Rain!

Tonight Sukkot begins. The weather has cooled alot now. People are wearing jumpers in the evenings and winter blankets are coming out. And true to Sukkot, the first rains came. Actually it's drizzle ... but what a welcome! The sky was dark with rain clouds, drizzle splattered around, the sound of drops pattering on the stone pavements .... what a delight!

There's a rise in Palestinian violence against Israeli police. This summer went off relatively quiet, unlike what I predicted in Spring. There were demonstrations and tensions, from Palestinians and Israelis ... but not on the scale most of us expected. That's good. But now we begin to see Palestinians with knives ... reminds me of the Intifida all over again.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=286078

The rising bitterness among Palestinians against Israelis and their own Palestinian govt. is another point.  http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=286063   In a way I can understand their anger. Allowing Israeli buses into Bethlehem is only going to start a slow erosion of tourist business from Bethelemite hands into Israelis; less money gets into Palestine and the local arabs will suffer. Bad move, the Palestinian Authorities really pulled the carpet under their own feet.

The Cardo Cat

Well as all the tensions rise around us, the heat of another bitter struggle put on the boil ... there's still someone all calm and unfazed ... the Cardo Cat. She actually has her own framed portrait in front of which she sleeps everyday. She's so famous now, people come up to photo her and drop money in a box next to her so someone in the shops nearby can buy cat-food for her. She's found in the busy 'Cardo' - the market street built on the ancient road that ran across the Old City north to south some 1,900 years ago.

Beatification Day

Blessed Gabriele Allegra

In a few minutes the beatification of Gabriele Allegra will take place in the cathedral of Acireale in Sicily. Finally after 10 years of delay. He's the first blessed in modern times to have lived and worked in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The past 5 days have been quite a trial. Severe diarrhea and stomach cramps (or is it the spleen?). Crippling. Between bouts of pain, trips to the toilet and dizziness, I tried to get the library done up so that it'll be ready for school opening next week. Painting, patching, moving books and bookshelves. It was tough going.

Tomorrow evening begins the feast of booths/tabernacles - Sukkot. No work allowed so the City will be quite dead again. Holiday? Holy Day? It'll be just another work day for me.

ps if I have not yet mentioned it: thanks to the Cavero family, Alison Chow, Chan Kwok Wai, Jenny Cheng, Ma Fung Ming,Cheng Bik Lin

Yom Kippur

The Day of Atonement began a couple of hours ago here. All traffic has stopped. All shops closed. All Jews in sombre mood as they begin a 25 hour fast.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=286216  Well I guess there was alot to think about .... and atone for.

Atone for the racism that is rampant in this country; atone for the unwarranted violent attacks on minorities; atone for the hate-mongering and fear-mongering; atone for gross injustice .....  but like everything in this country, nothing will ever change.

Mounted Police in the empty road

The tension is very great as a result of the Yom Kippur fast. All traffic has stopped and the entire Palestinian Territory has been closed off. No one can come in or go out. The streets are deadly quiet ... mounted police are everywhere.

There was violence near our house this afternoon. Two arab families got into a fight because one guy claimed his leg was broken by a boy from the neighbouring family. I had to walk through it. Later I got news it broke out into all out street violence. The sad thing is I know them.

Atonement of sins .... honestly just looking at the sorry state of humanity, I just don't think we're get anywhere; even animals and beasts seem to fare better. Then Christ came along and took our sins on himself .....

St. Matthew's feast

Another Friday, but this time it passed without incident. Military presence was/is very heavy outside and inside the City. As these few days lead up to Yom Kippur, many Jews are flocking to the Wailing Wall by the thousands at midnight for the Selichot prayers - prayers of repentance and asking for forgiveness.

Yesterday Moran by physiotherapist tried to solve my neck, shoulder and ankle problems. I was exhausted as I only slept 2 hours the night before, suffering from fever and pain. The manipulations and adjustments relieved alot of pain and I was able to sleep on my way home. But now I've caught a cold as the weather changes drastically every evening. It gets really really chilly.

Mezza 

Anyway today is the feastday of one of our local saints - Matthew the evangelist and former tax-collector. He was from Capharnaum up north in the Galilee. I went out for dinner with Juan and Juan - 2 latin american students doing a summer course here. They had the mezza, ie a selection of arabic 'dimsums' that was very delightful. They enjoyed it. In a week they'll be returning to their countries. Their course will end. I wonder what St. Matthew would have said ... after all he didn't have to take an exam to become a disciple.

A gift from the heart

So I lost contact with my friend for 2 days. He was over last Saturday to help me paint my office. Then he promised to come back on Sunday to clean up the place that drops of paint had fallen. But I couldn't find him on Sunday or Monday. Called him many times and he only answered twice almost at midnight saying he's busy working and will get back to me.

My chair - a gift from a
great friend

Then yesterday he called to say he's coming over. It was a relief ... I can't have my office dotted with paint when school begins in 10 days. So I waited at the garage gate where workers come and go. Then he showed up, walking slowly uphill with a chair on his shoulder! He noticed that I had no chair in my office; only a table and I worked standing up.

So that's why he disappeared for 2 days. Got an old but lovely chair from his family house, re-upholstered it, painted it ... then re-upholstered it again because he thought I wouldn't have liked the first pattern. Then on the 3rd day carried it up the road to my office. I was very very touched. He's a simple bloke, never finished primary education, can't read or write, paints buildings for a living. He wouldn't know that the chair was more suited for a living room than an office. But he had the heart to do it for me. Took his own family chair and re-did the whole thing so I could have a chair to sit on in my office. That made the gift so much more precious.

Yes there are still good people around. Simple little people who leave no footprints in history books ... but this guy left one big imprint in my life.

Mansaf

So tonight the official New Year observance ends ... meaning no work allowed. Hopefully tomorrow things will get back to normal. Thousands of Jews went to the Wailing Wall to pray these 2 days. Military presence was super high especially after last week's muslim violent protest. But nothing serious occurred these two days ... fortunately.

The Golden Arches -
palestinian remake

The weather gets chilly in the nights ... autumn is in. This Sunday we change back from daylight saving to solar time. Then the following day it's Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. Jews will be fasting 24 hours.

My feet are much better. The swell is mostly gone. But for 3 days now I've been having intense stomach cramps and today, severe diarrhea. I'm feeling terribly weak. I wonder if it's an allergic reaction to the bites of cat ticks. Been bitten several times on both swollen feet and developed boils and pus. Horrific.

Anyway I found a really funny T-shirt - the famous golden arches of MacDonald's but with a palestinian remake ... "mansaf" a local dish of rice, bread, cheese and lamb. Finger licking good .... ooops but that's from another fastfood chain hahahahahahahahaha

Rosh HaShana

Shana Tova! Wave goodbye
to the old year!!!

It's the New Year beginning tonight. Time for introspection - time to repent for the sins of the past year.  The President's New Year address focussed on the unprecedented rise of violent racism in this country and calls for proper education and enforcement of law against racism.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=285265   Anyway the New Year tonight will begin with the blowing of the shofar or ram's horn.  It's supposed to sound like a wail .... crying out to God for forgiveness.  http://www.jpost.com/Features/InThespotlight/Article.aspx?id=285273

The New Year introspection will end on Sept 25 Yom Kippur or day of atonement where jews ask God for forgiveness. Don't know how this ties in with the growing violence of muslims around our region.  But at least one muslim cleric is calling for persecutions of christians to stop ... in an address to the Pope who's in Lebanon.  http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/world/story/attacks-christians-attack-muslims-lebanon-mufti-20120915    Hope the New Year brings peace and reconciliation.

And maybe it'll bring good health too. I'm going to need alot of it. The tendinitis is getting better ... after lots of cataflam. My stomach isn't that good as a result. Diarrhea and pain. Haven't eaten a proper meal since Friday when the cramps got real bad. Don't want to spend this week in pain and hunger. So
i really want to get well.

Anyway Shana Tova or Happy New Year in hebrew!