Friday

Tis'a b'Av is always a politically charged feastday - it commemorates the destruction of the Jewish Temple twice (once in the 6th century BC and later rebuilt only to be destroyed in 70 AD). There are some Jews (mostly religious Zionists) who believe they must rebuild the Temple in order for the Messiah to come (Zionist Christians share the same theology); and the orthodox Jews who consider it forbidden to enter the area today. Very opposing views that led to a shouting match between the two Jewish groups yesterday at the Wailing Wall. Of course the muslims were not amused as they control the Temple Mount today - having built the Dome of the Rock Mosque over the where the Temple used to stand. Pretty sensitive. That's why lots of soldiers were out and about yesterday. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1248277936884&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull and by the way, the soldiers' presence at the Wailing Wall was considered blasphemy http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1248277936941&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Meantime the heat was so unbearable, most of us could not sleep last night. Being Thursday, muslim marriages abounded and fireworks flared through to midnight - something the jews would not have been amused as they celebrated Tis'a b'Av. Then adding the heat to the noise, you can imagine the situation.

My left ankle is still swollen and hurt when I walk ... no new news. I haven't tried the traction kit yet but will need to soon because the right arm is practically numb most of the time. Today is the feast of St Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. I wonder if anyone remembers that the name Ignatius came from the greek Egnatio, the general who gave his name to the famous road in greece 2000 years back.

News from Fr Vincenzo

Some of the kids from Musky (Cairo) on an outing to the beach. I think it was organised by our franciscan parish.

After Tis'a b'Av

The day after Tis'a b'Av ... should be a rebirth from victimhood, a re-creation to something new .... while the old has crumbled and been buried. A very thought provoking article here http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1248277914484&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The military presence in the Old City is still massive today as Jews fast and reflect on their history. The weather as usual is hot as ever, upper 30s. And the mosquitoes are out in full force.

Fr Vincenzo wrote to update on the kids you are sponsoring. Will write on it soon.

Tis'a b'Av

Tonight begins Tis'a b'Av = the 9th day of the month of Av. It commemeorates the destruction of the 1st Temple by the Babilonians in the 6th century BC and the 2nd Temple in 70 AD. It is a day of mourning and fasting.

And security was super tight in the Old City. There were literally hundreds of soldiers and police with dogs frpm Damascus Gate down to Lions' Gate and all the street up our monastery. The Jews will be ascending to the Wailing Wall to - wail of course - over the two destructions.

But here's an article that offers a different perspective to the victimhood of Israel. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1103438.html

back again ...

Computer blowout again .... something wrong with the machine and I've lost alot of emails and other stuff. Terrible. Someone is sabotaging me.

back

Finally back online .... you can't imagine the trouble I'm having with the computer ... nothing seems to be working... and lots and lots of lost emails (by the way the snail mail is also getting lost ... a mystery we're trying to solve here at our place).

The weather is unbearably hot ... almost 40 degrees under the scorching sun.

I'm under a heavy workload right now with lots of demands from people to complete one thing or another. Gotta prioritize and get my paper completed first.

Lychee

When jewish society is seen by the world these few weeks as divided and intolerant, there's nothing better to divert attention away from it by pointing fingers at sensational claims - such as this "booklet" that claims the Vatican trains muslim extremists how to kill Jews. It's not only pitiably laughable, as even the Israeli soldiers don't believe it, but it becomes horrendous when there are people who actually believe in it! Now if this was a book about Jews teaching muslim extremists to kill catholics, it will either be cheered or you get arrested for being anti-semitic. But Vatican bashing seems to be ok ...... i wonder if this can be considered a hate crime to calumniate the church. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1101158.html. And meanwhile christian buildings are vandalised and staff threatened by allegedly the orthodox jewish community http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1246443843203&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull If this were to happen to a Jewish building, you can be sure anti-semitic laws would hound the perpetrators to the ends of the earth.

But let's backtrack to the secular-orthodox war in Jerusalem. I was out for a walk this morning with Fr Marcello along the boundary of the ultra-orthodox neighbourhood Mea Shearim. It was like a war zone. Garbage strewn across streets after streets, flies and burnt piles everywhere. Road signs vandalised, traffic lights smashed, trees stripped of branches. I want to say it was horrible, but I think the real word is "sad". Now that the woman is convicted of starving her child, you can bet there'll be more riots today.

On a brighter note, Fr Marcello and I went on our Sunday walk as usual to do the chores (buy stuff for the rest of the week). We found Israeli grown lychees sold in the supermarket. They're not as red as local ones but the texture and taste are pretty ok - but consider the price ... it's about US$8 for 20 lychees. Fr Marcello bought a small pack of 20 to try.

But even earlier in the morning - at 4am I went to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass. The street was filled with muslims after prayers .... it's some feast for them yesterday and today.