. The dark and crammed office is now bright and clean ... well almost. There's still a lot of work to do and I'm practically doing it myself. Magdulin our cleaner helps to clean up while I organise everything else.

News has leaked of a group of soldiers in Hebron beating a Palestinian. This is very common but almost never reported or filmed. This time it was filmed. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4858196,00.html  Soldiers have also been filmed setting fire to arab storage in the northern city of Nablus. There seems to be a lot of military violence against arabs ... probably as a revenge for the stabbings of last week. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/idf-soldiers-set-storage-unit-on-fire-in-nablus-23803

Office renovation

Meantime some justice is being seen to be served: 5 jewish youths were arrested for assaulting and harassing an arab boy. However as we all know ... nothing will come out of it. They will be released because "there is not enough evidence". http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4858234,00.html

And once again another chutzpah event: the Israeli Culture Minister walked out of a films award ceremony because an arab poem was recited. Now if an arab walked out when a jewish poem were recited, it would be branded anti-semitism. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/culture-minister-leaves-film-awards-venue-over-palestinian-poem-23807

But I'll end off today's blog with something from the Pope. He called fear-mongering and gossip in journalism as a type of terrorism. The spread of exaggerations and lies causes fear and suspicion, dividing communities and creating hatred. That is terrorism at its roots.  It's terrorism that the common folk in the streets engage.  http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-media-idUSKCN11S26D?utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+Trending+Content&utm_content=57e45c9604d30161488db9c9&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Squills on Ketev Hinnom

Squill flowering on Bible Hill

A massive police hunt in the surrounding villages has led to the arrest of some 20 arab youths. And this sweep will probably continue for the next few days till the Jewish holidays start. In fact we have never seen so many stop-and-search as yesterday and today. Border police at every corner and City Gate have been stopping youths at an unprecedented manner. I have seen it for myself this morning. To respect the dignity of the youths, I did not take the photos. I really wanted to though.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.743617

7 grocers who open during the Sabbath has been brought to court by the ultra-orthodox jews in Jerusalem for breaking the Sabbath Law. Majority of the citizens are angered ... because it's another knife plunged into the hear5t of Jerusalem's inhabitants. Their lives are now controlled by a minority ultra-orthodox jews who decided what they can and cannot do.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.743074

There's finally news of this ultra-orthodox and ultra-fanatic group of jewish youths who physically attack arabs. It happens every week ... and every time charges are cancelled because "there is not enough evidence" according to the Courts. This si dreadful when the attacks lead to hospitalization. It's more than harassment, it's terrorism. If it were perpetrated by arabs, they'd be arrested or shot as terrorists.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4857318,00.html

Yet in the face of all these, yesterday carried the Vatican news: the Pope asked everyone not to judge but to forgive. Very very tough challenge.  http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-tells-us-not-to-judge-not-to-condemn-but-to-f

My subluxed shoulder came out again last night when I slept on my right side, putting weight on the right shoulder. The pain was terrible but I was quick enough to jerk it back into the socket. Carrying a backpack also causes the joint to fall out. I'll have to change to a sling bag instead. That's life.

Spikes of Squill

Meantime the wild Squills are flowering profusely on Ketev Hinnom, the hill facing the Hinnom Valley. It's an amazing sight .... thousands of long spikes  covered in small white flowers look like spears stuck into the ground. That's a sure sign of autumn. Forecasts says it might rain tomorrow ... that means the autumn crocus will also bloom. It will be an amazing sight.

Christian mooncake

Christian mooncake

Right now we're receiving news that there is an attack at the Israeli Embassy in Turkey. This is terrible. And this morning, there was a 13 yr old arab girl, somewhere in the north, who rushed at soldiers at a checkpoint, expecting to be shot. She didn't carry any weapons. Soldiers shot her in the leg. She said she wanted to die. Now why are such young children , in this past 6 months, committing suicide? This is not the first case. Many "terrorist" attacks are actually suicide attempts. Either their life situation is really so bad, or they have been brainwashed. This is a terrible tragedy when young children see no hope in life and go let themselves be killed.

The new Apostolic Administrator had just given his first Press Conference which was broadcast live. In an hour he will make his solemn entry into the Old City of Jerusalem. We're expecting a big crowd. All our library workers are going. I have to stay back and watch the fort ... and I have 2 appointments in the meantime.

My partially subluxed shoulder has been hurting so bad it has made sleeping almost impossible. Yesterday evening I went to the doctor who gave me a jab (not sure if it's for pain relief or anti-inflammatory) which still hurts today. And with some manipulation, he got the joint back into the socket. The pain is much less now and I can lift my arm up. But as he warned, it will slip out again if I carry heavy boxes.  What a dilemma. Anyway I think it could have been the subluxation and inflammation that caused the fevers each night. And also the constant headaches for the past week.  I think I might get an x-ray of the shoulder to see how much damage there is.

Billy (from Mian restaurant)  brought some friends over to visit, and one gave me a very unique mooncake ... with a christian message. Nice.

Everytime I receive news of the bombings and war in Syria ... and the thousands of innocent people especially children who suffer, I cannot but be aghast at how other people would still think that their problems are the greatest in the world. Money, fame, pride ... people whining over these when here we are so thankful if only there is a safe shelter tonight, and a piece of bread for a meal ... that no bomb will drop nearby today, no fanatic may cut my throat at the next road junction.  A dislocated shoulder, pain, fever, fainting spells ... what are these compared to the little child hiding under the staircase for fear of another bomb, not having eaten in 3 days?  The message on the mooncake is the only think that gives reason to continue living.

http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/middle-east/the-arab-world/syria-dozens-killed-after-ceasefire-ended-23729

Night marathon

Jaffa Street junction closed off
for the marathon

After 2 policemen were stabbed yesterday morning at Herod's Gate, the police force took ruthless action: collection punishment on East Jerusalemites. Shops were told to close, those who resisted were arbitrarily fined for this or that reason, others threatened that their licenses will not be renewed. The main road in East Jerusalem was also closed off so traffic had to make a long detour. It was revenge on a huge and unprecedented scale (using the words of newspapers).  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.742979  and  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/in-light-of-jerusalem-terror-attack-main-street-in-east-jerusalem-shut-down-23721

There was another stabbing attempt at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron this morning. Well the thing is Border Police and other forces should be on the watch for these attacks. Anyone who saw the video on the Damascus Gate attack clearly saw the police busy on their cellphones ... so oblivious that the attacker came to less than a meter from them, brandishing 2 knives and they still remained oblivious. I will say one thing: the cellphone is the major cause of security lapses. If the military powers don't take serious action on this, then more casualties  will occur.  Watch the video again carefully  http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-shows-jordan-proof-its-national-carried-out-attack/

Traffic closed in front of St. Louis
Hospital

Last night west Jerusalem was also closed ... but for different reasons. It was the night marathon. Police presence was heavy. I guess thousands must have participated. I didn't go to see. It started at 7.30pm but roads were closed an hour before that. I had to pass the Jaffa Street junction to do an errand but realizing that it would close soon, I hurried back as soon as I could in 10 minutes. Otherwise I would not have been able to cross the road to get back home. It would mean waiting in the street till 9pm. And it gets too chilly by then.

More terrorist attacks

Sr. Zhang holding the relic
of St. Teresa of Calcutta
with 2 MC sisters

This morning as early as 7.am a terrorist stabbed 2 policemen at Herod's Gate which is about 100 meters behind my house. It was serious. The whole Muslim and Christian Quarter were shut down ... not just for edit (to prevent any perpetrator hiding in the Old City to escape) but also for entry. This is the first time I've seen a block on exit and entry. Word is the assailant is from the Old City hence might have helpers or family still inside who might escape. It turns out he is from Ras al Amud which is 1km south of the Old City. A few hours later 2 assailants attacked jews at Hebron near the Cave of the Patriarchs (tombs of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives). The Israeli community needn't wonder if this is the start of a new season of terrorism .... it is.

My fainting spells are still going on, extreme fatigue and weakness. I hardly have the strength to walk up to work. I should go see Dr. John but either there's no time or just the thought of walking uphill 1km just tires me out. I still think it's caused by diabetes because the insatiable thirst I have all day and night seem to be indicative.

Sr. Zhang and the relic

Weatherwise autumn has certainly crept in. Nights are chilly and jackets are always worn or kept closeby whenever the temp. drops.We're all hoping that it will rain heavily this year because the drought last year was very bad and water levels in the Sea of Galilee has gone below the crisis red mark. That means water bills will rise. The Drought Tax will be even higher.

Sr. M. Teresa Zhang, the superior of the chinese convent has begun her studies at the Salesian University's faculty of theology here in Jerusalem. She is very hardworking and studies all the time. Last Sunday she was very happy because the Missionaries of Charity allowed her to carry the relic of St. Teresa of Calcutta after the Thanksgiving Mass.

Mass for St. Teresa of Calcutta

Relic of St. Teresa

This morning, Sunday 18th, the diocese of Jerusalem celebrated a solemn Mass to honor St. Teresa of Calcutta. Lots of people were in attendance, including religious nuns from all congregations in the HolyLand.  The Auxiliary bishop of Jerusalem presided at the Mass because the Apostolic Administrator was not available.

At the Offertory the sisters of M. Teresa brought up a copy of their Rule, a missionary Cross and some other items to represent their consecration.Well it was a long Mass lasting over an hour. I didn't go because I had the Armenian Mass at 9am and it was a big rush to get from the Armenian Church to St. Savior's 1 km up the hill.

Packed church for the Mass. 

Besides I am totally exhausted from the work of the past week. Feeling more faint than before. And the fatigue is overwhelming. Billy at Mian restaurant and his wife rushed out to hold me as I walked passed their restaurant. My legs were wobbly from fatigue and I was quite disoriented. I had just come back from the supermarket and was carrying some heavy foodstuff in my backpack. Well yesterday night I felt the same weakness and disorientation but managed to walk 1 km home without incident.  

Offertory gifts

It's becoming quite an ordeal again to walk home since the stabbing attacks 2 days ago. Since then 4 other terrorist attacks have taken place. The latest was this morning near Hebron. There is a security video showing clearly the entire situation. Dreadful. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4855750,00.html   OOppps news just in, another attack a while ago. Stabbing in Efrat

Anyway as I said yesterday, Israel is getting ready for more attacks as the jewish holidays near. Let's pray that St. Teresa can intercede and we can have peace the next month.

Terrorists strike again

Baptism at St. Savior parish Church

After 6 months of calm and relative peace, violence has broken out again. At 1pm a jordanian citizen was shot dead by soldiers at Damascus Gate after he allegedly attacked them with a knife. 40 mins later in Hebron a car rammed into Israeli soldiers but the driver and accomplice were shot. Then later further in the north stone-throwing arabs send a car spinning off the road. And 2 hours later again in Hebron another attack occurred. Today yet again another knife attack wounded a soldier. I'm not sure which part of the country ... I think it's near Hebron also.

What a dreadful day. But it was more or less what we expected as the muslim feast ended and the jewish feasts will commence soon. This is the usual time of year for violence.

At the baptismal font

Healthwise, the external tensions seem to be affecting me. For 4 days now I have been having fainting spells, nausea and headaches. I would like to think I'm dehydrated but I'm not so sure. For 2 nights my hands and feet were swollen and tingling of pins and needles. In fact they itched. And the throat is constantly very dry. And there was fever several times as well. I think maybe my sugar level is too high.  And in truth, I've been sleepy too little lately ... brains just messed up with so many problems.

This afternoon Francesca a chinese exchange student at the university was baptized a Catholic. She had been faithfully going to Mass everyday and receiving catechism for many months. At her baptism and confirmation rites, there were franciscan friars, dominicans, Legionary of Christ, Jesuit, and several local catholics who go to Mass with her. It was a very nice experience for everyone. Everything went smoothly. Thank God.

Stromata

The former PM Shimon Perez was rushed to hospital last night making headline news. However no one got it right. One said Perez suffered a mild stroke. Another said it was a massive stroke. Another said he was hanging on to life. Then another said he was placed in an induced coma. Another said he was responsive and could clasped the hands. ????? I think the journalists should sit down and cross-check each other before publishing this mess.

Shops are closed
in the Old City

Well over 100,000 muslims from the Territories have been wandering around the City these few days. You can't miss them. They're dressed to kill ... jackets, ties, stiletto heels, dancing gowns ... you name, they wear it ... in 38 degree weather, 2pm and downtown Ben Yehuda. But it's their feast so no one is laughing. They must return to the Territories by 8pm each day. A huge majority go to the Mediterranean Sea to swim. Some live only a km away from the sea but have never seen it because of the separation wall and lack of israeli permission to enter Israel. Palestine (except for Gaza) is landlocked and the only way to reach the sea is through Israel. http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-throng-tel-aviv-beaches-during-festival/

In the Old City however, 90% of muslim shops are closed for the 3 day holiday. It makes the streets in the Muslim Quarter eerily quiet. But that's a nice change. Once this muslim feast is over, the jewish ones will begin: Rosh HaShana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Tabernacles (Sukkoth) which will all last 3 weeks or more. That's usually the time when jewish-muslim clashes become violent. Let's hope this year is an exception.

I was happy a Singapore newspaper published an article on IBD (or IBS as we call it here in Israel): inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome. Whatever you call it, it is a dreadful illness of unknown cause that destroys normal life. I know because I suffer from it. The fear of having to spend many hours traveling or outdoors can be a major crisis because sudden attacks of stomach cramps and severe diarrhea and fever can require emergency medical attention.

2nd day of Eid al Adha

A very tense moment right now in northern Israel. Yesterday syrian rebel fighters have reached the northern border of the Golan Heights and missiles have been shot into Israel (by mistake?). Israel has responded back by firing missiles and last night even sent planes into Syrian airspace. Now rebel syrians say they shot down an Israeli plane but the Israeli airforce denies it. We'll have to see what draws out in the next few days. All I can say is that the syrians are stupid if they think they can fight the Israeli army.   http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Report-Syrian-army-claims-it-shot-down-Israeli-warplane-drone-467600

Meantime the ultra-orthodox jews and the rest of judaism are still fighting it out. It's not just the railway repair but and even longer-standing problem of the Wailing Wall. The ultra-orthodox do not want other types of jews to pray there in ways not stipulated by the ultra-orthodox. The govt passed a law to create a separate space for the rest of judaism to pray without being harassed by the ultra-orthodox, but till now has done nothing. That is the game the govt is playing ... keeping both sides happy while staying in power: promising one group to this and that, while in the end not doing anything to please the opposing group. This has been going on for decades and Israeli society is torn apart precisely by this. Any implosion is the direct result of the govt's double-standard game. It will have much to answer. The Supreme Court has blasted this case regarding the Wailing Wall.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.741603 

Archbishop Pizzaballa wearing
double pectoral crosses: one latin and
one greek

There is even a video online showing hundreds of ultra-orthodox jews lynching a car driven during the Sabbath. It was horrifying. The police could only do so much to protect the driver. Dreadful that ultra-orthodox judaism is so intolerant and inflexible ... even resorting to violence to protect it's interpretation. It is no different from the muslim fanatics.

It's the 2nd day of Eid al Adha. Last night the noise in the mosque and streets was unbearable. I kept waking up several times because of the all night celebrations.

On a happy note, our new Archbishop truly showed his popularity when during his consecration, the Israeli govt sent the ambassador to attend the Mass, as also the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. In a rare move, against centuries of rivalry and hostility, the Patriarch sent a bishop not only to attend the Mass but give a silver pectoral cross to the new Archbishop.  And uniquely the Archbishop wore both the latin and greek crosses for the rest of the Mass. He has made peace between the Latin patriarchate with the Israeli govt and the Greek Orthodox Church. A very great achievement eve before he starts his mandate.

Eid al Adha

Damascus Gate on the 1st night of
Eid al Adha

Last night Eid al Adha began. In SE Asia you know it was Hari Raya Haji.  It's the muslim feast commemorating Abraham trying to sacrifice Ishmael (Isaac for jews and christians) on the Temple Mount .... on the rock that is under the Golden Dome mosque. Sheep were herded into the Old City through Damascus Gate at sunset and led to the mosque compound where they were slaughtered and cooked. Muslim rule requires that the family only eats one third of the sheep. Another third should be shared with neighbors and the last third be given to the poor.

Israel has given permission for 100,000 palestinians from the Palestinian Territories to enter Israel of the 3 day feast. Let's hope there will be no violence. Last night huge crowds stayed up in the Al Aqsa Mosque (next to the Golden Dome of the Rock mosque which is the center of this feast) to pray till about 8am. Very noisy streets. I couldn't get to sleep.  This will last for another 2 nights.

In this tense atmosphere, someone is trying to sow discord between jews and christians. A synagogue south of Jerusalem was sprayed with crosses. Never before have christians committed  vandalism. This is surely an act by jewish or muslim fanatics trying to get the jews against christians. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.741592

And another disturbing news ... though it does not surprise us ... the case against 10 jews who attacked a Druze youth because he spoke arabic has been thrown out of the Court for "lack of evidence".  That is always the case with jewish perpetrators of hate-crimes. They never get prosecuted. But if you were a non-jew, it's instant justice: jail time, house is demolished, etc...  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4853580,00.html

And sadly there was a major disaster in Tel Aviv last week when an old multistory parking lot collapsed, killing 6 workers. It took 3 days to recover the last 2 bodies. However yesterday a leading rabbi hailed the disaster as God's punishment for trying to work on the Sabbath .... referring to the ongoing railway scandal. That was very insensitive ... but if you're a leading ultra-orthodox rabbi, no one will condemn you.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4853298,00.html

Archbishop Pizzaballa, former Franciscan Custos becomes Apostolic Administrator of the Holy Land

Archbishop Piazzaballa

We have an Archbishop! Though the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem remains sede vacante (without a patriarch), the Pope has appointed an Apostolic Administrator to oversee the diocese. He is our former Custos fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa. He was consecrated Archbishop yesterday in his hometown in Bergamo, Italy and this morning celebrated his first episcopal Mass.

The new Archbishop yesterday

Pierbattista was studying 2 years ahead of me in 1992. We know each other well and are very good friends. He had helped me a lot when he was Custos for the past 12 years. Now that he's Apostolic Administrator for the Patriarchate (diocesan), he won't have much time or contact with the friars anymore. His priority is the secular clergy and diocesan matters. He will come back to Jerusalem soon and take official jurisdiction of the diocese.

This morning I survived my 1st partially sung Mass in Armenian on my own without an organist and choir leader. It took a week's training the sisters to sing in armenian, then this morning to gather a small choir of local parishioners to help out in the singing as well. They were very obliging. Even the Missionaries of Africa seminarians came ... about 6 of them. And they helped out a bit in the liturgy. That made my job a lot easier. My greatest fear was having to lead the singing with hymnal in one hand, incensing the altar with the other hand, while going up and down the 6 steps of the altar. Dreadful fear of falling over. Next week Nubar the Armenian Acolyte will come and help. That's a relief. He's not catholic but Armenian Apostolic (read "orthodox").  But there is great collaboration between the 2 churches especially liturgy wise. The Armenian Catholic community is too small and insufficient to maintain a full liturgical service without the backup of the Apostolics.

The railway saga continues: roads will be close for another 8 days, so that repair and other works can take place. This is cause major traffic jams and many people especially soldiers and medical staff will have difficulties in going to work and back home. Rising discontent by citizens over the ultra-orthodox power to dictate national issues such as this railway project will further divide the country. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4853121,00.html

However calls and support for public transport to be available 7 days a week has hit another stumbling stone. Supporters wanted to buy advertisement space on buses calling for this, but bus companies are rejecting these adverts because they are afraid the ultra-orthodox jews might react against them. See the power of the ultra-orthodox? They are a minority in Israel but they command the life of the country.   http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4852751,00.html

Monti Fest

Statue of the baby Mary in procession

Today the catholic Indian community celebrates Monti Fest ... which is the birthday of the BV Mary. I think it's called Monti because the tradition started in the carmelite church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (mount = monti). It's also the feast of the wheat harvest so sheaves of wheat are carried together with the statue of the baby Mary in procession. For the first time in Jerusalem this procession took place from Palm Plaza in Damascus Gate to the parish of St. Saviour through New Gate. It was quite crowded. Indian priests from the franciscans, dominicans, salesians and capuchins all joined in the procession and Mass.

Crowds in procession to
New Gate

Later this evening at 4pm there will be another procession and Mass at Jaffa. I will have to go and help with communion because the crowds can reach up to 3000. And tomorrow I have the Armenian Mass at the 3rd Station. Since the transfer of Sr. Cecilia  our liturgist and cantor, and the death of Mr. Vake our organist, I am left alone. This whole week I've been practicing with the sisters to sing several parts of the Mass in armenian. Tough going but we will give it a try tomorrow. I can't do all the singing as I have to handle the incense and going up and down the stairs of the altar can be dangerous.

Singapore ahs won another goal medal ... this time by parolympian swimmer Yip Pin Xiu. Great job. But she isn't getting the same privileges as Schooling in terms of cash awards etc... Not fair.

No news so far about the clash between ultra-orthodox jews and secular jews. Tel Avivians are still tenaciously against the ultra-orthodox from imposing their traditions and values on the rest of Israel. And a warning from the govt that there might be ISIS attacks at the Egyptian-Israeli border in the next 6 months ... meaning the resort cities of Eilat and Sharm al Sheik.  http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/ISIS-Threat/Report-ISIS-attack-expected-on-Egypt-Israeli-border-in-the-next-six-months-467352

1st day of school

I had the first meeting with the 1st Year students of Ratisbonne: that's the usual name we use for the

Yesterday I had to drill holes, put in
pins and shelves, and relocate some
500 books by myself

Salesian Theological Faculty. It was Induction Day .... or orientation day for the 12 students who have only arrived a couple of weeks ago. Everything is new to them. I was asked to give the Orientation Talk like I did last year.  The students come from Africa, USA, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Sr. M. Theresa from China. She's the superior of the Chinese Convent. Let's see how they'll do during the rest of the year.

The horrors of the last 2 days' attack in Aleppo has shocked us .... don't know if you saw the photos.  It should not  happen ... not ever. But no one is making any hue and cry over it ... because it is not Paris or Brussels or London.
 http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/09/what-is-aleppo-this-is-aleppo/499163/?utm_source=atltw

And the railway repair scandal continues to grow after the ultra-orthodox jews managed to stop the project on the Sabbath Day. Shopkeepers in Tel Aviv now fear the ultra-orthodox would next force them to close down during the Sabbath. So they are fighting back.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.740678

And other groups who want the Sabbath to have public services opened have now organized a provocative party at 10am on the Sabbath Day in the ultra-orthodox town of Bnei Brak. What a clash it will be!!! Right now 3000 have already committed themselves to go and another 5000 are interested to join.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.740991

Last night's dinner

And the Abu Ghosh restaurant scandal also continues to hold the headlines .... even on BBC news. The restaurant owner, who is a millionaire arab who won the lottery in USA, has the cheek to say he should have charged the Chinese guests more. The bill was well over US$4000 for a normal dinner in a private room. Now the Tourism Industry has driving into damage control ... fearing a chinese backlash. The chinese market is huge and its the single tour sector that is holding up the industry while tourists from all other countries have almost stopped coming. http://www.timesofisrael.com/abu-ghosh-hummus-joint-slammed-for-billing-chinese-tourists-nis-16500/

Lucky for me I don't go to these places. Last night the sisters of St. Teresa of Calcutta (actually its a lot easier to say Mother Teresa) cooked a lovely simple meal: rice with pumpkin curry and salmon. No fears of a US$4000 bill ... And Annie, the wife of Billy who owns Mian restaurant, boiled papaya soup as well for me. I'm very lucky. God is good ... He provides.

Mary's birthday

The Crypt where Mary was born

I am utterly exhausted. The carpenter ran away with the money and I was left with dozens of shelves undone, books left all over the place. The library was unusable as it was in disarray.  I had to close it down today in fact. Tomorrow I must reopen it because students need to do their research ... but without the shelves, books cannot be located as they laid everywhere on the tables and floor. All I needed were metal or wooden pegs to hold the shelves but couldn't find them on sale in the Old City. So I had to send someone out to the New City to search. He managed to find 80 of them and I had to start putting up 25 shelves on my own ... sifting through the books are putting them in order. It was a 6 hour job.

Finished at 4pm and rushed off to Mother Teresa's convent to celebrate Mass for the sisters as well as hear confession.  I was exhausted by then and I think I fell asleep somewhere in between. The sisters were good. They always make lemonade for me when I come. Tonight for the Feast of Mary's birth, they cooked rice and some food so I could celebrate with some warm food.

The Crusader church above the Crypt

And yes it's Mary's birthday today. The Christian Orthodox churches celebrated it last night. And while for most of you, it's a trip to your church for Mass, over here we go to the actual places where it happened. In this case, just 30 meters down my road at St. Anne's Church or Sheep's Pool if you read John's Gospel. The solemn Mass in french at 9am was very crowded I think. I couldn't go as I was working in the library. There's an interesting story about this place. The ancient remains of Sheep's Pool still exist and can be seen by tourists. The Crusaders built on the side a church that still stands today, one of the rare churches not destroyed by the muslims during their 1000 year rule in Jerusalem. It was used as a muslim school and a stable. During those different years under muslim oppression, the friars would secretly sneak into the Crypt through a small window each year to celebrate the birth of Mary. And so today when the church is reused again for sacred liturgies, the franciscans continue to come and lead the celebrations as they had done for the past 800 years, risking their lives.

Mooncakes

So I finally found out why all the clashes the other night ... Israel had returned a dead terrorist's body back to his family for burial on condition that it was private and held at midnight. This is the normal procedure when terrorists' bodies are returned to their families. OK question ... why is Israel holding terrorists' bodies? Sounds weird to say it but it's like a punishment and hostage to ensure others don't commit the same crime, and not to make the terrorist a hero with a public funeral. So in our case, word got out that the body would be returned that night and buried in the cemetery outside Herod's Gate. So crowds of arabs tried to get to the cemetery but there was the danger of riots therefore the soldiers stepped in and closed off the roads. Hence the clashes.

Mooncakes and a piglet

But mooncakes have taken my attention away from these troublesome thoughts. A group came bringing lots of mooncakes and one piglet-in-a-basket.  I shared them with my workers in the library and the various sisters that work in the offices around the library. They look forward to this every year as mooncakes are a novelty. Usually the Mid-Autumn festival falls on the same date as the jewish Festival of Booths/Tabernacles called "Sukkoth" but this year it's not. The jewish lunar calendar has added a month so Sukkoth this year is one month after our Mid-Autumn Festival.

And now ... the railway repair scandal that is still rocking the country: now the Supreme Court has added its voice to it. It declared that work on the Sabbath was valid and the PM had no authority to ban this work on the Sabbath. This is a head-on clash with the ultra-orthodox rabbis ... and we know who's going to loose.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4851236,00.html  and  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/supreme-court-railroad-construction-on-weekends-is-legal-23447

And interesting story just emerged from the newspapers.  In 1848 on this day Sept. 6th a chief rabbi and his family were poisoned by ultra-orthodox jews because he was too radical: he called for a ban on ultra-orthodox dress .... read "burqa" today or "burkini". Nothing stops the ultra-orthodox from preserving their interpretation of Judaism ... not even murdering others. Sounds almost like Islamic fundamentalism .... http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/this-day-in-jewish-history/1.740367

On Saturday the muslims will begin to celebrate Eid AL Adha ... the Feast of the Sacrifice (of Ishmael) and the Israeli govt. is going to allow 100,000 muslims from Palestine to enter Israel and into the Al Aqsa Mosque for the feast. I don't even want to think of the trouble in our streets as it's the main thoroughfare for entrance into the Mosque compound.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-to-ease-limits-on-palestinian-travel-for-holiday/

 I think I'll just stick to mooncakes and chinese tea and leave the whirlpool of problems outside my door. It's not worth it.

Chinese tourists ripped off US$4,300 dinner

Arab youths and Israeli soldiers
confront each other

Yesterday early evening saw some clashes around our house. And I was caught in the middle of it.  I had just finished work and was going home through Herod's Gaye. Immediately turning left into the City through the Gate there was a huge crowd of some 30-40 arabs arguing with several Israeli soldiers. It was very tense and the soldiers arrested some youths and brought them our of the City Gate to the police station which is directly outside. The crowds followed along. I continued down the street till halfway (near Bustami Street) and again there was an altercation between soldiers and arab youths. The soldiers closed the road to the arabs - they cannot go up to Herod's Gate. As I was going down the opposite direction, the soldiers allowed me to pass through.

Ambulance and
soldiers at Via
Dolorosa

Reaching the end of the street that opens into Via Dolorosa, again another group of soldiers were quarrelling with local arabs. However I did not know why there were all these confrontations. I reached home, went up to my room and from the terrace I noticed there were more soldiers stationed along Via Dolorosa: at Ecce Homo arch and down at the Armenian parking lot. An ambulance had just entered the street going toward Austrian Hospice. Via Dolorosa was otherwise totally empty... no one else walking along the street. Soon after 2 stun grenades were fired somewhere behind our house.

After that, everything was quiet. I guess it ended.

This morning the newspapers were splashing with the headlines that 8 chinese tourists were ripped off by over US$4,000 over a dinner at the village of Abu Ghosh. Shocking! Travel industry people are calling for the restauranteurs be prosecuted and some form of control be used to check tourists service providers. Well my evaluation is this:
1) Never travel alone in Israel as you will inevitably be ripped off.
2) Use a reputable travel agency that is responsible and experienced.
3) Never buy or agree to anything until the price has been decided
4) Always have the phone number of the tourist police at hand
5) Never expect things here to be the same as back home. Cultures are different.
http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/1.740414

Another day

Remains of Tancred's Tower
below the modern City wall

Yesterday was another early day ... had to be at New Gate at 4am to welcome and accompany Matthias back to Jerusalem. It was an hour's delay I guess with the plane because I waited for an hour and he did't arrive.  But I had the great opportunity to see Jerusalem from a different time perspective .... 4am. The roads were quite, the light rail had not yet started working, and very few people in the streets.  The air was fresh and there was no tension. No police. A couple of young arabs going to work probably at restaurants or hotels ... and a few jews going to the Wailing Wall.

The moat which is a park now

Outside of New Gate the remains of Tancred's Tower (Crusader period) looked awesome in floodlights. The lower course of stones marked the huge fortress tower built by the Crusader king Tancred to protect the north-west corner of the Old City. The moat in front of it, now a park, was also beautiful in the night light. Everything looked so calm and tranquil.

And then reality comes with daybreak: the railway scandal that is rocking the country takes a turn for the worse: the ultra-orthodox jews had forced the government to stop railway repairs on the Sabbath .... leading to the closure of the entire rail system. Soldiers could not go home or go to work. It was a red alert moment as far as I think. Soldiers unable to report to bases. Any attack from external or internal forces would have been a walkover. The Defense Ministry had to run buses to transport the soldiers!!  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/shabbat-crisis-defense-ministry-to-operate-buses-for-soldiers-only-23386

The ultra-orthodox strangle hold over the govt. is now absolutely clear when they are capable of paralyzing the entire country's public transport system; which neither the govt. nor the Defense nor Religious ministries could stop. The funny thing is in China, in order to remove a bridge as quickly as possible, 100 excavators were used to tear the bridge down. In 52 hours the bridge was removed and the streets were opened to traffic again. Israel originally planned to do that but  religion got in the way. http://www.timesofisrael.com/downbound-train/  Well the ultra-orthodox won this round in its fight against the military.