Mooncake

After Sabbath
prayers

This is getting quite predictable ... Fridays here in Jerusalem pass off serenely. Then in the evening I read the news of clashes at the Gaza border. Last night's report says over 100 injured. Well you just never know what happens next. Or where. One thing's for sure ... the jewish high Holy Days are coming and security will be stepped up. However since the last Yom Kippur war, there has been few incidents during the autumn feasts which include the New Year (Rosh haShanah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and the 8 days of Sukkoth (Feast of Tabernacles). I doubt this year will be any different. We're all tired of violence. Right now ... an ambulance is passing by my window. I wonder what happened. Maybe I spoke too soon.

We're just bracing for news about the upcoming Syrian war in Idlib ... the last stronghold of ISIS. Casualties will be high and both the armies will be merciless. How dreadful.

Anyway it's Sabbath. The City as usual is deadly quiet. I had planned to take a walk around the lovely northern  neighbourhood of Ottoman bungalows and villas ... but was caught up with an assignment that I must finish asap. So it's work as usual. I might just go for a walk later in the evening when it gets cool. Today is 32 degrees maximum at 3pm. I'm staying indoors till the sun sets.

Mooncake!!

The Feast of Sukkoth falls on the same day as the Mid-Autumn Festival ... a celebration of the full moon. Linda and Billy from Mian restaurant gave me a mooncake (double yolk lotus paste) which was very nice of them. I shan't be celebrating it much as the chinese sisters and friars are all busy guiding groups. And anyway I start my preaching schedule tomorrow till Oct. 1st. Very intensive and hectic as it's 30 days flat with no rest days. September is not going to be fun.