Full moon

Full moon on cloudy skies

The biggest ordination this year is taking place now in Nazareth. 12 deacons and 2 priests for the Franciscan friars of the Holy Land. Practically all the friars in Judah have gone up north to nazareth for the event ... I am an exception. I won't be able tot make th 2 hour journey there and another 2 hrs back plus hours of liturgy and niceties ... my BDS won't let me.

Instead I have been busy with the university library. Our summer projects have started ... which includes stock checking, binding and translocation of entire sections of books ... 5 floors in 3 buildings. Not an easy task but with the absence of students, the job is easier than otherwise.

The past 2 nights have been chilly ... down to 15 degrees. That's because the rain storm in Greece that has caused flooding, has now arrived. Dark clouds with cold humid winds blow during the night. You need to wear a jacket to stay warm. During the day, the sun is up and very hot but the cold wind continues to blow. It's very strange and many people are sick because of this hot-cold fluctuation. Indoors at night is very hot but outdoors it's very cold. The stones of the house trap the heat of the day and release it during the night. The moon is full again. Last night it shone directly through my window. I couldn't sleep and at midnight I went down to the refectory to get a cold drink as I was parched from the heat. The superior also was down there as he too was suffering from the heat.

Light Festival musicians at the
Muslim Quarter

The news is reporting the massive bombing in Syria and thousands of refugees gathering at Israel's and Jordan's borders trying to find safety. I can understand the fears both both govt. if they do open the borders ... but to close the borders and watch them die would be a sin. It's a terrible decision to make ... either way.  

In another dilemma, we've noticed a huge influx of turkish muslim groups into the Old City. Their financial and political influence is growing ... as can be seen by a flourishing of Turkish cafes and restaurants in East Jerusalem, the appearance of the Turkish flag in many builders as well. Now local arabs as well as Jordan and Saudi Arabia are becoming alarmed and are asking Israel to curb this growing influence. Should Turkey slowly stake a claim over the Al Aqsa Mosque, a major crisis will erupt in the region.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-turkish-influence-grows-in-east-jerusalem-arabs-said-to-urge-israel-to-act/

And on the jewish side of our country, another type of crisis erupted ... the implosion I always talk about. A winery in the north had dismissed ethiopic jews from working there because they might not be jewish enough and hence affect the kosher (ritual cleanliness) of the wines. General uproar cried discrimination, 2nd class jews etc ... while the ultra-orthodox jews who control the power to declare anything kosher are gloating at their monopoly to interpret and impose the law.

Quiet Friday

Guy with crutch
overtook me

I've never felt so old as this morning when I was walking uphill 1km to work. A guy on crutches overtook me. Then 2 old ladies (80+) overtook me. And I was huffing and puffing ... stopping twice to catch my breath on my way up. I rarely have asthma attacks now after the witch in medicine ... but my heart is as strong ... and neither my legs.

It's Friday .... but somehow I keep thinking it's Saturday. Got all my appointments and schedules wrong. I guess it's not just my body breaking down .... the brains are too.

Anyway being Friday the muslim crowds flowed into the Old City from all around the country. There was no tension or scuffles despite the slightly higher presence of police. Tourist groups have dropped ... perhaps because of the heat. There were tensions though at the Gaza border. 2 gazans were killed ... one a 13 yr old boy. The silence of arabs in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Nablus ... even Hebron speak very loudly. These usual hotbeds of riots have not reacted. Like we all say ... we're all tired of fighting. Everyone wants only to live a normal life ... no more tragedies, no more violence. This summer might just be the quietest we've had so far. What a surprise. Even our northern borders are quiet ... syrian military pulling away from the Israeli border and Lebanon has been very quiet. Thank God.

Jerusalem Light Festival

However the internal implosion continues as El Al, just a few days backlogged 4 ultra-orthodox men get their way during a flight, now has vowed publicly it will no longer tolerate the ultra-orthodox to highjack flights with their extreme demands and will kick them off the flight. But everyone is criticising El Al that this decision was made only because major companies have threatened to withdraw patronage with discrimination is continued by the airlines. It's more a reaction to monetary losses than a conviction of human rights. Too bad. But money does speak louder than words.  https://www.carbonated.tv/news/israeli-airline-el-al-remove-passengers-refuse-sit-other-passengers?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidcontent-june-28-4

Light Festival

Prince William in his limousine

So Prince William was in the Old City this morning ... and I was just 4 meters away from him. Not that it was pre-planned. I didn't plan to go see him. I was called out to our bookshop at Jaffa Gate because 3 boxes of books arrived and no one knew to whom they belonged. So as usual I was called to check it out. It was then that I noticed all the streets in the Christian Quarter was filled with security personnel. And directly in front of our bookshop was the convoy of William's entourage ... 6 or 7 cars. But the last one was directly in front of our bookshop ... and William, who was on a walkabout there, came to his car ... rather briskly ushered by security guards while tourists were cheering and snapping photos. It was some 7 minutes his car remained in front of our bookshop ... waiting for security clearance, before it left. But during that time, he rolled down the window 3 times and waved to the tourists lined along the street.

Well it was a little excitement to change the dreary hot summer that we're having. Most locals have no interest. It's the tourists who were waiting to snap a photo of him. I had too much work for that stuff.

Damascus Gate lighted up

What I did enjoy though was a short walk last night at the opening of the Jerusalem Light Show. This year it's much bigger than the previous years. It has 4 routes in the 4 Quarters ... yes even El Wad street that runs down the Muslim Quarter had it's light show ... though really minimal but it was made up by several musical bands. Damascus Gate was fabulous.

I had a very long day of work and classes so I was too tired to walk the entire 4 routes. I just went through the Christian and Muslim Quarters. Hope to see the other 2 Quarters in the next few days. My legs were feeling like jelly ... and I knew I was too tired. What I really want for my summer vacation is sleep and sleep.

FB hacker

Summer mood at
Municipality Square

We learn that there was some violent attack along the Via Dolorosa ... near the 5th or 6th Stations. Soldiers were running down Damascus and Lions Gates, and ambulances were flying through our narrow street. All we hear from street talk is that the terrorist was wounded. After that the streets were tense.

I've tried to rest this morning ... with swollen feet and terrible confusion. Still I had to go to work at the other library because I had to finish a report by 12pm. After handing in the document at 12pm, I rushed home ... hoping to rest but was called downstairs because a visitor from Australia came. After that I tried to sleep ... only to realize I had to celebrate Mass at the convent and I was 20 mins late. Rushed there and celebrated the Mass. Came home exhausted and only remembered I had an appointment at the other library 1km away uphill and was half an hour late. Rushed there as fast as I could. Lesson to learn: having a bad memory is bad for your health ... you have to do double the work. I've firmly decided I want to sleep all through the summer. Aestivation is the word.

So Prince William had an afternoon at Tel Aviv beach ... playing football with some jewish and arab kids ... besides visiting Yad Vashem in the morning. Good for him ... as long as our roads and streets are not closed. Tomorrow he goes to Ramallah and then Thursday he'll be the first British royal to visit the tomb of Princess Alice, his great grandmother, who is buried in the Russian Orthodox convent on the Mt. of Olives (behind Gethsemani). Traffic down in the Kidron Valley will be closed. Glad I won't be gong down there anymore.

There was another upset in Tel Aviv yesterday, the segregation of genders at a concert. This follows the demand for gender segregation on an El Al flight from NY by 4 ultra-orthodox men. However this time I felt that the clash was unnecessary nor justified because the concert was open to public and organized by the ultra-orthodox Chabad group. If you wanted to participated, just abide by their demands. If not, then no one is forcing you to go. It's not as urgent as a flight.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-from-tel-aviv-to-el-al-israel-is-backsliding-on-gender-segregation-1.6213222

But the biggest news is my facebook was hacked. Someone had posted all my photos (which I set as private and "only me") in other people's FB pages. Last week someone (probably the same hacker) harvested my friends list (also set as "only me") and whatsapped me as a threat. So for the record if you receive posts from "me" or photos from my FB .... it's NOT from me. It's a hacker at work.

The prince is coming

Preparations for the Light Festival

Prince William of England is on his way to Jerusalem. He should arrive in 2 and a half hours. But for the past week there has been already a lot of noise about this visit because he would be the 1st british royalty to visit the Wailing Wall ... but it's printed in his itinerary as part of East Jerusalem (Palestine). That did not at all go well with the Israelis who consider the whole of Jerusalem as part of Israel. Then this morning the Holocaust museum was said to be upset that the Prince was not paying a visit to it. It's going to be a very interesting visit of the prince ... walking on eggshells. Every act will be judged politically. 

The rest of the City will be blocked ... roads, streets, places. It's not going to be convenient for us. And believe me, many will not be happy mainly for the traffic disturbance rather than the political reasons.

Tensions continue to rise in the northern border as pro-Assad forces capture a UN camp near Israel's border. It's meant to be a demilitarised zone so Israel has warned it will drive out the syrian forces because the accord was broken.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/pro-assad-troops-take-over-golan-un-post-in-demilitarized-area/

And El AL is again under fire by caving into ultra-orthodox men's demand to remove women sitting next to them. When it happened several years ago the Supreme Court ruled it discriminatory and awarded a holocaust survivor damages from ultra-orthodox jewish demands that she be moved from her plane seat. But this time 4 men delayed the flight for over an hour and El Al caved in and moved the women ... against the judgement of the Supreme Court. The ultra-orthodox are all powerful.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5294580,00.html

Well last night I saw more exhibits being put up for the Light Festival due on Thursday. I'm quite excited ... as my summer "holidays" are ordinary workdays ... dotted with concerts and festivals and long walks. It's something I look forward to. 

Feast of John the Baptist

St. Paul's hill with fences

It's a rare Sunday when the Feast of John the Baptist supersedes. Many people went to the birthplace of John the Baptist in Ein Kerem for solemn Mass and prayers. The churches in the Old City were pretty quiet. My Mass at the Armenian Catholic Cathedral was quite empty except for a slovak couple and 2 portuguese couples. Well after the Mass I had to rush down the Kidron valley to Gethsemani to preach and after that rush up 2.5 km to New Gate for a meeting. Stayed there to work till 4pm then rushed down the hill back to Gethsemani to preach the afternoon talk, then rushed up the 2.5 km again to New Gate to hand in several documents. In all, I traversed 12 km up and down a very very steep hill. My heart almost gave way and my feet are swollen. When I go home, the sisters ask me why is everyone else on summer vacation and I am working double instead .....

Anyway for four times a day this whole week I have to pass by St. Paul's Hill. That's the place where St. Paul (Saul before his conversion) stood and watched while Stephen was stoned to death. I have to walk down the Valley and then up to it to get home ... and I rarely want to look up as it gets terribly disheartening in the 32 degree heat. But this morning I noticed the muslims were putting a fence around it. I never knew it belonged to the muslims ... but obviously they do.

Preparing for the
Light Festival

There's been some tensions in the northern border when Syria sent a drone toward Israel, and the Israeli army fired it down. In Gaza in the south, 3 gazans were injured as protests continue and fire-kites sent into Israel. There's no easing of these border tensions. We're just hoping that it doesn't escalate.

Meantime the PM has vowed to push ahead with the bill for compulsory minimum conscription of ultra-orthodox jews to the army. The ultra-orthodox coalition members will surely pull out of the govt. and we'll expect elections. But then again .... the ultra-orthodox will just force the abortion of the bill. After all they are all powerful in this country.

But right now I'm not caring about anything ... I just need to sleep. I am so so so tired.

Another weekend

New diocesan deacon (C)
ordained yesterday

It's Saturday again ... another Sabbat. My final 4 students begin to leave for their homes and for their ordinations as priests. Javier flew back this morning to Puerto Rico, then tomorrow Romero to India and Monday JP and Anil also to India. One generation has completed it's formation course and will be priests. In 3 months, another generation will start its own journey. The cycle continues and we the teachers see the future move ahead ... passing through our hands. This year we had a bumper crop of vocations ... 5 Salesians, 3 diocesans, 14 franciscans, 3 neocatechumenates ... as far as I can remember. On Thursday evening an italian was ordained deacon for the Jerusalem diocese. It's been a long time since a foreigner was ordained for the local Church here. I guess they need new blood. Anyway always every 3 days there's an ordination in Jerusalem. Tomorrow the 14 franciscans will be ordained in Nazareth. The poor Archbishop is exhausted ... though very happy.

Refectory at 3.30am

It's Sabbath and I've spent the last few sabbaths sleeping mostly. Exhaustion has overtaken me and Like today, my eyes are burning and red. I just needed to rest ... and Sabbath is just great. So while I still have to work in the mornings, my afternoon schedule is changed ... mainly to catch up with sleep.  Last night because of the medicines I'm taking for my infection, my throat gets very very dry so I went down to the refectory to drink water. It looked very different at 3.30am ... very quiet and empty with the cold night wind blowing through the curtains. I liked that ... it feels very summer-vacation.

Light festival will start on Thursday 27th ... and the opening of our museum will also open on that day. I won't miss both, that's for sure ... so I'll need to rest a little more in order to conserve energy for both events. Sabbath rest is just right for me.

The Day after

Israeli visitors at my library

So I have mixed feelings about the postponement of my surgery. I wanted it over with as soon as possible, but thanks to the infection and the advise of my regular hospital (the Maria Bambina sisters) not to do operations in summer as they are harder to heal and easier to catch infections, the surgery will be done in autumn. That means I can work throughout the summer without having to take leave. Like I said in an earlier post, July I have to celebrate the daily Mass at the Ivrea convent and in September I have to preach a month long retreat. Anyway I am easily tired and very thirsty due to the medication.

Anyway this morning was one long rush ... starting at 7am I had Mass with my last 4 deacons who will leave for home tomorrow for their priestly ordination. It was a happy sad moment. They had been great students whom I had accompanied for the past 4 years. After that I had to rush up to the other library where I had to host a group of Israeli visitors. Then it was doing some paperwork before rushing down to Gethsemane to preach the retreat. Luckily one of the deacons' visiting parents offered to drive me down the 2 km journey to the valley. I had a 4 kg bag to carry and so I was very grateful for the ride. After preaching, I had to climb up the valley back home ... this time without the car ... carrying the 4 kg bag. This afternoon I have 2 more meetings.

Another dove nest

Koko is dead. The world famous sign language gorilla had to leave this world like everyone else ... no matter how unique and famous you are. The struggle to live has let to doves in our area to build nests in populated busy places ... such as on our pictures hanging on the corridors. Such busy areas means crows do not come and so the doves can safely raise their young without fear of crows coming to eat their nestlings ... despite the noise of passersby.

A famous chronicler of Jerusalem life is Sarah Tuttle-Singer, a young blond who takes fantastic photos and writes very expressively and passionately about the jewish-arabic life in the City. Not everyone loves her though ... her friendship with arabs has raised the ire of rightwing Israelis who see her as an enemy. She recently published a book and some kind person publicised it on his blog ... only to be riled and attacked by right-wingers. It's sad when Israel says it's the only democracy in the Middle East but is intolerant of views that are not rightwing.   http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/sarah-tuttle-singer-israelb-and-her-book-launch-10-points-you-need-to-know/

Singapore is the safest country in the world. That's what the polls say .... which is little consolation when we live here where Gaza just fired dozens of missiles into Israel again.    https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-ranked-safest-destination-in-the-world-for-3rd-10454308?cid=FBcna

Operation denied

Tel Aviv this morning

Yesterday after class at 4pm I rushed to the Digital Imaging Centre in East Jerusalem to collect my CT scan. Apparently it's the only place that does maxilla-facial CT scans as hospitals around do not have this machine. The govt. hospitals that do have them do not admit me because I don't have medical insurance. Luckily the Centre asked for only 200 shekels ... and the staff only spoke arabic ... so I was really lucky. Then it was a another rush down the steep valley of Kidron to get to Gethsemane to give the evening talk.

Sneak peek into the
doctors' room

This morning at 3am I was up to prepare to go to surgery in Tel Aviv. It was already postponed once before. Now with the CT scan, the docs are clearer with situation. I had to leave early at 5am to avoid the monstrous traffic jam to Tel Aviv ... which is good because I can then concelebrate the morning Mass with my community at Jaffa. After breakfast which I didn't eat because of the surgery,  I cleaned the huge aquarium and then left for the specialists centre in Tel Aviv. The 2 docs were happy with the CT scan but because I am suffering from an infection, they refused to do the operation. Now it's postponed to October when I will be totally 100% healthy for an operation. No arguments there.

Meantime the big news locally is that house prices are rising steadily and ghost houses are also increasing. Ghost houses are those bought by overseas jews, mainly from America, who never come to live here but occupy the houses and apartments for maybe 3 weeks a year. They raise up prices so that locals can't afford housing, and they buy up houses so that none is left for locals to stay .... while the houses remain empty 11 months a year.

Time flies

The steep road home

I don't know what happened yesterday ... but it flew past so quickly it's now Wednesday. I had a gruelling day ... early morning work in the library and then off to preach a retreat at Gethsemane down in the Kidron Valley. Though the distance is barely 800 metres, the valley is deep and going down, there is the danger of slipping, and coming back up is especially difficult under the unrelenting sun. Many tourists have suffered heatstroke or heart-attacks along this unforgiving climb. Well I have to do this twice a day (morning and evening) for 8 days till the sister ends her retreat. After the walk back home, I hardly have any energy to walk another kilometre uphill to work.

Well at noon I had gathered my volunteers and workers of the 2 libraries to meet for a simple lunch (arab fried chicken) and get to know each other. It was a good occasion and everyone enjoyed this meeting. After that I had to head back to Gethsemane for another talk and this time, being a little cooler, I walked the extra km to work. Managed to classify some 50 books before going down to Billy's Mian restaurant to pick up soup that they had boiled. They are very nice and every week gives me chinese soup to strengthen my constitution. Linda his wife said my right side of the face is still swollen and I must say it still hurts a little. Yesterday's soup was beef boiled with papaya, chinese almonds and dates and snow fungus. And they gave me white rice as well so I had a very big dinner.

Papaya-beef soup and rice for dinner

Summer holidays have begun and most of our students and profs are in Turkey on a study tour. Our house is half empty. Which is nice and quiet ... except when I needed to move the heavy huge flower pots in the courtyard, and couldn't find anyone to help me. Well you can't have everything.

There're tensions in the south as Gaza fired lots of missiles into Israel and Israel was bombing Gaza in return. The gazans have also been flying fire kites into Israel, burning up several hundred square meters of ram land and nature reserves. We expected clashes in Gaza this summer and we got it now. Let's hope things will not get worse. Syria up in the north has quietened down a lot ... which is a relief for us. We don't want war. Everyone loses when there's a war.

Garfield day

Cold grapes and jambu to cool off
the hot humid summer

I guess that's the best way to describe Monday ... Garfield the fat cat isn't alone in dreading that day of the week. I woke up like clockwork at 3am to prepare for classes but when I tried to connect to the Internet I realised there was no class today. Prior to class I usually have to prepare the laundry, then clean my room, drink a cup of warm water or coffee to prevent an asthma attack, take my medicines, water the plants of there was enough time. Well I did all that and then found out there was no class. Disastrous start for the day.

Then my planned trip to the bank was suddenly called off while I was already halfway there ... some other problem popped up. Instead I decided to go down to the Kidron Valley where I have to preachn 8 day retreat to a religious sister. It's awful to climb the hill back home in the afternoon when the 34 degree sun is beating down relentlessly. One think I look forward to is having a bowl of cold jamb and grapes when I return home. Garfield day was a little softened.

Festival of Lights
advert

Well one thing to look forward to next week is the Festival of Lights. I think like the Festival of Music, I'm sure the circuit will be much smaller than in previous years ... out of financial and security constrains. Too bad. Nevertheless it will be a nice break from the routine and also to pass the hot summer evenings. A walk outdoors is much better than staying indoors in the heat.

There will be more concerts at the Sultan's Pool so I'll be keeping a lookout for them. It'll be free as I now know where are the best spots on the opposite hill to watch the concerts. That's part of my summer vacation plan.

The other plan is go to sleep. And it looks like the latter will overcome the former.

Ordinations

Deacons at the litany of saints

Today 5 of my students were ordained deacons. It was a great day. For 26 years I have never participated i any of my students' ordinations but this time I made an exception. Everyone is calling it my break from my status quo. Anyway it was a big rush as I had the armenian Mass at 9am then ran down the Valley to Gethsemani for the ordination Mass at 10am. Well I had to go because I was asked to vest a deacon. Several of them had no family members as it costs too much to fly into Israel. So I was surrogate ... and was asked to vest one in the diaconal dalmatic. It was something important for these guys who have studied 4 years in Israel, not seeing their families. I thought it was my duty ... and I was happy to make them happy.

Archbishop with new and old deacon

After the Mass I went home for lunch and tried to rest for a while but had to go to the New City to buy food for the 2 birds. The heat and humidity was unbearable. With my arhythmic heart and swollen ankle, I had to stop 3 or 4 times along the way before I reached the petshop 2 kms away. My friends Eran and Haim were there and because the place was air-conditioned, I stayed half an hour there to cool off. Then I slowly walked back 1km to my office at the New Gate. Did some work there but also rested for an hour before I went for dinner with another deacon and his family. They are a very nice family and I knew them from last year when they came for a visit. We had dinner at a seafood restaurant and the food was excellent. At 10pm we said goodbye and I walked 2km home. The weather was stifling hot.

Fun at Damascus Gate

It's the 3rd day of Eid el Fitri and Damascus Gate has been the centre of muslim festivities. Today costed characters danced around, face painting and balloon shaping were also offered. Kids enjoyed themselves and parents were relieved for half an hour from their kids. There were no tensions and people had free movement in and out of the City and Mosque.

Back to normal

Quiet & serene
streets at last

Finally a good night's sleep after all the festivities in the streets that kept us awake the past week. Most of the muslims would have visited their families to exchange greetings yesterday evening and today almost everyone has gone to the beaches and parks to barbecue ... or if they have money, to Turkey and Cyprus and other nearby countries for a week's holiday. Which is good for us because our area will be very very quiet.

Tomorrow 5 of my students will be ordained deacons, then next week another 12 will be ordained icons and 2 priests, and then the week after 2 more will become priests. It'll be a busy 2 weeks for the Archbishop, and the rest of us who will have to participate in the liturgy.

So there was an attempt in Jerusalem to blow up some device and cause injury over the past days. Fortunately the Israeli police stepped in when the bomb accidentally blew up killing the arab perpetrators, before any more major destruction was done.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/israel-police-arrests-8-after-large-explosion-rocks-east-jerusalem-36147

And this failed attack has only fanned more hatred of jews for arabs, who in the latest rift, protested and demonstrated when an apartment in a jewish part of town was rented to an arab family.  Segregation and distrust are key elements in the aran-jewish dynamics.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-hundreds-demonstrate-against-home-sale-to-arab-family-1.6174662

Well, that's as normal as Jerusalem can get.

End of Feast

Damascus Gate in festive mood

It's Eid el Fitri today ... the feasting that ends the month long fast of Ramadan. Crowds ... and I mean tens of thousands literally, thronged the Muslim Quarter and the Al Aqsa Mosque all night till 9am in the morning. We couldn't sleep. My window is barely 4 meters away from the main street where thousands walked passed. Even at 4am youths rode motorcycles up and down the street, blasting their exhaust. At 5.30 the muezzin was leading the chant of Allah Akbar some 50 more more times. Then by 8am prayers were over and everyone wanted to go home. The main streets were packed like sardines. It was frightening. I was unfortunately at M. Teresa's convent for Mass and I could not go home. My only hope was to cross the tsunami of people gong from my right to left by cutting across it and reaching the opposite alley. Easier said than done. A mere 3 meters distance but it took a lot of pushing and elbowing ... and receiving a lot of curses ... to reach it. But once there, it was another world. The street was quiet and empty ... and though it's a longer wy to get home ... it was the only way. So I slowly climbed the steps to the top of the eastern hill and then down the 100 steps of Ecce Homo to get home. Relief.

Empty alleys

Once after 9am the entire Muslim Quarter is deadly quiet. Everyone had gone home to sleep. Shops do not open. A dead city. Well I was also exhausted by 2 nights of lack of sleep. I tried to rest a couple of hours before lunch but calls to work just kept coming. Soon it'll be evening and I have to go to the other library to work and then visit a group on the Mt. of Olives. That means I miss the end of year barbecue of our school. Rats ... work has destroyed my community life.  

Well I hope to at least have a good night's sleep tonight because tomorrow morning I have a retreat to preach at 9am and then class at 10.30am and then confession from 4pm. The sisters told me that I am always giving, never saying no ... and all I get in return is exhaustion, problems, thankless ingratitude, complains ... so I must be chocking up points in heaven. Well actually I prefer a good vacation on earth before I die but that's an impossibility. But the act of little kindness makes life more bearable and consoling ... like Matthew and Karen's pineapple tarts, or your gifts of clothes and shoes and possibilities to eat a full warm meal once in a while. Really appreciate that.

Meantime the israeli implosion continues as the govt. might fall because ultra-orthodox parties are called to resign from govt. if a law is passed that does not exempt ultra-orthodox youths from serving military service. That will be earth-shaking.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5287449,00.html

And the jewish women who have been fighting to pray at the Wailing Wall as equals with men have led to more clashes this morning when the AG with the Wall's rabbi, forbade them.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5287506,00.html

But it's the viral video going around our country that has disturbed us and angered us the most ... the ultimate implosion of Judaism ... when an Israeli bus-driver refused an autistic man to board a bus. The poor guy was crying, sitting on the steps of the bus and clinging to the door handles while passengers argued with the driver but we're not sure what happened after. The video ended. When jews no longer have compassionate for each other ... what hope is there left?

Inaugurations

Daily routine of
cleaning the oil lamps

It's the last day of Ramadan. The streets were getting packed with muslim pilgrims from all over the country ... but notably missing are the hundreds of Indonesian pilgrims. Israel has banned them from entering the country after Indonesia condemned the American embassy move. Overnight the growing sector of the Indonesian tourist market shut down. Both muslim and christian groups cannot enter the country. Nevertheless the tens of thousands of local muslims entering the City are enough to choke the streets and alleys. The canon should fire 9 times but as I'm locked in my library (relatively sound proof) I won't be able to hear it.

Singaporean &
Hong Kong
benefactors thanked

Well I'm in the library at this late hour only by default. I was at the MC sisters for adoration and confession but when I finished at 7pm, the streets were too crowded for me to reach home. So I took the opposite direction and headed too the Christian Quarter and stayed in the library. Billy from Mian restaurant called to say he boiled pear and snow fungus soup, so I went over to drink it. Dinner solved. Now I'll have to see how long I must stay till I can reach home.

Benefactors thanked

The weather has warmed up a little today. No rain but still humid and damp. With the rain gone, it was just right to for our photo exhibition to start this morning. It's about the daily life of the friars in the Holy Land. Very nice pictures. I managed to capture one daily routine at the Holy Sepulcher that most people miss .... the cleaning and refilling of the oil lamps in front of the Empty Tomb. In fact I've only seen it twice in all my time in the Holy Land. The exhibition is in the foyer of our Curia building and I must say it is well structured.

Benefactors thanke

Well another inauguration next week will be one section of our museum. We have a plaque to thank our benefactors and they include several Singaporeans and Hong Kongers. Sincere gratitude to you for helping us preserve the biblical heritage in the Holy Land. We still need help, so please continue to support our Studium Biblical Franciscanum in Jerusalem in making this museum a reality.

St. Anthony feast

St. Anthony with blessed
bread

It's the solemnity of St. Anthony of Padua (or Lisbon depending on where you come from). He's the patron saint of the Custody of the Holy Land ... so instead of a feast, it's a solemnity for us. Yesterday evening was 1st Vespers and almost everyone went to St. Saviour's church - our mother church in Jerusalem - to sing vespers. This morning there was solemn Mass at St. Saviour's again at 10.30am. Several Consul Generals especially the italian and portuguese came for the Mass. There was a magnificent dais with the statue of St. Anthony near the altar, with baskets of bread that were blessed and distributed after Mass.

I didn't join in as I celebrated the community Mass in our house. I realised I left my medicine (which I need to take daily) in the other library next to St. Saviour's so after Mass I had to rush there to get it. While there I spent 2 hours doing a whole lot of other work and at the end, I went home without taking my medicine. When I reached home, I realised it but I didn't have the energy to walk uphill 1km against the tsunami of people entering the City to get to the Mosque. So I went to the nearest pharmacy and bought a new box and took the tablets there and then. Well while running up and down the City with a swollen ankle, I noticed the dove's nest above the picture of the Annunciation had a baby dove in it.

Baby dove 

Afternoon I had class (all our schools are closed for the solemnity but not some countries) and immediately after I had to rush to M. Teresa's convent to meet their provincial and discuss some important matters. News of their sisters escaping Houdeidah in Yemen is horrific, and the bombings in Iraq have affected their sisters there as well.

Anyway the strange summer rain continued this morning. The wind was cold and damp and the sky was very cloudy. Tel Aviv was flooded again and the govt. warned hikers in the desert to abandon their plans as flash floods are expected and they are very dangerous.  https://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=446611

Meantime the implosion continues as jews and arabs go to cool off in the natural springs and pools in the Judean hills. Only this time the ultra-orthodox go there as well in swarms for their ritual bath. They have started chasing way other people and especially women. Now a group of jewish women and secular groups are fighting back and planning to group at these pools and prevent the ultra-orthodox from controlling these public places.   https://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=446707

And Jerusalem's municipality workers will go on strike on the 27th if they demands for pay are not met. That is bad news ... not just the rubbish gathering at street corners, stinking and lots of flies and rats ... but other services will also be affected.  https://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=446705

Rain in summer

Rain clouds over the City

So last night muslims by the thousands prayed in the Al Aqsa Mosque (200m away) till daybreak today. And those who didn't were making a lot of noise in the streets (4m away from my window) till daybreak. It was a sleepless night for us. Constant shouting, chatting, hawkers yelling their wares ... while over the loudspeakers the koran was chanted and prayers recited. At daybreak, everyone went home to seep. The street cleaners came with huge hoses to clean the mess in the streets. Unbelievable mountains of trash at every corner ... stinking of urine as well. All were flushed away by powerful hoses. By 8am there was quiet n the streets at last. Just when it looked perfect for sleep, we had to start work. Horrors.

Students come to
say goodbye

I had to open the university library and organise work for the librarians. Then it was a dash up to the Holy Sepulchre to meet a group that brought some things for me ... thanks for all the food, gift and donations to the poor. Then it was work in the other library till lunch time when I returned to wait for students coming to see me. I have 25 students who will be ordained this weekend and others over the next months - 20 will be priests and 5 deacons. They have come in little groups or individuals to thank me and say goodbye before they return to their country for the ordinations. Today 6 came with ice cream and we had a nice chat while eating the it. An hour later another student came alone and we chatted for another hour. The next few days I will be busy receiving these students as they begin to organise their departures. They're good students ... they will make good priests.

The weather went crazy today. Last night a cold damp wind blew strongly, pulling the temp. down. This morning dark rain clouds cover the sky and by 8am it started raining ... albeit a short while. Tel Aviv instead had heavy showers and caused flooding. Everyone is stumped. We're into summer ... in June ... and it rains. Forecast is for rain again tomorrow. God knows we need it but raining in summer is a shock.

Tomorrow is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of the Custody of the Holy Land. School and libraries will be closed. I hope to wake up late then. My ankle still hurts very much and I'm feeling terribly stressed with so much work before the academic year ends on Friday ... which happens also to be Eid el Fitri, the end of Ramadan. I have to finish reports, annual financial statements and have lots of meetings. Hope to survive this week.

Muslim feast

Our sisters at the Little Wailing Wall

So Sunday came and went. I just didn't know what happened ... I had early Sunday Mass then I went off to catch up with the backlog of work in the other library. Before I knew it, it was 5pm (3 meetings in between) and I was late for an appointment with our sisters whom I promised to bring them for a walk in the Jewish Quarter. Luckily the sisters were waiting. We walked through the Suq (covered market) and visited the Cardo Maximus, the ancient city wall, the Crusader ruins of St. Mary's church, panorama of the Wailing Wall and then the Little Wailing Wall. That's the ancient section of the Wailing Wall where jews for hundreds of years under the Ottomans used to come and pray because the present Wailing Wall was built over by muslim houses. It was a tiring day and I was exhausted by evening. However there was a barbecue organised for dinner at our house and I was asked to join in. Ate several lamb chops and then went off to bed as I had to wake up at 3am for class.

Sunflower in my
garden

This evening the muslim feast of Laylat el Qader begins. It's a movable feast which occurs in one the the last 10 days of Ramadan. Muslims recall the Koran being revealed to Mohammed on that night and they spend the entire night reading the koran in the mosque and praying for forgiveness because this is the only night that God opens the heavens to forgive and your destiny will be written tonight in the heavens. All I know is we won't be able to sleep because the all-night noise from the crowds and prayers over the megaphones of the Al Aqsa will keep us awake till sunrise tomorrow. It happens every year.

The weather has been getting very hot again, around 30 degrees in the afternoons. I need to have my portable aircon on several times a day because my room is one of the hottest in the house. A sunflower has sprung up in one of my flower pots ... it was some seeds from Buddy's food that I threw away and this planet started sprouting and flowering. Beautiful as it loves the sun. Well this heat though is making the drought really bad. The govt. has decided to pump desalinated water into the Sea of Galilee as it has reached beyond the critical mark.   https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Cabinet-approves-transferring-desalinated-water-to-Kinneret-559643

Jewish implosion continues as diaspora jews are unhappy they're being treated as 2nd class while ultra-orhtodox jews control most aspects of jewish life in Israel and around the world, including conversions, marriages and praying at the Wailing Wall.   https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-us-jews-say-israel-is-losing-their-support-by-capitulating-to-haredim-1.6167773

On the arab side, a huge demonstration took place in Ramallah against its leadership. And I guess it's about time ... after 20 years in power, the present leaders have done absolutely nothing for its people but make them poorer and losing all hope. Time for regime change and the people should make it clear.   https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-over-1-500-demonstrate-in-ramallah-against-abbas-sanctions-on-gaza-1.6163387

Immaculate Heart

Agapanthus love the heat

It's the 2nd Saturday of the month. That means I have the 8am Mass in the Empty Tomb. The expatriate community of St. Anthony's parish in Jaffa come for the Mass. Today it was a small group of less than 15 people. Easy to handle. After Mass we had a Bible lesson in my library and then they went off to the Dead Sea for a picnic. I on the other hand, had to accompany a retreatant to a shop to buy souvenirs, then brunch at one of the few restaurants opened on Sabbat and Ramadan ... the restaurants are all christian. Nothing is worse than Saturday in Ramadan ... the jewish and muslim shops are all closed. After the brunch which was an omelette with chips (!!!! local christians have no idea what brunch is), we went to another bookshop before he returned to the retreat house.

Enough of walking for me. My ankle is still swollen and I really want to rest today. The morning was a whopping 30 degrees. I dread to think what the afternoon would be like. Still I noticed certain flowers like marigolds and roses love the heat and are blooming like crazy. So too the agapanthus ... amazing purples and whites. I should plant them in my terrace garden the next time.

Delicious jambu ayer

A friend brought up a pack of jambu ayer ... lovely juicy fruit which when chilled are delicious in this hot weather. I gave some to the Indian sisters and our Indonesian student. They all loved it. It's something we all missed ... a little bit of home grown fruit. You can't imagine what it means for such a gesture to us who live far from home and for such a long time. Thanks.

Well today we celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I remembered you all at Mass inside the Empty Tomb. The Archbishop has asked me to help raise $13,000 for the Home of the Aged and Day Care centre in the village of Taybeh. It's one of the 7 remaining villages which is still totally christian ... and Christ stopped here according to John 11:54, when it was named Ephraim. it's in the middle of a desert region. many young people have left for the city to look for jobs and the elderly are left behind. The diocese is using an old building to house some elderly and serves as a day care for other elderly when their children go to work. Please help. The christian population in the Holy Land has dropped to 1.2%. It may soon die if the universal Church doesn't intervene to help. Remember it was here that the Church was born. May the Immaculate Heart intercede for us.

Sacred Heart

Watching the opera
last night

It's the last Friday of Ramadan and the crowds are much larger than usual ... meaning several hundred thousand more muslims than usual. This is quite worrying because yesterday morning there was a small group of extremist muslims who threw stones and chairs in the Al Aqsa Mosque, injuring a tourist and a policeman. Fear of violence spreading today is real ... but nothing happened. The police have been tougher than usual, checking bags and other luggage at Gate entrances. But as I said in an earlier blog, Israel's new approach to Ramadan is much more enlightened than previous years, allowing free access to the Mosque by muslims of any age and place. This was prevented any disgruntle among the muslims and hence no violence at all. https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-hurl-chairs-stones-from-al-aqsa-mosque-injuring-tourist-cop/

At the same time we also noted that while Gaza is embroiled in clashes every Friday with Israel, the rest of Palestine is quiet. In fact no one seems to be interested. Muslims in other cities and towns go on with Ramadan celebrations and not interested in spoiling the holiday mood. Once again Israel's new policy of unfettering the palestinians is working very well. Yes there will be a few extremists who fall out of the rule, and we should watch out for them, but there was no large scale protests and violence at all. This is enlightened security.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5269724,00.html

Butterfly and
Pinkerton on stage

Last night at Sultan's Pool (in the Valley of Gehenna) just south of the Old City, Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly was performed with korean soprano Elisa Cho as Cio Cio San. The rest of the cast was local Israeli. I wanted so very much to go watch it but I didn't know how to buy the tickets, nor did I have the money for it. But I was determined not to miss it so at 8pm I walked out to the hillside opposite the Sultan's Pool to watch the opera. It was a dark alleyway of a row of houses overlooking the Pool which lies in a deep valley. But I was very happy. Stood there for over 2 hours listening to everything. Of course it was not very clear ... there was traffic noises, police sirens, arab cars blasting music, another Isareli pop concert in the other end of the valley ... and cyclists and pedestrians walking up and down the alley. It interfered with the music ... but I didn't mind. It was free and I got to see it. I was about 200 meters from the stage. There were the highlights I especially wanted to hear: the love duet, the humming chorus and Butterfly's aria Un Bel Di Vedremo. Utterly enjoyable. Anyway all that walking (over 2 km) to the concert and back made my left ankle swollen. Today I'm hobbling.

Today for us it's the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Let's hope the Sacred Heart will have mercy on our poor region and protect our christians suffering a new wave of persecution in Syria, Iraq and Yemen this week. The news I received yesterday from the sisters living there is horrific. Pray for them.

Stromata

Family pic at Damascus Gate

Another day of classes and work. Good thing this morning the chinese sisters brought some dumplings they cooked ... I was very hungry. Then it was a race to get work done in several departments before rushing home for class. I can't wait for summer vacation to start because at least I don't have to teach ... even though I love it. Several more of my students will be defending their theses in the coming days but I will not be attending because of work schedules ... and also because the weather is too hot. Walking 2 kms to school in the 36 degree heat is unbearable.

Washing their snakes
in the fountain

So it's Ramadan and the usual circus is out at Damascus Gate. Every year guys who own snakes bring them out after dinner to have their snakes photographed by people willing t part with their money. Well last night 2 of those guys (there are at least 4 of them) who own 4 pythons brought the snakes to the fountain at Palm Plaza and started washing the snakes in the water. It drew a small crowd and the police stood by watching. It may seem amusing but I wonder how the snakes felt, being moved about and touch and handled by so many people, then dumped in cold water. And there were little children playing in the water as well ... which could have resulted in a nasty accident if the snakes bit them. But it's part of the Ramadan circus ... and people here just let it be. Anyway Ramadan will end next week on Thursday 14th evening.

There has been small clashes around the villages and borders though nothing has happened in Jerusalem itself. But further up north of Jerusalem a teen was shot dead when he threw a stone that hit a soldier on the head. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5280088,00.html

On the other hand, the govt. is going to pump $560 million into the arab part of Jerusalem, upgrading the physical amenities as well as people's skills so they can join the workforce and be productive. That's good, because as long as the social and economic disparity between the jewish west and the arab east widens, there will be no peace. The lesson to learns, once people enjoy a certain standard of living, they don't bother to fight because they risk losing all they have. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5275895,00.html

New Week

2 graduates at
Mian

It was an incredibly busy weekend and weekstart ... there was no time to update the blog.  The series of excursions ended on Sunday, But almost immediately I had to start preparing for the oral defense of 2 of my students for their BA degree. I had directed their theses and it was a good experience because the students were willing to learn and accept new ideas while also able to defend their own views. It was a learning process and they profited a lot.

The defense itself went smoothly. My students were well prepared and answered all the questions thrown at them. There was a commission for the defense comprising me the director of the thesis, a presider of the examination and a 2nd reader. Both graduated with high marks. In the evening I invited both for dinner at Mian restaurant. Chinese food. Something new for them as both come from Africa - one from Burundi and another from Ethiopia. They liked the food ... and I was relieved. Anyway they'll soon return to their own countries to be ordained.

My lilies in full bloom

Ramadan will soon come to an end and we will be very glad that all the road blocks and noise in the nights will end. But it also means the yummy Ramadan desserts and sweets will also end.

The weather has cooled a lot and lilies have been flowering profusely. The agapanthus have also flowered in the parks. Other plants though are withering away because summer has set in. I'll have to start planning for flowers for autumn ... planting should start in July.

My operation due today has been postponed to next week because I need to get a CT scan done to check the density of the bones. I'm not sure where I can get it done so today I'll be searching for a specialised clinic to do it. Because I don't have medical insurance, most hospitals and doctors refuse to accept me. I have to look for a place that's willing to do it for me with the insurance ... but it also means I need to pay a lot more for the service.

One dark cloud is looming over us ... there might be a general strike of municipality workers soon. In the summer heat, the uncollected garbage will rot and stink. Awful.  https://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=446057#.WxaPCJU49F8.facebook

Friday crowds

Total road closure today

It's been a very tense Friday here in the Old City. Because Israel has allowed palestinians free access to the Al Aqsa Mosque every Friday of Ramadan, the Old City has been flooded with tens of thousands of people. This is a big shift of tactics from previous years when only men over 50 years were allowed to enter the Old City and Mosque. This open access has actually quelled a lot of violence and to date there has been no attacks ... unlike previous years when restrictions were imposed. Good move. But other security measures had to be taken ... like total road closures to transport. Everyone had to walk into the Old City ... and only on limited lanes. Security checks have been strict but crowds nonetheless entered the City and Mosque.

Thousands coming up our street

I almost could not get out of my house twice today ... once in the morning and once in the evening. Literally thousands of muslims were walking past our door and I was going against the currant. I had to turn off at the closest alley and take the long and steep way to get out. Coming home was even a bigger trauma. Jammed pack and hardly able to breathe ... it was a terrifying experience. Never again. I turned the left alley going uphill and escaped from the crowd that was not moving anywhere. I almost fainted from the crush.

Anyway today we visited the Last Supper Room, Dormition Abbey and Peter Gallicantu church. Then we went to the Jewish Quarter to see the Wailing Wall and the Cardo. It was a nice excursion because it was very cloudy and windy. But the steep hilly climbs are extremely exhausting and I am totally dead tired. I have blisters in my feet. And tomorrow it's another early morning Mass before another excursion.