Storm over

Full moon over Herod's Gate

The storm is over. The day was just drizzly but overcast ... and very very cold. Most cities along the coast are trying to pick up the pieces after the floods. The mayor of Nahariya ... the city most affected ... was bewailing that the city is gone, washed away. It'll take millions of shekels to rebuilt the infrastructures.

Now that most of the clouds have blown away, we can see the full moon in the sky. It's magnificent. I would have sat outside the City gates watching the moon if not for the freezing cold. At a time like this, a nice warm room with a hot drink is best.

But while the storm is over, a military one is brewing. Not with Iran ... there's no sign that it'll strike us even though the army is not taking chances. It's up in Syria where Israel bombed up Iranian militia in Eastern Syria. Now that might be the spark that will get Iran to make a move. We're all hoping not. https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-warplanes-target-weapons-shipment-on-iraq-syria-border/

View of Jerusalem from Mt of Olives

 The nuns and I visited the churches on the Mt. of Olives this morning. It was very cold but the walk up and down the Kidron valley kept us warm. Mass was at Dominus Flevit church ... it was very quiet there ... hardly any tourists. Then a long prayerful time at Gethsemane and visits to Mary's Tomb and the Grotto of the betrayal. Afternoon they made the Way of the Cross. Then to the market to buy veggies for the weekend meals. I think they enjoyed themselves.

More rain

Group of sisters at prayer

The whole night howling winds crashed into the City but the rains were relatively light. There was thunder and lightening but not as severe as I had expected. And it rained like this for the whole day. Temperatures kept falling .... the highest at noontime was 6 degrees. It was funny watching people wearing false fur-rimmed hoodies, thick woollen or down jackets, lots of scarves and water proof boots. And it's locals who are dressed up like that. Mind you I was dressed up for the weather too ... a cap to stop rain on my glasses, a beanie over the cap to lessen the wet rain, a T-shirt under a woollen pullover under a hoodie under a water-proof jacket. Yes it was that cold ... and I haven't dressed like that in years.

Cold, wet and dark

Meantime the floods in the coastal cities have subsided ... but not totally. Another person died trying to save a family trapped in a car which was washed away by the flash floods. Sad. Though we need the rain ... I'm afraid the decade of drought has made the people laxed with caution, and municipalities unprepared for a torrent. The Sea of Galilee rose by 3cm in one hour alone. That tells you how much rain was pouring. I was actually thinking last night what would happen if an asian typhoon hit Israel.

I had to accompany a group of nuns today ... in the rain. We tried to limit our walking by visiting only the sites in the Old City. Most of the churches were relatively quiet as most groups have returned to their countries after the Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem. Either that or the weather and the threat of war is deterring people from coming. Anyway we managed to visit all but one of the churches. Winter is not a good time to visit because the sun sets by 4.30pm and most churches come at that time ... hence visiting time is shortened.  

Meantime the tense border situation is silent .... because the rain and floods are taking most of the headlines.

Storm

Morning storm clouds

The storm has finally arrived. And it's evening so the storm is late. It had hit the northern cities very hard this morning, flooding severely the city of Herzliya. One person died. In the rest of the northern cities, floods all over ... making travel difficult if not impossible.

Starting a fire

Here in the City, drizzle started in the afternoon but the winds were very gusty. The govt warned of a sandstorm today and all should stay indoors and limit outdoor activity. Unfortunately I had to meet our lawyers and financial dept to expedite the arrival of books at the customs. The cold and the sand storm was too much ... I had 2 asthma attacks on the way there .... and reaching my office, I couldn't breathe. Felt very sick and thought of going to Emergency Ward. But I managed to finish my work and got home to rest. It was dreadful to be gasping for air and nothing seems to be entering.

Much as I tried to stay in bed, there was work to do at home. First there was class. Then the library had to be tended to because yesterday's electric outage has thrown our computer system upside down. Talking about yesterday, I had to come home in the cold and drizzle .... and saw this strange sight. 2 guys trying to start a fire to warm themselves. The wind was blowing very hard ... making it difficult to light the wood. But of course anyone with brains would simply walk 2 meters into the shop and there the heater is on ... it's warm and dry. But no ... they had to come out in the drizzle and wind to start a fire. It's a bedouin thing. You can't take the bedouin out of an arab. I just had to laugh and take a photo.  

Cold, wet and silent

I'll sleep early .... the rain is beating against my window, the wind is howling outside ... and the temp is 3 degrees. There's nothing I can do but sleep.

In the dark

Blackout again

For some strange reason, our school, kitchen and church is being hit by recurring electrical outage. But it's not affecting our house. I was at work in the other library this morning when I was told the 1st outage took place. Well there's nothing I can do ... we need an electrician to study the problem. One thing good focus is that our meals are cooked on gas stoves ... and we can use the microwave oven in the house. We won't starve.

The weather was fine this morning but afternoon the sky turned dark and cloudy. And it remained very cold ... below 9 degrees all day. By evening the drizzle started and we're bracing for a storm that'll last 3 days. The floods that occurred the last week had killed several people and caused chaos throughout the country ... from flooded roads, electric outages and slow emergency response. Everyone's hoping this time round, the municipalities and it's departments are ready for the downpour.

Not everything is bad of course. The Sea of Galilee rose to a record high during these years of drought. It rose by 3 meters ... though it's still below the red line. The ground is finally soaked in water and hopefully the crops for summer will be abundant.

Meantime Isreali intelligence leaders are warning of a possible war with Iran even though other experts are saying it's unlikely.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-israeli-think-tank-warns-potential-for-war-with-iran-is-growing/?fbclid=IwAR1ZjVyNzZMueZJQQ2LB-aTZHLrXIls4blp9-FPFw3eQoss3uSJPhCitYMo

And new controversy is stirred by the Chief Rabbi who now claims russian immigrant jews are "communists" and "religion-hating gentiles". Govt ministers of russian descent have retaliated with harsh criticism. For us foreigners, we find it unthinkable why a religious leader would want to stir unrest. We have enough problems as it is.    https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1O28ablU?fbclid=IwAR3oMLLOovqqwU0bNVc_qvv9ep4GfXspFilrIWRb_MadJJ-IblN1vzYQ9Qw

Epiphany

Yummy chicken curry

It's Epiphany! The last day of Christmas. We had Mass at 7am instead of 6.30am ... that's what we do for solemnities. After that we had breakfast ... but I started work in the garden. It's a rare day that both libraries are closed so I quickly took opportunity to plant the tulip bulbs. They need a cold shock before planting ... and the 3 degree weather of the past 4 days was just the thing they needed. I also planted alyssums into pots that contained summer plants and now have died off in the cold. Trimmed the night jasmine tree behind the sacristy and planted more hardy geraniums on the flower troughs where the summer campanulas had died.

After that it was already 10.30am. Our indian sisters cooked chicken curry for me but there was no rice. So Nadia our cook cooked up a pot of white rice and I had brunch. It was fantastic. I really needed something hot after 2 hours of gardening in the cold outside.

Very cold but sunny on Epiphany

I had originally planned to go to Tel Aviv and enjoy the sun and sea there but after the dreadful floods of the past 2 days, I thought I'd better avoid that city. The roads would be chaotic with debris, traffic jams would be everywhere and most flooded shops and restaurants would be closed. So I'll stay home. I need to clear the Christmas stuff out anyway. Christmastide is over and we'll be back to Ordinary Time tomorrow. Meantime the Epiphany celebrations are going on now in Bethlehem and some of our guys are in Bethlehem to join in the solemnities.

I'll be starting a series of excursion type retreats for the next 3 weeks so I've cancelled all my classes. It's not something I like to do as I tire very easily but I was told it was necessary ... so I'm going to have to do it. And the worse thing is that the forecast is for rain for this weekend and all of next week.  

Epiphany Eve

Sahlab and apple pie

The weather continued to be freezing cold tough the sun's shining. Though most people took advantage of the sunny weather and came out into the streets to stay warm, the heavy police presence in and around the Old City had deterred some from coming out. Many arab youths have been stopped and searched, while police cars accompany the light rail to deter arabs from throwing stones or Molotov cocktails ... or any attempts at terrorism. Much as I wanted to enjoy the afternoon off by strolling the New City and buying some essentials for the week, I was quite put off by tight security around the City.

My commission
for 2020

I met up with a friend and we had our first sahlab for winter. That's the turkish hot drink made from orchid root mixed with milk and rose syrup. It was delicious. And we decided to have an apple pie as well. That was a nice tea time ... something to break the monotony of daily routine ... and gave a feel of holiday. Well it was after all the eve of Epiphany.

In the evening at dinner, as is the custom of the Custody every Epiphany, we were given our commissions for the new year. Each received a little present of religious souvenirs and a card detailing our commission. So my patron saint for 2020 is the Prophet Jeremiah (feast day on 21st July); the virtue to inculcate is forbearance; the phrase for meditation is from Colossians 1:24 and the departed soul that I must pray for is Fr. Castellena, our famed archeologist in Syria.

Even colder

Cold, wet day

It's freezing cold. It was 6 degrees in the morning and the sky was very overcast. There was no wind ... yet ... but it's forecast to be gusty. On my way home last night I saw everyone in their thickest winter clothes ... jackets with fur hoodies, down jackets, woolen caps and lots of shawls. In the afternoon it rained very heavily and temp. fell even lower. Several times sleet was falling instead of rain. I can't remember ever feeling so cold in the past recent years.

In other parts of the country, the highest amount of rainfall had been recorded today. In Jaffa by the sea, cars were washed away by the massive waves, people died of cold, there were power outages ... it was a horrific day for some areas.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/streets-flood-as-central-israel-lashed-by-downpour-snow-falls-in-parts-of-north/

Umbrellas and thick winter coats

Yesterday's US killing of Iranian military head is sending shockwaves in our region. We're expecting an attack from Iran. Our northern border was closed immediately ... the ski resort on Mt. Hermon was closed and so was the surrounding area which borders Syria. Though it's unlikely Iran will fire missiles into Israel, we do expect their proxies like radical muslims to carry out terrorist attacks. It's times like this that we have to stay away from large crowds and popular venues. Anyway there was massive police presence in and around the Old City today. Many arab youths were stopped and searched.

The combination of extreme cold weather and the political tension is building up on the people. On one hand, it'll all erupt. But on the other, being so cold ... perhaps everyone will decided it's best to stay at home and keep warm.