Spring rolls, pao & fasting

Sitting at Damascus Gate plaza to
cool off

A violent rampage took place last night at the Wailing Wall ... 250 meters from my house ... as the mourning of Tesha B'Av started. Hundreds of ultra-orthodox jews broke security barriers to enter the plaza which is restricted due to the pandemic. But the ultra-orthodox will have none of it. Police were restraint but forceful to dispersing the crowd. This morning some tried to re-enter the Al Aqsa compound and police turned them away. They spat at me when I was watching our gate after throwing out the garbage.

Now they are planning for tonight's massive demonstration by the public in front of the PM's house after sunset when the fasting and mourning is over. Newspapers predict violence. But I certainly pray it won't. There's fear the rightwing counter-protesters might come back and harm the demonstrators as they did in Tel Aviv 2 nights ago ... using broken bottles and knives to injure several people. The country is more divided then ever before ... and couple that with the pandemic and and failing economy, military tensions with Lebanon .... everyone is feeling lost and desperate.     https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/after-western-wall-riots-police-prepare-for-violence-at-balfour-protests-636859?fbclid=IwAR3RXMbqOViHP6QjHdpxDwfG7-ejPyjDRHbA6UIHW2ZjRw7rhQWeqeqoPqw

Cleaning the church yesterday

The heatwave is hitting us ... daytime is well above 32 degrees and nights are 29 degrees. For jews fasting today, it will be hard. The Chief Rabbi has ordered that all who are sick must not fast, and all must wash hands ... which is forbidden bring the mourning of Tesha B'Av. Common sense rules. Arabs are sitting under any shade to stay cool while preparing for tonight's feast of Eid Al Adha. I've decided to stay at home today to avoid any problems. Being spat at by ultra-orthodox jews is bad enough. I don't need to invite more hostilities.

Homemade pao &
spring rolls

M. Teresa's sisters made chinese buns and spring rolls yesterday. It was very nice of them as I was hungry after spending over 2 hours cleaning the armenian catholic church. It has not been cleaned for half a year now. 2 seminarians from the White Fathers who serve as my lector and acolyte came to help me. Thank goodness because the church is relatively large and my asthma won't let me do everything by myself. Those guys are really great ... always helpful and cheerful. I'll bring then out for brunch after Mass this Sunday as a way of thanking them.

Today I'll just do some reading, teach the aussie youths and then clean up my room. Should keep me busy.