Bethlehem

Relic of the "Manger" in the crib

Yesterday was the first Christmas gathering this week. It's with my collaborators of the General Library. We do this annually with all our workers. Our usual custom is to give them each a panettone ... which is the large fruity christmas bread we eat during this time. Before and after that, it was the daily queue at our lawyers' and accountants' offices to settle the buying of books for the library. Its an unbelievably complicated affair which does not guarantee the arrival of the books. All in all it was a very busy day which ended at 11pm ... I had to do the washing up of dishes and preparing the breakfast table as well.

Sr. Amruta at the real manger

Today I made an early trip to Bethlehem. I had lots of winter clothes to bring to M. Teresa's sisters. Many pilgrims have left their winter clothes behind for the poor. I needed a taxi to bring all the bags there. 2 of our indian sisters came along as they wanted to see Bethlehem and pray there before Christmas. Surprisingly there was hardly any crowd in the basilica. We could enter the grotto of the Nativity in 5 minutes and then to the manger next to it. Remembered you all in my prayers there ... all the living and the dead ... for this Christmas. Prayed for your health and wellbeing and all your intentions.

In the Church of St. Catherine next door, we prayed at the Immaculate Conception chapel where the relic of the "manger" is kept. Then it was a long walk up and down the hill to reach the bus stop where we reached just i time before the noon schedule. It's important to avoid the noon bus because the university students finish their classes and pack the buses to return to Jerusalem. Meantime Israeli fighter jets were roaring overhead and the plumes of 2 rockets could be seen overhead. Nothing has been reported in the news but it's obviously something serious that no one is easy to make public.

Christmas might not be so calm and peaceful after all.

Of storms and Santa caps

Sunless sky with rain clouds

We've been hearing fighter jets booming overhead the whole morning. Not sure what's happening ... where the bombing is taking place. It's very unsettling.

My morning was very busy with one Mass at 7am and another at 9am. After that it was house visiting and  blessing the families and homes. I was my first time walking inside the Armenian Quarter visiting the armenian catholics there. It was very pleasant to see the families in their homes. I'll have a couple more houses scheduled next Sunday ... I bought panettone and sweets for each family ... something to make the feast a little more fun. Most of the families are very poor and a little extra goes a long way ... and Christmas can be spent less stressful and hectic.

Tree at Notre Dame

The weather was stormy up in the north. Reports say there were floodings and injuries and even one death. I'm sure there'll be flooding in the southern Negev desert as well. The sky over Jerusalem was heavy and dark. The sun can hardly shine through. And the wind is very very cold. Forecast is for similar weather for the next few days.

Meantime the political storm over the 3rd election is brewing. People are unhappy that tax-payers one are being spent a 3rd time round. Companies are offices are unhappy that another day off will take place and workers must still be paid. And it doesn't look likely that this 3rd round will guarantee any one party from achieving a majority vote.

On a festive note, Christmas decorations are found everywhere in the Christian Quarter. I haven't yet seen the iconic La Salle College Christmas Tree at New Gate but the one in Notre Dame centre is huge enough to see part of it from the road outside. There were lots of secular jews and groups coming through the Christian Quarter yesterday and today to see the decorations. I saw some even buying Santa caps at a christian shop. Ecumenism at work.

Retro -snow

Holy Sepulchre this
morning

The day continued to be very cold. I had early Mass at the Holy Sepulchre and the walk up to the basilica was chilly. I had to wear a woollen beanie and scarf and a thick jacket to stay warm. The basilica was a lot less crowded than the past months. I could say the Mass with less stress ... without crowds around the Empty Tomb chatting and pushing.

After Mass was the usual Bible class with the expatriate community from St. Anthony's parish in Jaffa. They cooked me a plate of pansit and salmon. That was very nice of them. But I had also decided to cook some chill crabs for lunch. I had received 2 packs of those spices and had bought some "crab meat" ... the frozen stuff sold at the asian grocery ... and cooked it up with some fresh egg noodles which the grocery also sold. I must say it tasted very good ... considering the lack of real crabs.

6 years ago ... snow!!

6 years ago today we had a huge snow fall that blanketed the whole City. It was a marvellous surprise which most of us remembered. Of course there was the dreadful shovelling of the snow from the library terrace which was backbreaking. Despite that, I'd really like some snowfall this year. It would make Christmas a little more special.

I'll have to go and buy bread for breakfast tomorrow. I'd rather do it now than tomorrow morning at 4am when it's freezing cold. I did buy some panettone to give to some poor families when I visit them tomorrow. It'll help give them some cheer.

Another cold day

My Christmas decor

What an incredibly cold day. Though the sun was shining, it was only 9 degrees. And the wind was strong and cold. There are less people in the streets and shops close early. I'm wrapped up in a woolen beanie and scarf. And people have been collecting old winter clothes to give to the less fortunate who have no heating. Let's hope tourists groups who are returning to their countries will leave their winter clothes behind ... especially those from tropical countries who don't need them back home. This week I've been going around several hotels picking up bags of these clothes and bringing them to M. Teresa's sisters.

As per every Advent, the weekly Saturday solemn entry of the Custos to Bethlehem to celebrate vespers takes place with pomp. I haven't joined in for almost 20 years now. It's too demanding ... all the walking and chanting for several hours. And in this cold as well.

My back is much better though I still have pain carrying things. Lots of other guys are sick in my house. Coughs and fever ... thank goodness I've not caught any of it. Everyone is drinking lemon juice to ward off the illness. I think we go through box of lemons a day. All our lemons on the trees were harvested last week.

One bit of sad news. Israel is not permitting christians from Gaza to enter Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas. It's a major blow as these poor christians have nothing to look forward to. Stuck in a muslim majority community of 2 million, christians number only 500 families and they face very tough challenges. It's also the only occasion when they can meet up with other family members living in Israel or the West Bank.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-bars-gaza-s-christians-from-visiting-bethlehem-jerusalem-for-christmas-1.8262631?fbclid=IwAR2Fm8hQPsKYZntv4NACaketBORv8Xiuzc7B0K7LhxfCQLimuePUEn_ukJE

There were more attacks on arab property yesterday. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-muhammad-is-a-pig-dozens-of-cars-vandalized-in-arab-village-in-northern-israel-1.8259518?fbclid=IwAR3HCDgzGHu-_866a1MgViQH3r7lhBpfdvVEkYJEQAas-YbjsXxvMCO2RTE

Storm ... but not here

Cold weather

My back is a lot better today. I kept my room warm and I placed a board under my old collapsing mattress. Thank goodness for that. But right now I've just seen Sr. Clara our indian superior who cut her finger with the automatic meat slicer. Deep cut ... and she's bleeding a lot. I told her to go to hospital but she said she can't because another sister had fallen down earlier and is already in hospital. They both can't be in hospital at the same time as no one is preparing dinner. Well ... of course we can handle our own dinner. She should really go.

Full moon & rain
clouds

The full moon is out but it's constantly being covered by thick rain clouds. Not that it's raining now but the clouds are really dark and heavy. The forecast is for thunderstorm today ... which never came today in Jerusalem. It just might break tonight. I hope so. The Christmas lights in the Christian Quarter will be dampened in this very cold and cloudy weather.

But outside of Jerusalem there was vicious weather ... strong winds that forced a commercial airline to make an emergency landing, people hurt by falling things, trees felled .... and I think there were heavy rains in certain areas as well. Jerusalem simply missed all this.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SJvsyAkCS

Well it's official that the country will go back to the polls for the 3rd time in a year. I worry ... because the political impasse and lack of a functioning govt will portray instability and weakness. There may be some out there who might try to take advantage of the situation. Good thing the military is always on the alert. There is general nervousness how the next elections will turn out.

Meantime the Brexit circus continues to entertain us. So Britain goes to the polls as well. Whatever the outcome, it'll have little bearing on us .... except maybe to provide more free entertainment. There is of course the nagging fear that if Corbyn gets into power, then a rise in anti-semitism is expected. Well ... I'd say the greater worry is anti-Semitism in the USA which is fully blown and warmly encouraged by the president.

Lights

St. Francis Street

My hurt my back last night. Not sure exactly why. I did carry some boxes of books but didn't feel as if I pull a muscle. I think it's more due to the old mattress which is too soft and also the cold. The whole thoracic region from neck down to torso hurts a lot. It's like cramps. I can't bend forward or back, or even breathe or cough. It hurts too much. Sprayed some analgesic spray on it but only had slight effect. Have decided to go to sleep early ... with some heat packs on the back. Let's see if it works.

The streets in the Christian Quarter is getting more festive each night. St. Francis Street is fully lighted with a christmas tree on the roof of the Catholic Scouts den. Decorations have just started to be put up at New Gate and I noticed the giant iconic Christmas Tree at La Salle College is still not up. It's always a touchy issue here because the ultra-orthodox jews every year protest against this tree. They call the police and order all christmas lights to be torn down from New Gate and carols banned. They say it's idolatry. I guess they remembered their ancestors praying to "sacred poles" (cf Isaiah etc..) which were trees. Too bad they have to carry that baggage and then apply it to everyone else. No christian has ever worshipped a christmas tree. It's simply a decoration during the cold bleak winter months.

Setting up decorations at New Gate

Looks like a 3rd election is on the way ... there's not been a functioning govt for the past months and since no party is giving way to form a coalition with the others. Such a stalemate is resulting in lone soldiers (immigrants with no families) with no monthly stipend (at least that's what some newspapers are saying) and no budgets allotted to various facilities ... and worse ... we have no butter!!! I saw my first bar of butter today at a grocery. Only 3 for sale ... after months of lack.

No news from the borders so it seems things are calming down. Thank goodness.

After the rain

St. Francis courtyard in the rain

The rains have stopped but it's still very cold and everyone is enjoying this wintry weather. But reality hits home when Israel announced the army and other agencies will be holding an emergency drill in winter in the case of an earthquake and tsunami. That's the worry preoccupying the mind of the govt. And rightly so.

We've seen pictures of little children killed in Syria ... kurdish school kids whose school had been bombed by the Turkish army. It is utterly unacceptable and the world is not saying anything .... the complicity of silence especially by the american troop pullout from that region will come back to accuse them. But while time is the judge, innocent people continue to die in the meantime.  But on the happy side, we also received news and photos of the Armenian Catholic Cathedral in Aleppo (Syria) rebuilt and reconsecrated in a big ceremony. Muslim and christian leaders all came to the event. I'm so happy ... because I'm now closely associated with the Armenian Catholic community.

Jaffa Street after the rain

I've been forgetting alot of things lately. Like this morning I forgot there was a seminar that I had to attend. Luckily all my workers remembered and asked what I was doing at home when I should be at the seminar. I never ran so fast in my life these past years ... wheezing and coughing. Had only 15 minutes to get to the seminar venue. Once I reached there, I found out they changed the venue because there was an error in booking. What a day.

Pne consolation though ... as I went out to do my shopping for the week during the lunch break (it was raining during the weekend so I couldn't go shop), I passed by the Thailandi restaurant. It's a fast-food place with standard foreign food with thai sounding names. Well I know the cooks there ... 2 thai ladies ... and today they offered to cook whatever I wanted. I always ask for Pahd Krapao which is not on the menu and the cooks don't dare to cook it because the manager is around. But today the manager was out so they cooked a version of Pahd Krapao without the basil. It's really weird because the dish is all about the basil. Anyway I liked it. It's the best they could do without basil.