2 days to Christmas

Lovely gift

I just noticed that there are a lot fewer elderly and poor in the streets this week. The cold has been so harsh most stay indoors. For the poor, heating is too costly so they simply wrap themselves with blankets if they have. I even saw a family collecting wood from the street dumpsters to be used as firewood. Some children were also collecting branches from trees on the Mt. of Olives. This winter cold is making the poor suffer a lot.

And talking about poor, Mother Teresa's sisters are busy visiting these poor to see to their urgent needs. On Christmas Day they will go to the streets looking for street sleepers to assist them. Just an hour ago I was at their convent for Eucharistic Adoration. They surprised me with a lovely gift - handmade ... of an infant Jesus statue inside a plastic cup: the Poorest of the Poor in the poorest chalice. They also cooked a nice warm dinner for me : chapati with boiled potatoes. I like it very much. It's very simple but filling ... what poor people would eat. No frills, no fancy. It's authentic charity in simplicity.

Chapati & potato
dinner

Israel has started moves to bring wounded Aleppo refugees into Israel for treatment. I hope they succeed. Israel is the only country in the region capable of doing this. The other muslim countries, rich like UAE and Saudi, have done nothing to help their own muslims. Other medical teams are lined along the Golan Heights to wait for refugees who enter into Israel.

On the local scene, the rabbis are stepping up their war on Christmas. Hotels are threatened to have their kosher licenses withdrawn if christmas trees are not removed.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.760490

On the other end of pendulum, the muslim mufti of Malaysia declared that there is nothing wrong for muslims to offer christmas greetings or join in christmas festivities. How opposite can the rabbis and muftis get?  http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/kl-mufti-okay-for-muslims-to-wish-friends-merry-christmas?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&xtor=CS1-10#link_time=1482367298

The ultra-orthodox jews are also tightening their grip in the city of Beth Shemesh. They're blocking buses on the road because they do not like men and women sitting in the same bus. They're demanding segregated bus services for men and women.  http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/in-israel/local/obstruction-and-rocks-religious-war-in-beit-shemesh-25470

Christmas round the corner

Street artist in
Via Dolorosa

The weather was again sunny and there was no threat of rain. But it was very cold ... about 8 degrees during the day but it felt very much lower. Youths took advantage of this sunny day by practising (or showing off) their parkour skills in the park outside Damascus Gate. Old people thickly clothed, sat out in the sun. Businesses were set up in and outside the City Gate. And a foreign artist sat along the Via Dolorosa painting street scene.

My shoulder has been hurting the last 2 nights, perhaps because of the biting cold. Coincidentally this morning there was an article in the news discussing shoulder pain. Looks like I tore a ligament ... from what I read about the symptoms and pain. Anyway the article advised immediate medical attention. Hospital again? No way. I'm not going just yet. I do dread nighttime though. I feel so tired and need so much sleep but the pain keeps me awake. I barely sleep 3 hours a day.

Meantime, the Israeli and Palestinian security forces, in a rare act of unity, are co-ordinating their actions on a massive scale for one of the largest pilgrimages this Christmas. Expected to enter Bethlehem (Palestine) are 35,000 people and just as many Palestinian christians will be coming out to Jerusalem (Israel) instead to celebrate Christmas. Checkpoint crossings will be relaxed and free shuttle buses from Jerusalem are being offered by the Municipality. It's a little sign of hope for us. But please ... right at the back of all this is money ... tourist money. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-finalize-Christmas-security-for-pilgrims-476031

Tel Aviv on the other hand is preparing to celebrate Chrismukkah ... Christmas and Hanukkah on the same day. Should be interesting. This can never ever happen here in Jerusalem because the ultra-orthodox control the City and consider Christmas as a menacing idolatrous threat to Judaism.

After the call by many isarelis to intervene in the tragedy in Aleppo, the PM announced he's ready to take syrian casualties. Israeli doctors have asked to be allowed into the syrian border to treat the wounded. This is a good sign. Very humanitarian. http://virtualjerusalem.com/news.php?Itemid=24586

Cold but sunny

Wet cold & deserted
Via Dolorosa

The sun is up ... it is bright and sunny today ... but it is freezing cold; in fact today is one of the coldest days this winter. Last night the temp. fell to 2 degrees and today the maximum is no more than 9 degrees. It will get down to 2 degrees again tonight. Forecast for the weekend is rain ... so Christmas will have it's feel but it'll be quite uncomfortable walking about in the mud and sludge.

I had a horrid evening because I was caught in the heavy shower that fell between 6.30pm and 7pm. I had just completed an important translation of a document and sent it by email before walking home from office in the heavy rain. Was wet through. As soon as I entered my room, I received a message that I had sent the wrong document and they needed it urgently in half an hour. So I ran (actually shuffled) up the hill in the downpour to resend the correct document and returned home. Was absolutely drenched. I thought I would get sick so I stayed in my room instead of going down to the freezing chapel for vespers. I think I was the only crazy guy out in the streets .... everyone else was probably indoors as the streets were deserted.

The sisters of the Silent Workers of
the Cross come to visit.

This morning the sisters of the Silent Workers of the Cross came to pay a visit. They have a convent and pilgrim hostel up on the Mt. of Olives, between Bethphage and Bethany. It's a very special congregation of religious priests and nuns ... most of them are disabled. It's the only congregation that accepts physically challenged people with religious vocations whom other congregations would reject. In their quiet way they work in projects for other disabled peoples in the various parishes around our area. It's a very brave apostolate which few people know about.

The attack in Istanbul that killed the Russian Ambassador and the Berlin truck murder shocked all of us. It's an extension of what is going on here in our region ... the ripples are extending to Europe. And it's not the first time. If the war does not stop in Syria, then Europe will have no peace either. It's dreadfully tragic.

Bleak Christmas in the Middle East

Yesterday saw a series of demonstrations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem by local israelis protesting in solidarity with the syrians in Aleppo. Recalling how they suffered in the Holocaust, these Israelis used their rallying call for the Holocaust "Never Again" to apply also to Aleppo. And in the face of world silence and reluctance to stop the massacre, I seriously think Israel alone is brave enough and capable to end this massacre.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-denounce-aleppo-massacres-in-tel-aviv-protest/ 

There is also a report on the small and persecuted community of christians in Gaza and the bleak Christmas they face. It seems that all christians in the Middle East are facing serious persecution in all forms with no world help. Extremely bleak for the local christians ... and an appalling reflection on the universal christian church of all denominations for their silence.    http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.759270

Yet in the dark news christians in the Middle News there was a little light ... news is leaking out that the ISIS occupied monastery near Mosul which was liberated recently still held a few hundred precious manuscripts secretly hidden by a priest before fleeing from the muslim extremists 2 years ago.  http://www.livescience.com/57240-historic-texts-hidden-isis-occupied-monastery.html

Mini-panettone

Weatherwise it is still a little warm ... about 10 degrees. But in 4 hours it'll drop to 3 degrees. I forgot to bring a pullover so I think I'll freeze on my way home. I dread it. Last night was tough as it was cold and I had an asthma attack and my shoulder hurt very much. I don't think I was made for winters. Can't understand how anyone could enjoy winter ... except of course if it's Christmas time and we get panettone to eat!!! The shops are now selling mini-panettone ... small as your palm. Just nice for me as it won't be too much of a danger for my diabetes.

Another rainy day

Grotto of OL in
the MC convent

Another freezing night ... and I was too tired to take out the extra blankets so I slept in my bathrobe to keep warm. Buddy also huddled beside me to keep warm. I think there was a passing shower last night because this morning the ground was all wet. Then again it could be the fog and dew. Luckily for the Missionaries of Charity, they had a grotto built in their courtyard before this wet season started ... about 3 weeks ago. The damp humid conditions would not have let the cement set. The grotto houses a statue of the Immaculate Conception who is their patroness.

La Salle College
in lights

Last night I had to preside over prayers ... it's solemn Vespers with the chanting of the O antiphons and Magnificat in latin. Immediately after I rushed off to the chinese sisters' convent because they organised a Christmas dinner for the chinese religious in Jerusalem. We're not many ... one jesuit, one salesian, 3 franciscans and the 2 sisters. Well I was late and everyone had already left. I didn't want the sisters to bother cooking again so I drank a bowl of soup and went home. That was when I saw the lighting of the Christmas lights at New Gate. It was very nice.

Under High Court orders, the illegal jewish settlement in Armona built on arab land must be demolished by Christmas. Tensions are rising as the settlers refuse to leave and are promising a heated resistance. To appease the settlers, the govt. is proposing to allow 20 families to rebuild on another plot of land nearby; the govt. will also demolish arab houses in other parts of East Jerusalem as a tit-for-tat gesture. This should appease the jewish public.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4894513,00.html

For a couple of days now the newspapers are reporting of a rise in poverty among the jewish community. Living expense has gone up steeply and many people have fallen into the poverty line. The govt. must address this sooner or later otherwise the next elections will not be about security from arabs but where to find the next meal. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4894318,00.html

One bit of good news though: the govt. is starting a new bus line from Jerusalem to the airport. Thank goodness because the Nesher company of minibuses has held the monopoly of this route since living memory and they have become arrogant and tyrannical in their service and attitude.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/221864

Christmas lights

Fog covering the Mt. of Olives

It was freezing last night. Almost 4 degrees but it felt a lot colder. The weather forecast said it felt like 1 degree. I think it will be similarly cold tonight. I must get the extra blankets out. The whole day  was damp and cold as well .... temp. hovered around 9 degrees. Skies were dark and there was a thick fog overing the Mt. of Olives. The streets are very slippery because dew had smothered the pathing stones ... and these stones are so well worn, you would even slip without it being wet.

The huge Christmas tree at New Gate

The christmas lights are finally turned on at New Gate in the Christian Quarter. The huge Christmas tree at the La Salle College this year is white instead of green. And the streets are much more well decorated than last year. Remember last year the ultra-orthodox jews demanded the Municipality to remove all Christmas trees in public because they ere idols. This year we have not heard any objections yet. No decorations were placed outside the City Gate though ... only the 4 trees outside had lights wrapped around them. Nothing religious.

Entry through
New Gate

The Municipality, as if to make amends for last year's fracas with the ultra-orthodox jewish demands (we had to remove christmas decorations from the New Gate), has now announced that it will organise free shuttle buses from Jerusalem to Bethlehem during this Christmas week. Nice gesture but too little too late. The ultra-orthodox have taken over the City and they are making life difficult for the rest of us.

Israelis ar organising a huge demonstration in Tel Aviv to show solidarity with the syrians in Aleppo. They have not forgotten how they themselves suffered the Holocaust and they are now demonstrating that others should not suffer the same. A human chain will form from the Russian embassy to the American embassy. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israelis-to-hold-mass-protest-over-aleppo-massacre/

Solidarity

Full moon over
East Jerusalem

There was a brief moment of sunshine this morning but the clouds soon came to overcast the sky. It's been chilly ... below 10 degrees during the day and nights fall to 4 degrees. However whenever the clouds disperse during the night there is a wonderful sight of the full moon. I managed to take a beautiful photo of it just over East Jerusalem.

2 seminarians are doing a short study program here in Jerusalem. They are from Melbourne which sends each year 2 seminarians abroad for experience and formation. These 2 seminarians came to acquaint themselves with our libraries and, like the last group that came, I brought them out to dinner and we had a great chat, catching up with news of the former group.

Healthwise the shoulder is less painful as the medicine pads seem to help reduce the inflammation. The sciatica is still bothering me though ... I can't sit for longer than 20 minutes as the pain becomes acute. That becomes a problem when I have to travel to Netanya for Mass ... the journey takes almost 2 hours.

Santa Claus with phylacteries

The Christmas season is in the air and some secular jews are not averse in joining in the celebrations. Here's a picture circulating in social media of a jew dressed as Santa Claus but stopping to wear the phylacteries in order to pray. I'm not sure what the ultra-orthodox would say about that.

The bombing that killed 26 Coptic christians in Cairo has shocked all the christians in the region. We thought that some form of normalcy has returned to Egypt but obviously we were wrong. Now even Israel is aware of its moral responsibility to protect its own minorities and those in the surrounding region because of tis own experience during the last World War and also because of its distinctive calling by God to be a light unto the gentiles. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-bombing-at-St-Marks-Cathedral-Why-Israelis-should-care-475408

In fact Jews from around the world are planning to do something to show solidarity to the syrians caught in the massacre at Aleppo. To quote the organizers ... "Citing the Jewish commandment, “Lo tuchal lehitalem” (Deuteronomy 23:2), which means “You must not remain indifferent,” organizers called for a show of solidarity with victims of the Aleppo violence. “Indifference – to human suffering, to hatred and to genocide – contradicts everything that Judaism holds sacred,” they said. “Regardless of your opinion on the politics behind the conflict, the reality is that children and innocent civilians are being killed in a war waged by others.”  http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Jews-around-the-world-speak-up-for-Aleppo-evoking-never-again-mantra-475542