Appalling

Tom Yam lunch

Utterly appalling ... the cabinet meeting to decide on city lockdowns was cancelled because ultra-orthodox mayors threatened the PM ... and he needs them to keep his coalition govt going ... so health bows to politics. With a daily infection rate of an average 2300 and with 1000+ already dead ... the govt has let its citizens down. And the rabbis and ultra-orthodox jews who profess deep faith in God have belittled the gift of life ... because their desire to gather is more important. It is appalling.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-calls-off-cabinet-vote-on-local-lockdowns-as-haredim-fume/?fbclid=IwAR2oPceV8uoTxphXP5hwpKnuWrBaJsJswdSqsUAU4L7m7T2xboXcM_CW-fU

Israel has passed the brink of turning back the pandemic ... it must look to other solutions to cope and move forward. There's suggestion to copy the Swedish model which is "let everyone get infected and get immune." Unfortunately the price of elderly and sick people who die is high ... over 5000. The idea is old and sick people are disposable and are collateral damage for the survival of the young and healthy. This is public euthanasia or russian roulette with corona ... and is even more appalling. If Israel adopts this "solution", then it denies all that God had taught from Sinai.

Pet guanaco at Municipality Square

My opinion is ... it's too late now to turn back the tide. Let the public do what they want ... the govt is afraid to stop them. It only leaves the health system to protect the elderly and sick and high risk people ... they're a minority and it's easier to handle. No need for lockdown ... just provide extra precautionary measures for this minority. Provide social service to visit them at home, provide food and other necessities including health checks ... This added up will cost less than locking down the entire country and collapsing the economy. That's my 2 cents worth. The Israeli crisis as seen from asian eyes is just utterly unbelievable. Asia is at the tail end of this pandemic ... everyone sacrificed out of civic responsibility and a better future. Here ... it's all about "I" and "me".

Enough of griping. Last Saturday I had a lovely lunch of Tom Yam soup cooked by my thai student. It was great comfort food after a very tiring week of work and heatwave. I've also pickled more green chillies. The first lot was very delicious ... even our indian sisters in the kitchen enjoyed it. They suggested I pickle green mangoes as well. I'll try ... if I find green mangoes first!!

Lockdown?

Quiet Jaffa street in heatwave

It doesn't matter how hot it is today ... 43 or whatever ... or that 1000 people have since died from the virus yesterday. Everyone is worried only of one thing .... are they locked down. The Old City has been designated "highly restricted red zone" which means it's way over the measuring scale. But the jewish feasts are coming up next week and a lockdown of the Wailing Wall, and the Al Aqsa mosque (where over 20,000 gather every Friday without distancing and masks) and the Holy Sepulchre will create an international outcry. Of course I know and urge a total lockdown of the Old City ... I don't believe the govt should fear international reaction. The pandemic is our problem here in the Old City for us to solve, and foreign countries should shut up and deal with their own pandemic.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/official-mull-temple-mount-closure-among-steps-to-stem-virus-spread/?fbclid=IwAR0BLdu5pdCbw0iuyUfiYvl5RAe10JTuaFJN1jp1n2m8OQwOskIMJfkdxJM

Ice cream cone
yesterday

So we continue to wait for the govt instructions if we will be locked down. I should have enough food for 5 days ... I bought 3 shekels worth of pitta bread. And I have a jar of fig marmalade given to me by one of my workers. And a couple of canned peas and tuna which will go well with white rice or noodles. So I'll survive. And today I went to buy another pack of mixed seeds for Buddy and JJ. They should eat more veggies and fruit ... it costs less. But the poor boys know nothing of economics ... and they eat as they're still growing. Buddy is 3 yrs old and JJ just completed 1 yr. For them, the pandemic means me spending more time with them ... playing, talking, studying and sleeping together. In fact at times, I think they're tired of me being in the same for 6 months now. They appreciate some quiet time to sleep when I go out to work.

I've been having a headache for 3 days now ... obviously from the heatwave. But I also need to rest as I've been studying very hard, reading lots of books. Yesterday on my way home from work in 43 degree heat, I decided to buy an ice cream cone. It was never so delicious and cooling. Little delights before the lockdown begins ... if it does.

43 degrees

Fiery morning

And yesterday was hotter than the day before ... 43 degrees. It's the highest in Jerusalem ever ... since records were kept a hundred years ago. The ground is just heaving with heat ... suffocating and oppressive. The sunset if anything was already warning us of what was to come later in the day .... a fiery explosive sun roaring over the Mt. of Olives. And it's 40 degrees now ... 3 lower than yesterday but it still feels unbearable.

We read from the news that electric outages are occurring throughout the country because everyone is turning on aircons or fans or coolers. The irony of this is the more electricity is used to cool the air, the more heat is generated. A vicious cycle.

Toddlers go to school alone

And wearing masks is still mandatory and schools continue to function ... well the wearing of masks I can understand, to slow the spread of corona ... but opening schools in a heatwave? It just runs counter to slowing down the infection rate. The hebrew site of the govt commission for coronavirus lists the Old City as a red zone. That means tomorrow or Monday, we'll be under a lockdown. This includes traveling not more than 500m from the house; all transportation stopped; no interCity travel. It also means no Masses or religious meetings ... but it'll not work as jews and muslims will ignore the ruling and go ahead with group prayers. And the police will do nothing.  

So we wait ... for the govt. instructions.

42 degrees

Figs on sale

Correction ... yesterday wasn't 38 degrees ... it was a whopping 42 degrees. The highest in 80 years I think. And today the forecasters say could get even higher. I'm staying in my room. I have a headache from yesterday's heat and I still feel unwell ... nauseous. And the bad news is ... this heatwave would become more frequent. The govt did warn elderly and sick people not to go out. I belong to both categories ... but I also have work to do and must prioritise which work is necessary.

And in this heatwave, there's one thing I must always do ... throw water on the roof. It not only cools down the roof and the rooms below but it stops the cracking of slabs and joints.

The heat is also ruining the business of the village women who bring fruit and veggies not the City for sale. The heat withers the veggies and dries out all the fruit. Grapes go runny and turn to raisins. Figs melt and sweat. All turn mushy. Peaches, plums, guavas ... all must be sold quickly in the morning otherwise they become unsellable after noon. Such a pity. I've seen cartons of such fruit and veggies thrown away.    https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-bakes-under-record-setting-temperatures-with-more-on-the-way/?fbclid=IwAR2RXB3XDXCSK1OJkTHFV5K7xhtpsHR80kleLtaa9XaedeacMocXUYK_0ac

Grapes and plums

And the threat of a lockdown is very real. With 3000 new infections and one third in my neighbourhood, the govt has warned that by Sunday a lockdown decree will be imposed. My dilemma is having to go out to buy food and staying home in the heat. The govt has openly said that Israel has the highest per capita infections in the world. Any other country would have lock downed the country when infections hit 3 digits. Here it's 3000 and the govt is considering a partial lockdown ... based on cities and neighbourhoods. Too little too late. I just need to keep myself safe.

Lockdown due in days

Full moon at harvest time

It was 38 degrees today but it could have gone well over 40 degrees. Today you could feel the heat coming off the ground. Everyone and everyone has felt this phenomenon. Waves of heat were pulsating out of the ground ... rising up to the masked face ... choking eyebrow who was outdoors. Yes you didn't have to go out to the streets. Just going out to the courtyard or garden and you can feel the hot suffocation. I had wanted to go to buy some rations but only walking 20 meters, I had to turn back. My chest was hurting and I couldn't breathe from the mask and heat. I was backing out. Luckily a seminarian was nearby and carried me back.

Overheated Palm Plaza

This heatwave onslaught will last till Sunday and I certainly don't want to go out. I just hope I have enough food in store. And it's not just because of the heatwave ... it looks very likely the entire Old City and the whole of East Jerusalem will be locked down. New infections have reached 3000 .... utterly unthinkable!!! The State is still afraid to take decisive action, ultra-orthoox rabbis are threatening cabinet ministers, the reopening of schools 2 days ago which already saw a spike in infections .... it's total chaos. It's each man for himself ... no one else is going to help you. I'm going back into seclusion ... as much as I can anyway. It's not worth risky my health. I've been quite ill these past 2 days ... what with the heat and my asthma and phlegmatic lungs.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/health-minister-virus-czar-said-set-to-propose-full-lockdown-in-8-cities-towns/?fbclid=IwAR0jE4V4QkE7sD9jQ43upTnevqs2PhtU_63FOKgM0LU5oJQwQAFio7XV0sA

News just in .... restrictions will be imposed on Monday. Severe lockdown on some 30 cities and towns ... but the list is still being discussed. We'll have to wait till midnight for a definitive list ... and see if the Old City will be closed.   https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SktggK0mD?fbclid=IwAR129mXF3Uef7yVUevE6uW_5ps2PeV9w1sdh7kUeMUt8CjIBRBi00xwYB5M

Harvest moon in a heatwave

Unbelievable .... some 2300 new infections in 24 hrs. A record. And equally unbelievable, a leading ultra-orthodox rabbi has told his followers not to be tested fro the virus otherwise their neighbourhood and schools might be forced to lockdown.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rJ47XzTQP?fbclid=IwAR0IawFKTzuZ79FCu4BL5B5XSsibZqg7KLzE7Brl8yC-Z1PfO6boNDMlV5Q

Harvest moon over the Old City

While it hasn't been as hot as the previous days, it still is stifling to be out during the day. Luckily a breeze was blowing day and that helped. I was out to work only a couple of hours in the morning ... to avoid crowds and the heat ... but walking home was just too much. I felt terribly sick when I got home. I needed to rest for a couple of hours. And my feet swelled. Yesterday I was terribly confused. kept thinking it was Wednesday and prepared for class. Couldn't remember if I took my medicine. I guess it was the heat boiling my brains.

The heat has also been bothering Buddy and JJ ... especially JJ. He gets very irritated and nervous and nips at me. Getting him to sleep these 3 evenings was as trying as making a toddler sleep. Constant challenges, rebelling ... this evening I found out a solution to calm him down. Sing "Happy Talk" from South Pacific to him. He will will listen quietly without screaming his head off ... then walk to his corner and go to sleep.

An amazing september moon ... also called a harvest moon is shining. Very bright. It's about time for the jewish New Year and the feast of the autumn harvest ... so the moon is a good indicator. It's funny how the world is progressing technologically, but still sticks to ancient religious customs based on the lunar calendar.

Palm Plaza in the heat 

Local news are flashing a headline: Saudi Arabia has allowed Israel to fly over it's airspace to the Emirates. I guess it's a big deal ... but like I said several days ago, let's see how long it'll last when America withdraws politically and financially.  

Back to school

Back to school

 It's the first day of school today and the streets were full of students and parents ... quite unlike the empty streets of the past months. I'm sure the students were all excited to be with their friends again instead of being locked inside the house ... theoretically. What everyone is saying under their breath is "Expect a spike in corona infections". Some neighbourhoods have been declared "red zone" meaning epicentres of infections and have been locked down .... mostly ultra-orthodox jewish areas. And they are furious and have opened schools despite the ruling not to. People in the streets are all saying why it it be like in Asia where residents comply with govt health instructions? Why this constant rebellion which ultimately puts at risk children, elderly, sick? It's a totally different mentality here. Civic consciousness comes after personal wants. Yesterday saw 2159 new infections.

The heatwave is still lingering on ... 38 degrees or so. A wind is blowing but it's hot and dry ... straight from the desert. Few could sleep for the past several nights because of the heat. And the country recorded its highest peak of electric usage during these days when acridness and fans are turned on in every building.I pity the poor people in Gaza who have no electricity and must put up not only with the heat but also the humidity ... being next to the sea.

Crowds lining up for corona aid

A ceasefire has been agreed between Gaza and Israel this morning so hopefully we don't have to hear fighter jets flying over our heads again. On the northern front though, Israel is said to have hit Syrian targets ... and that's a cause for continued tensions.

The annual Shakespeare performance in the park is cancelled. It was one of my summer plans ... the troupe was to perform Henry IV. From August it was postponed to September and now it's cancelled definitively. I had registered to see it ... since performances are restricted by corona law to 50 in open spaces. What a pity. I'm terribly disappointed. The troupe is planning an autumn performance ... but everything is tentative as long as the pandemic lingers on. Fingers crossed.