Fat Tuesday

Cold wet day

It actually rained and drizzled alternately all day ... actually it already started last night. The temperature has dropped again. From 20 degrees yesterday, it's now 9 degrees. The wind is gusty and cold, carrying rains at an angle so using umbrellas is useless. You get soaked from the sideways rains. It was so strong the rains came through the exhaust fan in my toilet, rain falling down the wall and the flooding the floor. It's the second time it's happened this year. But just as suddenly as the gusty shower came, it suddenly stops and a gentle drizzle takes over. Then when you least expect it, the shower comes back on.

Today is Fat Tuesday or in french Mardi Gras. We're trying to consume all the week's leftover meat today so they are not left over during Lent when we abstain from meat. It would be a waste to throw it away. I've been bringing soup and rice and other foods that were left over, to the poor all week. In this cold weather, some soup and rice would keep the poor warm.

Umbrellas everywhere

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and I'm presiding at Mass. Hope I won't make any mistakes with the ashes.

The local newspaper has made an important observation which escaped me ... that for the first time Iran and Israel are facing off each other directly in the tensions in the Golan this week. Another article says there's escalation of tensions and Israel must prepare for war. Let's hope and prayer nothing results ... that summer will be peaceful and no one has to suffer.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/after-years-of-covert-proxy-wars-iran-shifts-to-direct-contact-1.5810960   and   http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Escalation-on-the-northern-front-Israel-must-prepare-for-war-542388

In the palestinian territories, though there has been a series of vandalism  against arab properties this whole week. More such acts are reported today. No one was been caught yet.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/cars-vandalized-daubed-with-hebrew-graffiti-in-east-jerusalem-neighborhood/

Fun before Fast

Dusty gray skies today

The weather is turning cool again. The nights linger around 16 degrees which is quite comfortable, and daytime goes up to 20 degrees. However today the sky is an awful yellow ... a sandstorm from the desert. It's a bit too early for this type of winds called "hamsiin" or 50 (hence the name pentecost) as it should start only after Easter and before Pentecost ... the 50 day period. I had sand in my eyes and mouth as I went out to the New City this morning after Mass at the Armenian parish.

School kids dressed for Carnival

Ash Wednesday is approaching fast, but so is the Lunar New Year. Wednesday will be a full fasting day but Friday we asians will be exempted because of the New Year. Yesterday we saw many school children from our chaotic schools dressed up in costumes for Carnival (carne meaning meat) which takes place before the fast of Ash Wednesday. It's the last days you can eat meat before 40 days of abstinence. The europeans also call it Mardi Gras or Martedi di Grasso (Fat Tuesday) when they stuff themselves with good food and then start the fast on Wednesday. It's the fun before the fast.

Yesterday's bombing of Iranian targets in Syria by Israel as a consequence of Iran's drone flying into Israeli airspace was really a major scare. Even the airport was closed for one hour for fear of syrian missiles might hit commercial airplanes.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/ben-gurion-airport-briefly-halts-flights-due-to-northern-conflagration/

The Israeli Air Defense is geared up for war at the Syrian border.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Preparing-for-war-in-the-north-Israel-boosts-air-defense-542284

Meantime Gaza which supports the Iranians, may also be gearing up for war with Israel. Faced with a north and a south attack, the Israeli army needs clear strategies to stop both prongs.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Hamas-raises-alert-level-following-Syria-confrontation-542270

Well ... a war in Lent. Perfect timing.

War looming?

Jaffa parishioners at Mass in the
Holy Sepulchre

This morning was a very early start to work. 5.30am I was at the Missionaries of Charity convent for Mass. one of the sisters is celebrating her patron saint's feast day and also the community has to go early to Tel Aviv where they care for the drug addicts, homeless and prostitutes. These people appreciate the sisters' visit once a week. Anyway after Mass I had to rush to the Holy Sepulchre for another Mass at 7am in the Empty Tomb. It's the monthly Mass when the parishioners from our Jaffa Parish come. After Mass I teach them some Bible lessons before they go to visit some other shrines.

Now I'm back home to clean my room for the Chinese New Year ... a lot of Spring cleaning. If I have time I might make some small changes in my room. But not today because I have 2 hours to work before I start another class at 4pm. I work throughout the weekends as well so you see, I have no days off. It's 7 days a week. Merciless schedule. I am utterly exhausted and there is no one 24 hrs when I can recuperate. Maybe I should just go on strike.

Tensions are rising at our northern border with Syria. Missiles misfired from Syria into Israel has occurred many times and Isrel usually fires warning shots to remind the shooters (not sure if they're rebels, government or ISIS) that Israel is on the alert ... but this morning it was direct encounter. A syrian drone flew into Israeli airspace and Israeli fighter jets shot it down ... then sent the jets into Syria to bomb Iranian bases there on a very large scale. The Syrians responded by firing anti-aircraft missiles ... downing one helicopter at least. The pilots ejected and were rescued by Israeli ground troops. Remember that Damascus is only 60 mins away from our border. Tensions are rising and this afternoon we'll see if things get worse. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/middle-east/israel-and-the-middle-east/syria-fires-at-israeli-fighter-jets-after-israel-downs-iranian-drone-34500

While external war is looming in the north, the internal war among jews continue. This time we hear of the ultra-orthodox jews who are so absolute in sex segregation they would erase women standing among men in their newspaper photos. They did that with politicians and now we hear they erased even the women Holocaust survivors who stood among men to have their photo taken. These survivors are venerated in Israeli society but the ultra-orthodox do not think so. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haredi-newspaper-censors-photos-of-women-holocaust-survivors-1.5770715

What a Sabbath .... so much tensions and uncertainties. There is no rest ... not for the mind and heart.

Blossoms

Almond tree blooming at
New Gate

Another weekend has begun. I will be terribly exhausted with work even though I'd love a quiet relaxing 24 hrs. I think I'll have to preside the Armenian Mass again this Sunday.

The weather is still warm and the almonds and Judas trees continue to bloom. Utterly amazing ... the pinks and deep violet flowers on bare branches. I noticed even the hazel and oaks are flowering their long spindly bunches of dull yellow petals.

Thee's the alarming news that the cash-strapped govt. has got the high Court's ok to claim taxes from the churches in the Holy Land. Strange that mosques and synagogues are not covered. From the Catholic Church alone it wants to claim 11 million shekels.  I think this is from back-taxing. The Anglicans must pay about 7 million and the Armenians 2 million. And very strangely the Greek Orthodox Church which is the largest private land owner in Israel pays only half a million. Something smells here ... if you consider my past posts regarding the Greeks selling large tracks of land to jews. http://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=437596#.Wnbct9zO3aE.facebook

The american army is here and a very large scale drill with the Israeli army is underway to simulate a massive missile attack. That makes us all nervous here ... if indeed a war is imminent.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-troops-arrive-for-drill-simulating-massive-missile-attack-on-israel/

Almost weekend

The tea man

Yesterday was a very busy day. I had no time to update the blog but I'm still alive. You see, the purpose of the blog isn't simply to inform you of life here in the Holy Land ... actually it's a track on whether I'm alive or not. If it's not updated for some time ... that means you can come to my funeral.

The weather has been very pleasant as Spring weather should be. In the midst of my rushing from one place to another, I noticed the arab tea seller at Damascus Gate, with his umbrella up and him dressed in his turkish costume carrying his huge container of tea and selling cups of it to passersby. That is a sure sign Summer is on it's way ... if not already here. The usual tea he sells is common tea but you can add fresh mint or sage leaves for the aroma. But in mid-summer when it gets really hot, he sells cold traditional drinks like almond juice, date juice and lemon juice. Well by now he's an annual icon for summer and tourists never fail to stop and take photos of him ... or with him.

Security tower is
almost complete

Newspapers are reporting of the spreading control of the ultra-orthodox jews in certain cities and towns. In the beautiful city of Bet Shemesh, the ultra-orthodox have published and distributed a code of conduct in public places. That includes segregation of males and females in buses and even at work, if things were to be passed between one sex to another, the thing has to be left on a table to be picked up, males and females cannot sit together or joke,  etc... Sounds almost like the muslim Taliban. The City council is afraid of these ultra-orthodox but fear also a backlash from the rest of Israel so it tries to ride on the fence. All I can say is that this will all implode. As it is, the 2 security towers built at Damascus Gate is causing great unhappiness among the arabs as they are symbols of israeli surveillance over them. The towers are almost completed and the soldiers are ready to be stationed there.     https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-west-bank-settlement-issues-modesty-code-for-municipal-workers-1.5793397

Meantime the israeli army has said it will not be taking control over the arab East Jerusalem areas though the media has said otherwise. That should at least allay some tensions and violence.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israel-Police-IDF-wont-take-over-east-Jerusalem-enforcement-540909

It's almost the weekend, the weather is great ... let's hope nothing will happen to spoil this moment.

Flowers in bloom

Crocuses in bloom

The weather has gone very warm ... up to 19 degrees. But the sky remains cloudy and dark. At times it seemed it would rain ... but nothing happened. Most of the almond trees have blossomed and so are the Judas trees. Other early Spring flowers are also in bloom especially crocuses. They usually open a day before it rains and is known as the rain forecaster. Anemones are also in bloom. They are those lovely red flowers that spring up in the wilderness and sidewalks.

And as the weather warms ... so does the violence. They seem to go hand-in-hand. Yesterday I mentioned the arab leaders in Gaza and the Israeli army leaders have both sounded out the imminence of a war. Today the Israeli Defense Minister contradicted them and said no war is in sight. At the same time the Israeli Navy leaders claim it's on high alert because Hamas' marine warfare has reached a very sophisticated level that poses a major threat to Israel.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Israels-Navy-concerned-about-increased-Hamas-threat-under-the-water-540727

And WHO has announced that Gaza will run out of fuel in 10 days ... the crisis will erupt into violence since the people have nothing else to lose.  http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/WHO-official-Without-supplements-Gaza-to-run-out-of-fuel-within-ten-days-540742

Re-paving New Gate

We'll just try to stay out of trouble's way. It's easier in the western part of the City but we here in the eastern part are right in the heart of any violence or clashes. Let's hope for the best that nothing happens. Meantime life goes on ... and I saw the road works - actually re-pavement - at New Gate are almost complete. The workers have begun paving the final stage of the road, i.e. several meters inside New Gate, under the gate and several metres outside the Gate where it reaches the light rail tracks. It will look very nice until the cars and trucks start to enter and destroy everything. I give it 2 weeks ... before the stones get broken and potholes begin to appear. Everyone here thinks so too.

Drama

Accident ...
road closed

What a dramatic 24 hours. A car rammed into some people in front of Damascus Gate and at first everyone thought it was a terrorist attack. Police were swarming the place, the main road was closed off, the traffic jam behind was unbelievable. I just happened to be at Damascus Gate at that moment. I thought it would result in bigger violence. Thank goodness it was quickly determined that it was only an accident.

Well you can't balme us because not only is Hamas in Gaza warning of an impending war, this morning even the Israeli arm forces are warning the same thing because Gaza is collapsing from lack of basic essentials. The situation is so bad things will come to a head.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-military-chief-gaza-on-verge-of-collapse-bringing-war-closer-1.5788886

The old train station

Then there's a a video going viral ... it shows a robbery in broad daylight in Nazareth. While a driver was unloading boxes of cigarettes for a shop when 2 masked men held him up and stole thousands of shekels worth of cigarettes. It's frightening as they carried guns.

Then 2 hours ago the new flashed that an israeli rabbi was stabbed to death in the central bus station of the town of Ariel. The assailant is still on the loose. There's going to be a huge manhunt tonight and all the neighbouring villages will be raided. We're not told if the assailant is jewish or arab though the police fond his ID in the backpack he left behind. More tensions will rise. It all seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy ... a war is imminent.

Old rail tracks

Well yesterday was a busy day. I had to end work quickly at midday to join a group of students because one of them who is sick will be leaving for home. Then at 4pm I had to bring 2 other students to visit the Iron Age tombs on Bible Hill and then the Byzantine ruins of the Hill of Evil Counsel. Being winter, it got dark by 5pm. We ended our excursion at the old train station which is now converted into an entertainment park with lots of pubs and restaurants. It's really a delightful place ... a family playground with carousels, game corners and lovely lights. The old rail tracks are still preserved and the old wooden station is also well preserved, integrated with modern architecture and reused as shops and restaurants. It's a really good work of conservation that pays itself. Self-sustaining conservation.

It was a nice end to an otherwise upsetting day of violence.