Butter shortage

The butter shortage in the country is hitting us at home. We have no butter. There is none on sale in the shops. A visiting prof wanted some butter on his toast but we couldn't find any. Too bad. Now let's hope it's only butter and not spread to other essential foodstuffs.

Rain clouds over Jaffa Gate

And the sky is awfully dark. The dark is for rain this afternoon till evening. We need the rain ... but it's terribly inconvenient to have to walk home in the rain and the very slippery pavement stones. The rest of the students are searching for portable radiators and heaters as the rooms are now very cold in the nights. I've emptied half my wardrobe and gave them to M. Teresa's sisters because the street-sleepers are suffering for the bitter cold outdoors. They also need blankets so I'm going around the monasteries asking and collecting them.

There was an air attack in Syria early this morning which destroyed an iranian weapons arsenal. It was the Saudis who reported it but everyone is eyeing Israel. Well let that be a silent lesson .... don't prepare arsenals to shoot Israel and think you can get away with it. Every country has a right to self-defense. Nipping in the bud is alot more effective than damage control. But it makes the country very tense ... security helicopters have been circling over us most of yesterday. Small price to pay for a safer future.

There was a wonderful piece of news ... Tel Aviv University has come up with a remedy to reduce pancreatic cancer and its side-effects. Let's pray and hope it'll work and be available cheaply.