St. Jerome feast day

Tomb of St. Jerome

It's the jewish New Year today. And the western part of the City is very quiet as no work is allowed. The eastern part which is arab is bustling with activity as everyone goes there to do their shopping ... out of necessity.

Today for us is the feast of St. Jerome. Born in Dalmatia, he came to Bethlehem and lived in a  cave next to the Grotto were Christ was born, in order to translate the hebrew and greek Bible into Latin. There was solemn Mass and lots of activities organized by the parish there. Masses were  celebrated both in the cave where he lived and at his tomb which is in the next cave.

Cave where Jerome lived & worked

Today also begins the 4 day celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. We celebrate the 800th anniversary of St. Francis meeting the Sultan of Damietta and securing the right to protect and serve in the Christian Holy Places of the Holy Land. There is a series of conferences based on this encounter and each evening ends with Vespers sung with one or some of the other christian denominations. I'd like to attend some of these talks but my work schedule is pretty heavy. Still I'll try to attend at least one.

I've been awake since 2.30am as I was afraid I might oversleep and miss class at 4am. Now it's exactly 15 hours since I woke up. I'm exhausted. I think St. Jerome suffered from insomnia too. Blessed Allegra surely did. I remember hearing the old friars telling me how in his bouts of insomnia he would go to the library at night to read or to the chapel to pray. Well I'm nowhere near his or Jerome's genius ....

New year eve

Cloudy morning

It's the eve of the jewish new year ... no work is allowed and all offices and shops will be closed. The newspapers all publish the state of the jewish people ... it's up to 9 million people living in this country on the eve of the new year. However there is an impasse in forming a govt since last week's election so the 9 million citizens are left with no govt for the new year.

One sure sign of the jewish new year is the abundance of fruit. In Palm Plaza, the pats are heavy with dates. Pomegranates, apricots and peaches are sold everywhere. Grapes too are abundant and they are the symbol of Sukkoth which is celebrated 15 days from now. We also have foreign fruit grown locally at this time of year: incredible mangoes and guavas. It's a great time to be a vegetarian.

Lots of dates

I was up at 4am this morning to buy fresh bread for the community ... barley and whole meal loaves. Everyone loves it here, especially those with diabetes. I bought them cheap ... 4 shekels each instead of 5. It pays to know the bakery people. At 4am the sky was very cloudy and humidity caused dew to form everywhere. It was 13 degrees and chilly. I managed to water all the plants as well ... from the courtyard behind the sacristy to the sisters' courtyard 2 floors up to the my rooftop garden. Quite a chore but I managed to get it all done by 6am.

Then it was Mass at the Armenian Catholic church. A group of Indian pilgrims came to join in as they had no priest and it was Sunday. There were in all some 60 people for Mass. What a crowd. The rest of the day was spent slowly cleaning my room. I have no desire to go out because police presences stepped up considerably because of the jewish new year. I don't need more drama in my life.

The Delivery Guy

Despite not going to work yesterday and avoiding stress, I still was terrible confused. In the afternoon I simply couldn't remember what day it was. At one stage I was sure it was Sunday. Then I thought it was Monday. I guess I was thrown off my sense of time when I didn't go to work today. How confusing. But more frightening is that I've become so stuck in my routine, any change to it throws me off course.

Yesterday in Tel Aviv there was a 2nd wave of Climate Change demonstrations. Thousands joined in the march ... which was very colourful and festive. Very typical of Tel Aviv even addressing a sombre topic. I wish I had gone to join in ... but being Friday I didn't want to wander through the muslim crowd in my Quarter.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-joins-worldwide-climate-protests-as-thousands-take-to-tel-aviv-streets/

The bedouin beggar

Just as the jewish Holy Days are about to start on Sunday evening, Israel's embassies around the world went on strike because their budget has been cut, reduced or simply not paid. Newspapers report that some ambassadors have resorted to charity from overseas Israelis to survive.

The good delivery boy

And talking about charity ... this afternoon on my way home from work I encountered a very touching moment on the street. There is an elderly bedouin woman who sits under a tree between the tram tracks and Damascus Gate park begging for money. It's been a tradition with us by now to always give her a shekel whenever we pass by ... and she always smiles and gives a blessing. Today I was taking a shekel out of my pocket to give her ... she was still some 10 meters away ... when a young arab delivery boy was huffing his bike uphill to make a delivery. He suddenly stopped, got off his bike, reached into his pocket and gave the bedouin a shekel. It was a very nice act as he hardly earns anything while working in this heat. It caught me by surprise and I couldn't take a photo in time. However  on my detour home through Salahaddin Street (I had to buy flowers for the altar) ... the same delivery boy was cycling pass ... obviously finishing his delivering. I quickly snapped a photo of him. It made me feel good to know that there are still young people who care despite their own poverty. Faith in humanity restored.

Friday

Crispy morning

After yesterday's burst of violence, I wasn't going to take any chances with the throngs of arabs in the streets today (Friday) so I decided to stay home. I received new threats 3 days ago and was warned by M. Teresa's sisters. They offered to accompany me to and from work ... but I don't want to put them into trouble. After all 2 of them were attacked also the last time.

Roses from the MCs

Autumn is upon us and the nights are below 15 degrees ... chilly. The mornings are bright and crisp ... and the ground is wet with dew. The bulbs in my flower pots have all sprouted ... and our 2 armenian seminarians bought me a box of Dutch bulbs while in Holland visiting their family. So this morning I decided to do gardening instead of work. Potted lots of bulbs, pruned the daisies and Jerusalem artichokes. Then fertilised all the pots in preparation for winter. Lots of work and I found it very enjoyable ... out in the sun, hands in the soil.

And talking about gardening, the 6 rose pots I gave the M. Teresa sisters in Bethlehem have flourished into huge bushes because the sisters planted them in the ground. The soil there is very rich so the bushes flower profusely. I asked the sisters to cut some for me so I could put them on our Madonna altar in the refectory. They are very lovely and strongly perfumed.

Sabbath begins this evening and when it ends tomorrow evening, Rosh haShanah (New Year) begins and lasts till Monday. Everyone is warning everyone to buy whatever they need because all shops and offices will be closed during this long weekend. I guess I'll stay home these 72 hours.

Violence

Damascus Gate blocked

There was a stabbing this afternoon at 4pm. I was on my way to the MC convent for confessions and adoration when I reached Herod's Gate and found it shut. Lots of people were standing around waiting to get out but the police were not allowing anyone to leave the Old City. So I had to take the alleys and side-streets to reach the convent. The City gates were all closed so that terrorists cannot run out ... and a thorough search by the police made sure no potential harm is possible before the gates were reopened. That could take well over an hour.

Police chase away protestors

After the confessions and adoration at 7pm, I had to go to my office 1km uphill through Damascus Gate but found it was blocked by barriers. Police were checking people entering the Gate ... but those inside could freely leave. Security was really stringent. Then up on the road, there was a demonstration by arab youths chanting while a large posse of police and mounted police blocked the road. Chants continued louder and the police moved in to disperse the youth ... chasing them to the arab Central Bus Station. The youths re-gathered there and continued chanting and holding placards. I went on my way and didn't find out how it ended.

The tensions I mentioned yesterday have finally erupted. And it doesn't look good. With the Jewish New Year starting on Sunday ... this violence is bound to increase and Israeli police will even become more stringent. It will be a very unhappy winter.

Stromata

Homemade Lor Mai Gai

Yesterday was a very busy day. I had to go to the MC sisters in Bethlehem in the morning ... Mass, confessions, bible conference ... but had to rush back by 12.15pm because we had a farewell lunch for one of my ex-collaborators of the library. Going to Bethlehem is always nice ... it gives me a chance to get out of the Old City and away from the stressful situation. To avoid more attacks, I have to take the long route out of the City ... which for me is another 15 mins of walking uphill. The police called again to check on me if I was alright.

Chillbox fruit tart

Some Singaporean friends home cooked For Lai Gai during the weekend. And they came all the way from tel Aviv to give it to me. So kind of them. And the Lot Lai Gai was excellent. Loved it very much. And I also decided during the weekend to treat myself to a dessert at Chillbox the greek gelateria. Got myself a lovely fruit tart. Loved it.

There's some tension in the air as the jewish New Year closes in. Just a few minutes ago, crowds of muslims were marching and chanting in front of my house. I think it was a funeral cortege to bury a teenager killed in a scuffle but Israel refused to release his body till now. Not sure. There had been scuffles yesterday on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The tension is definitely building up.

And a coalition govt still eludes us as the 2 major parties cannot agree and the smaller parties refuse to work with either one of the former. It's complicated ... but I'm getting used to seeing the winner of the elections fail to form a govt and the loser actually becomes the ruling govt. It's a weird state of affairs. This unusual situation where 2 elections take place within a year and no ruling govt in the meantime is said to have been predicted by jewish kabbalist mystics. Read this article:  https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Netanyahu-Gantz-impasse-predicted-in-hidden-manuscript-of-leading-mystic-602670?fbclid=IwAR3gdxknxbQX-FnNfh58-AjqmrLEu5jUMiqcHVLKT2DrEN7_9aW6KeMwg9o

Migrants Day

Migrants Day Mass

Last Saturday was Catholic Migrants Day. The migrant catholic community in the holy Land far outnumber the local catholics ... and it is these migrant catholics who keep the Church alive. The largest groups are the filipinos and indians ... and the indians are divided into different rites - some Roman rite and many more in the Syro-Malabar rite with a few Malankar rite. There are also Sri Lankans which is far smaller in number ... then there are the eastern europeans who belong to the Byzantine Catholic rite and Ethiopians/Eritreans who belong to the Geez rite. The Migrant Day Mass was presided by our Archbishop Pizzaballa with all the chaplains at St. Anthony's Church in Jaffa. The church was packed with migrant workers. It was a good occasion for the local Church to thank these migrants for their hardworking and fervent faith.Being a chaplain to these communities is a very demanding job as it requires you to travel the whole of Israel and Palestine to care for the migrants living in different cities and towns.

Armenian Catholic
church

I help out with the Ethiopic/Eritrean community whenever there is need though I have not learned the Geez language. I celebrate in english and my acolyte translates into tigrina or amharic or which ever dialect is required. And I am the regular chaplain of the Armenian catholics whenever the armenian priest is not available ... which is most of the time because he lives in Amman and serves the armenian community there. I'm still learning the language which is very difficult ... and also the liturgical prayers and hymns so by now half of the liturgy is done in armenian. Must be quite impressive because the local armenian catholic community voted me to be their chaplain in the absence of an armenian priest. With all these chaplaincy work my Sundays are occupied with pastoral work and have few private time to do my own stuff ... like cleaning my room and washing my laundry etc. Last night for example I slept only 3 hours because I had class at 4am. Being afraid I would oversleep, I got up at 2.30am and remained awake till now.

Mondays are exhausting .... I can understand Garfield the Cat

Pilgrimage

Sunrise while waiting for the bus

Yesterday was a very busy day as I consented to bring a group of migrant chinese catholic workers to visit the north. They've been here for a year or so but have never been out of the city as they don't speak any other language except chinese. They join in the Mass at weekends  .... and that is wonderful because they don't understand the language spoken or preached but still make an effort not to miss Sunday Mass. So for their sacrifice and hardworking, they asked if I could bring them to the north to see the churches there. It was wonderful to have them. They were serious about a pilgrimage ... in fact they all went for confession the evening before the trip.

Archbishop with some of the group

Leaving early at 7am we travelled by minibus to the north to the Sea of Galilee and visited Capharnaum, Miracle of 5 Loaves and 2 Fish, Mt. of Beatitudes and the Church of the Primacy of Peter. Then an hour's drive to Nazareth to visit the Annunciation Basilica and the House of the Holy Family. We brought a picnic lunch and ate in the garden of Casa Nova Nazareth ... which was lovely. They were overwhelmed by the places ... touching every stone. It was a tremendous experience for them. We studied the Bible along the way, and also on site.

We ended up in Jaffa 200 kms south to celebrate Mass ... and had a wonderful surprise .... our Archbishop was there with the Vicar General for migrant catholics. Both met our little group and encouraged them to persevere. Then the Archbishop blessed them. They were thrilled. A perfect ending to a perfect pilgrimage day.  

For me it was extremely tiring as I was unwell. But I needed to accompany this group as they are really devout catholics who had very little in terms of time and knowledge of the land .... but lots of faith. I did my good deed.

Weekend

Sunrise today

The weekend has begun ... here it's Friday and Saturday ... I stayed home all day as I had alot of paper work to do. Rather stressful. Struggled to finish the work by late afternoon ... except I couldn't find a document. Searched everywhere and finally thought I might have left it in my office. I wasn't ready to walk uphill 1km in the sun and Friday crowd. So I left it till evening when it was cooler and much less crowded.

Well I did find that very important document on my office table .... so blessed relief!!!

Asian grocery in town

Another Friday and the Gaza border again was packed with 8000 protesters. A weekly affair. 76 wounded. It's getting more violent now that the protesters are using explosives. Very dangerous game.  And Trump's upping the sanctions on Iran for bombing Saudi's oil facilities ... that's making us worried as Iran might decide to respond aggressively. We don't feel safe.

Anyway it's the weekend and usually it's a visit to the asian grocery. Back 30 yrs ago there was only one asian grocery in town. It's still around. But there are many more smaller groceries dotted around the Mall ... all filipino runned. There's everything you can buy in those shops .... even wonton skins and spring roll skins. The world is getting much smaller now.

Stromata

E-scooter accident

There was an e-scooter accident along the tram tracks and Damascus Gate park this evening. The young arab guy was out cold. I don't think he was the rider because there was another guy with a helmet rushing around the ambulance crew. Hopefully the guy's neck isn't broken. He was motionless on the ground and paramedics brought a hard-stretcher to carry him into the ambulance. Much as it's a convenient and cheap way to travel short distances, e-scooters have become a danger to the public. There are stringent laws draconianly enforced in Tel Aviv but here in Jerusalem where e-scooters are a rarity, such laws have yet to exist.

After yesterday's stabbing attempt, the possible inability to form a coalition govt, and alleged israeli drones shot over Lebanon ... one major concern of everyone is the suspected Iranian bombing of Saudi oil depots. It's unthinkable that Saudi defense is so low and inadequate for such a world important site. There are of course repercussions here in our region ... petrol prices rise together with military alert. And as the jewish High Holy Days approach, the alert will be raised even higher and the borders with Palestine will be closed.

Parkour at sunset

The weather continues to get colder by the night and much more damp. The Spring bulbs that I planted have all sprouted ... like 3 months early!!!! Nothing is like before ... the climate change is drastic. One thing though ... the young people are enjoying this early cool weather. Everyday the group of Parkour youths are out in the park practicing .... and there's always a crowd of locals and tourists watching their twists and turns.

The weekend is upon us ... frankly I'm hoping to have a long sleep ... like 24 hrs flat. I'm thoroughly exhausted mentality, psychologically and physically. My confusion of days and times have struck again today. Can it be an early onset of dementia?

Polls are over

Our sisters celebrate
their feast day 

The election results are out and the centre right party won 33 seats which is the largest share in the polling population .... and the PM's party had only 32. And the biggest surprise, the arab party is the 3rd largest place ... first time ever in Israel's history. Everyone is saying it's a backlash from the PM's tactic to scare jewish voters by announcing "the arabs are coming in droves" ... something which he did in the past 2 elections. He also tried to scare arab voters away by installing security cameras in polling stations ... like he did the last time. All backfired and the arabs did come in droves and took out his party from the govt. Now we're all waiting to see how the coalition will amalgamate. Everything will affect us foreigners ... we're praying for a coalition that'll treat us fairly.

Mounted police at night

There was a stabbing attempt at the Qalandya checkpoint north of Jerusalem. A 50+ arab woman brandished a knife and the soldiers shot her dead. Security suddenly tightened in and around the City and all checkpoints as well. I guess this will continue for the next month as the jewish High Holy Days (New Year, Atonement and Booths) will begin next week and roll through 3 consecutive weeks. Violence usually occurs on the Feast of Booths (Sukkoth or tabernacles) when jews try to destroy the Mosque and rebuild the jewish Temple in its place. Every year I go to Jaffa and stay to avoid the violence along our street. The roadblocks, the curfews and the bullets sprayed into our library .... that's too much tension for me to take. I am already fazzled by this plot to harm me ... I don't need more.

Stigmata feast

Passionfruit vine

It's Election Day today ... and the City is very quiet in the morning. Everyone sleeping in on this national holiday. Later in the day the traffic jams started .... everyone was out to enjoy the sunny cool weather outdoors. News online says there's a low turnout in voting. That's bad because it means the extremist racist parties stand a better chance of winning. These groups vow to remove all non-jews from Jerusalem and advocate physical attacks on non-jews especially on arabs and christians. It's scary. Now later in the day newspapers report voter participation to be slightly higher. Still it's anybody's guess who will lead in the polls.

1st passionfruit

Autumn has begun and like I said previously .... most fruit are in the harvest stage. Our recently planted Passionfruit also started producing fruit ... I found 2 in the mass of vines. That's a good sign. I had taken a lot of care and now it's rewarding with some fruit. The huge vine climbs a 15 foot wall with 2 jasmine vines ... they support each other as I have no trellis for them to climb.

Today is also the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis. That's when the crucifix with 6 seraphic wings appeared to Francis and imprinted the 5 wounds on his body. I didn't celebrate with the community because I had to go to Bethlehem and celebrate Mass for the MC sisters there. It's quite a distance and I was afraid the checkpoints would be closed due to the Elections and arab buses cannot travel in and out of the town. Lucky everything was open and I could go and come home safely.

Autumn fruit

Dates

The week starts and the autumn weather is taking over .... very cloudy days and very chilly nights. The autumn fruit are all ripening ... especially the pomegranates and dates. Pomegranates are the symbol of the jewish New Year which will be celebrated in 2 weeks time. Dates are the choice fruit for the feast of Sukkoth or Booths/Tabernacles. There are of course other autumn fruit such as grapes, plums, peaches ... and new introduced fruit such as guavas, mangoes, star fruit, custard apples and lychees. It's amazing how much fruit we can get here ... and it's all fresh.

However harvest time is always the time of clashes when extremist settlers destroy the crops of the arabs. That's one flashpoint for local violence. Then off ourse on Sukkoth extremist jews would try to tear down the Al Aqsa mosque and rebuild the jewish Temple so that the messiah will come .... and that is an annual flashpoint for violence. And there's more to come ...

Damascus Gate yesterday

It's the eve of Election Day ... and the PM is ramping up all the tricks to win votes ... and its the usual fear tactic ... the arabs are coming. He did that for the past 2 elections. This time he's adding promises to annex palestinian lands for Israel. It's a reckless move. Already the palestinians are talking about violent retaliation.

Well that's the last thing I need ... more violence. It only makes my position more precarious.

Holy Cross feast

Relic of True Cross in procession

Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Cross. It's very solemn here and the altar on Mt. Calvary was ornately decorated. Solemn Mass was sung there and hundreds came to participate. The relic of the True Cross was brought up to Calvary during Mass but was brought down to the Altar of the Apparition for the blessing and veneration.

I was very busy in the morning as I had 6am Mass at the Ivrea sisters' convent then a mad dash to the Holy Sepulchre for another Mass at 7.30am on Calvary for the parishioners from the Tel Aviv parish. Immediately after that I had to preached a recollection. I was free only at noon but not before going to East Jerusalem to buy flowers for our dining room and some desserts for our indian sisters. After all it was a feast day.

Relic on Mt. Calvary

I was terribly confused yesterday ... convinced that it was Sunday. People had to keep reminding me it's only Saturday. Losing my memory again ... but surely not because of lack of potassium. I've been eating a banana every morning so my potassium level should be ok.

This morning ... Sunday of the Prodigal Son ... I wanted to take things easy. I'm exhausted to the point of collapse so I needed a no-stress day. Finished Mass and took a slow walk to the New City and bought some treats for Buddy and JJ. Chatted with the store-keeper and friend Eran before strolling through the park and then down the main street back home. Bought 1 kg of chicken breast and went home to cook Phad Kra Pao because basil is in season. It was nice. Our indian sisters enjoyed it.

Mooncake festival

Mid Autumn full moon

Friday passed without incident in the Old City ... and I stayed away from the Muslim Quarter to avoid any trouble. Some friends in Tel Aviv have offered a room for me to stay till I feel better and things quieten down. It's very nice of them ... and I might just take up their offer.

The moon was wonderfully full and bright yesterday for the Mid Autumn festival. Our small chinese catholic community gathered in the afternoon for a short recollection preached by a chinese priest studying here for a month. Several migrant workers in the Jerusalem area also came to join us. It was a nice gathering and the jesuits where very kind to let us use their chapel and garden for Mass and gathering.

Moon cakes and tea

Later we went for a Mid Autumn dinner at Mandarin Restaurant. Ah Ling the owner was very kind and cooked up 2 extra dishes free of charge apart from what we ordered. We had only 2 mini-mooncakes among the 11 of us but we all appreciated that. It was a great gathering and Ah Ling cried as she joined us for the mooncakes because she too has no family and is alone here. She said she finally felt part of a family with the catholics.

Autumn

Cloudy morning

Tomorrow is the Mid Autumn Festival ... it doesn't coincide with the jewish feast of Sukkoth this year because they have inserted an extra month into the lunar calendar. It won't be anything special as we chinese are a very small minority. And anyway the Sabbath begins in the evening so everything shuts done and there is nowhere to go.

The weather is turning colder by the day and I'm wearing a hoodie jacket every morning on my way to Ivrea. And the dew is heavy. It's autumn for sure.

Several neighboring arabs came to speak with me separately yesterday. Much as they watch my back and show concern, there's no guarantee for my safety anymore.

Desert

The Kidron brook in the desert

The MC sisters told me to take a day out of Jerusalem ... I've been so stressed and upset by the recent attacks I'm getting a nervous breakdown. Remember 2 of the sisters were also attacked. The sisters and I went out into the desert to get away from it all.

It was very very hot. Scorching. But we managed to visit Mar Saba monastery in the eastern desert, and the Herodion fortress in the southern desert. We climbed down the steep valleys into the Kidron brook which was gushing with lots of water. The Kidron valley begins in Jerusalem next to Gethsemane and travels 32 km into the Dead Sea. Midway through the desert it passes below the Mar Saba monastery. The monastery was built 1500 years ago by St. Saba and has been inhabited all these centuries.

Mar Saba monastery

We had a picnic lunch at the Herodion ... the palace fortress built by King Herod the Great and probably died and was buried there as well. We could say we ate lunch at Herod's palace!

It was a pleasant and happy outing ... but the dark thoughts of violence are never far away. Tensions at the southern borders are rising with several rockets fired from Gaza into Israel ... who responded with a barrage of missiles. The PM has promised to annex the Jordan Valley if he wins the election .... and palestnians are furious and ready for war. And of course our situation in Jerusalem where we get attacked and threats everyday.

Light and Dark

St. Louis Hospital lighted up

More tensions at our northern borders today when military posts in Syria were bombed by unknown sources; and Lebanon shot down an Israeli drone. We had hoped that things had quietened down after last week ... but it hasn't. Let's see where it's leading us.

Am still very perturbed by the recent attacks .... arab neighbors ask if I'm ok, if I wanted them to accompany me to go to work or whatever. It's nice that they care ... but the danger is everywhere. I just got another vague warning message this evening. I dread going home from work at night as the streets are dark and I never know what to expect. I try to put it off by taking long walks around the New City ... saying hi to staff at Main restaurant or Mandarin restaurant ... just to make sure they know I'm still alive. There was a pleasant surprise this evening ... I saw St. Louis Hospital all lighted up. It was beautiful. A little brightness in the huge darkness.

Cloudy

Cloudy morning

It's the weekend again ... and the weather continues to be very strange. It's very chilly at nights and people are now wearing sweaters and hoodies. Rain clouds cover the sky in the early morning and dew is heavy. This morning we had no sun till noon time due to the heavy rain clouds. But it doesn't rain ... they just blow across to Jordan.
There's been a fatal stabbing attack just an hour ago at the palestinian border of Qalqiya (nearer to Tel Aviv). Yesterday at the Gaza border 2 arab youths were killed during the weekly protests against Israel. Gaza then fired rockets into Israel who responded by bombing military targets. But our northern border with Lebanon and Syria is quite. Thank goodness.

My herniated disc is still hurting whether I sit or stand. Am due for another medical checkup (a followup after the last CT scan) ... and get some tests done to see if my situation is improving or not. Fingers crossed.

M. Teresa feast

St. Teresa of Calcutta

I'm not sure what to write. Am still very perturbed by the recent attacks. The police called just a few hours ago to check on me and asked if everything was alright. 

It's the feast of M. Teresa of Calcutta today. I had Mass for the sisters in Bethlehem. Maybe M. Teresa will work a miracle. I herniated a disc on my lower back while carrying heavy boxes of books. It's making getting up and sitting/lying down very painful. I have to stand most of the time to relieve the pain.

Danger

It's becoming dangerous for me to live here in the city. Prior to the Saturday attack, I had received 2 warnings ... one from a high ranking person ... that muslims intend to harm me. Now several of our muslim neighbors and shopkeepers have come to ask after me and said they will watch my back when I go out or return. You never know what happens in this country ... and I never know if I'll come home alive.

Summer ending

Mounted police at night

The much awaited attack by Lebanon finally came ... relieving us all from the suspense. A barrage of missiles were fired into northern Galilee at Israeli military targets. In return, Israel fired a barrage of missiles into Lebanon. It was all symbolic gestures as both the lebanese and israeli leaderships do not want a war. The attacks were compulsory gestures to appease their home crowds. After all Israel in 2 weeks will be holding elections. Nevertheless military presence has been stepped up throughout the country.

Bumble bee

Summer is almost over ... and someone reminded that it's just about 110 days to Christmas. Time surely flies. The 2nd decade of the 21st century will begin. The beginning of autumn can be felt in the nights when temp fall to 17 degrees. Rain clouds have blown over us the past 2 mornings ... right over us and into Jordan. Soon the jewish High Holy Days will start ... Rosh haShana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Atonement) and Sukkoth (Booths/tabernacles) all within a month. Most shops and offices will be closed or work shorter hours.

Nothing eventful here in the local newspapers ... but everyone ... and everyone here whether jewish or arab ... is talking about the situation in Hong Kong. Most don't understand why it's happening other than it's popular discontent. Arabs admire the staying power of this 3 month protest ... which they have not succeeded. Israelis are curious as to why a small thing could blow up like this.
Well one thing everyone agrees on .... there's no turning back for Hong Kong. Some new solution must be found ... one outside the present dynamics.

Attacked

Yesterday I and 2 MC sisters were physically attacked by a muslim on our way to Mass at 4.45pm along the Via Dolorosa. There were many witnesses ... tourists and locals ... as well as the security cameras. We made a police report. It's the 2nd time by the same person. Not to worry ... everything is ok. No injuries.