Inauguration Day

2 ultra-orthodox
jews walking home
from the Wailing Wall

It's the first day of Sukkoth and the City is dead quiet. While shops, offices and transport have all stopped and some roads closed, thousands of jews are coming to and from the Wailing Wall for prayers. Men carry the 4 species which they use to shake when they pray during Sukkoth. They are the palm frond, the citrus, the myrtle and the willow. They all symbolise something but if you ask any jew, they'll give you different interpretations. Well today all work is forbidden, which includes taking photos so I couldn't snap a shot at them. Will try tomorrow. The next few days will be back to normal, meaning work is allowed. But it also will see even more jews taking the train and buses to come to the Wailing Wall ... hence it will be a lot more crowded.

And needless to say, security is super tight. Police are every corner in and out of the City. It can get very tense. There was a TV reporter interviewing an orthodox jew at Damascus Gate and an arab was cursing at them. The cameraman filmed him as well.

The borders with Palestine have been closed and it's making life difficult for the palestinians who come to Israel to work. 11 days without work is a big loss financially.  https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.815637

Inauguration Mass

For us it's the Inauguration Day of the new academic year. Our university and the Salesian University jointly officiate this event. There were over a hundred and twenty students, not counting the professors, staff and others. And the deans of both institutes are newly elected. There was a lot of introductions and presentations. After the Mass there was the usual refreshments where greetings were exchanged and small talk engaged. I had several things to do in the meantime, like having a brief meeting with the Salesian dean regarding my courses. Then there was meeting up with my past and present students ... many asking to take photos with me as they have not seen me for some time.

Then I had a meeting with a student and then it was off to do a couple of chores before rushing back home for the lunch to celebrate the opening of the school year. This evening I have adoration and confessions till 7pm. Thursdays are pretty tight for me ... I hope I get to sleep early. The police have placed a very very bright search light directed at our house. No one can sleep with the light shining through our windows.