Last day of feast

Herod's Gate ... no one but 2 passersby

Yesterday we had to bring the laundry to the main monastery and also buy provisions for the week from our own grocery in the monastery. I took the opportunity to go along in our van as I must check on the other library ... if water is leaking from the roof or whatever disaster that could happen. Well there was a leak on the left wing and a chunk of the ceiling fell. I informed our technical workers ( a minimum team is still working on maintenance ) and the supervisor said he'll put this job on his list.  I also managed to buy some of my provisions ... mainly cleansing detergents and some biscuits. It was good to get our of the house and see a bit of the outside .... see the sun and feel the wind in open space.

But I noticed all the City Gates are closed and police check everyone ... forbidding most from entering or leaving. We're practically locked inside the Old City. We had to do a lot of explanation in order to convinve them to let us enter through New Gate into St. Saviour's monastery. Going home was also full of police blocks.

Police stopping us at New Gate

So today is the last day of the jewish Passover and the rest of summer would be quite quiet until September when the series of feast days roll one after another for 4 consecutive weeks. But between now and then ... we don't know what will happen. We read from the news that flights will only restart in September so many of our professors and students will be stuck here for summer.