30 degrees

Empty Municipality Square in the heat

Last night was 30 degrees .... it's like sleeping in an oven. And the forecast is that worse is yet to come. Massive wild fires are raging throughout the country and in 24 hours is so out of control, Israel has asked neighbouring countries for help. 4 countries have responded and are now fighting the fires with Israeli crew. Notably Egypt has sent a large team ... and Palestine has also offered aid. Cyprus, Italy, Greece and Croatia are also on the way. It's unfortunate that it takes a crisis and disaster to unite peoples. Then again it shows that people still have a conscience.

30 degree night in Jerusalem

Going home from work last night was awful. There was no wind and the weather was stifling ... like a  cushion of stake hot air crushing on us from above. I could only walk 500 meters and needed to rest. Also my left ankle was hurting. At Damascus Gate there were thousands exiting and there was no way I could enter. So I sat under an olive tree and waited till 11pm when the crowd thinned out. I pity the muslims who are fasting ... the heat must really be an added penance. One thing though ... cold drink vendors are making a lot of money.

It's not just the heatwave that's suffocating us. Secular and traditional jews are feeling extra pressure now that the small ultra-orthodox minority has taken power in all sectors of life and is imposing its will on others. The secular jews have taken a beating ... being treating worse than non-jews by these ultra-orthodox.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5514109,00.html

We received worrying news that the war in Syria in the region of Idlib is spreading to the village of Latakia where we have a parish and all the residents are christians. We can only pray that nothing bad happens. God protect them.