Last day of the year

The giant hanukkia
at Zion Square

It' the last day of 2016. Can't say I'll miss it ... 2016 was wrecked with bad health, misfortunes and very unhappy events. And frankly I'm not optimistic that 2017 will be any different. There seems to be a great rush to die ... see how many celebrities died last week? As if no one wants to see 2017. What an omen for us.

However there were some bright moments - like the liberation of Aleppo last week. For once in 5 years Midnight Mass could be celebrated without bombings. Our friar in charge of the parish there has been sending out information about the joy they are experiencing. But the process of restoration will be arduous and painstaking. Basic facilities like water, electricity and sanitation. Then there is vital need for food and medicines. The franciscans in Syria are calling out for international help ... not from international bodies which will never respond, but private peoples especially christians to donate a little bit each. Help comes from the little people who are not caught up with bureaucracy and invested interest. It comes from the heart.  http://custodia.org/default.asp?id=779&id_n=32486

Hanukkah will end tomorrow - New Year's Day. The candelabra at Zion Square will be taken down by Monday and life will go on as usual for winter. Usually each house should have its own candelabra called the hanukkia and a candle is lit for each day of the 8 days to recall the miracle of the holy oil found in the Temple. Well yesterday there was an article claiming that this holy oil and fire tradition was probably borrowed from Zoroastrianism. I doubt the rabbis would be happy to hear that. The next feast will be Passover in Spring so there're 4 months to prepare.

A pizzaria and 2 burger shops open
during the Sabbath in Jerusalem

Meantime as Hanukkah ends - a feast that celebrates Judaism against paganism - news is that the city of Beit Shemesh in Central Israel is now totally occupied by ultra-orthodox jews. Secular and moderate jews have abandoned the city. The ultra-orthodox will now impose strict segregation laws for men and women as well as other things. I doubt they will tolerate shops that open on the Sabbath as some are doing in Jerusalem. These shops take the risk of being fined by the Municipality or attacked by the ultra-orthodox.   http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.762153

Very cold weather

Fingers crossed ... we're getting news that a ceasefire has been signed by rebels and govt. forces in Aleppo which will take effect midnight tonight. Let's hope it'll hold. People need food, medicine and shelter in this bitter winter cold. Pray hard.

My 1st cup of
sahlab this winter

And it still is very cold tonight here in our city. It's not been raining and it shouldn't for the next few days. Forecast says it's 12 degrees now but it feels like zero degrees .... feels a lot colder than yesterday. Even local guys are wearing gloves and beanies to keep warm. It's times like this that a warm cup of sahlab is most welcome. I had my first cup this winter last week when I was in Netanya for midnight Mass. My friend Shlomi who runs a juice / crunchy-munchy hawker stall in front of our church was also selling sahlab, and he offered me one. It's actually a turkish beverage made from the roots of an orchid. The crushed powder is mixed with milk and a dash of cinnamon ... and it's one great comfort drink in this cold weather. I skipped the optional peanut and coconut topping because I'm allergic to the former and dislike the latter. The dried form of sahlab ... mixed with jelly ... is the world famous Turkish Delight.

Today's papers carried the news that some Israeli arabs were removed from a plane  at the request of Israeli passengers. They felt threatened by arab presence onboard. In any other country it would constitute racism and discrimination.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.695633

Sufganiot from Gagou de Paris

Hanukkah will end on New Year's Day, so security has been heightened. It was quite noticeable today as the holiday nears. Even police helicopters were hovering over the Old City all morning. Let's hope everything will be fine as 2017 approaches. One consolation - Hanukkah means sufganiot (polish "ponschki") ... my favourite!! I passed by Gagou de Paris ... the fantastic french bakery at King George Street run by a family of french jews the other day to watch my friend (can't remember his name) cook some sufganiot. It's always so captivating to watch great chefs at work.

First blooms

Dark gloomy skies

There was no rain today. But it remained very very cold and dark all through the day. Everything was gray and gloomy. And the ground was wet and very slippery. It's 8 degrees right now but it feels so much colder. Forecast for next Monday: heavy rains, hail and graupel. That looks like a start to snow. I dread that because I must shovel snow from the roof. If it snows only lightly and will melt away quickly, then I don't mind.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-girds-for-storms-snowfall-as-winter-takes-firm-hold/

The lack of sunshine is not good for my flowers. The anemones have begun to open but because there is no sun, they have been stuck in a semi-bud stage. Same with the narcissus. Let's hope the sun will come out for a couple of days so they flowers can bloom .... before being torn apart by the hail and graupel next Monday.

We received news that Salesian Fr. Tom is alive. A video of him has been released by his captors. Let's hope he will be released soon. It's such a horrible nightmare he's living through. 4 of Mother Teresa's sisters were killed in the attack in Yemen but Fr. Tom was taken away alive by his captors. Please pray very very hard for him. The following article is in italian https://www.avvenire.it/mondo/pagine/padre-tom-video

The 1st anemone to
bloom

Tourists have now dwindled to a handful again after the Christmas crowd. For once the hotels in Bethlehem registered full booking. That is good news. But it's not enough to sustain the industry for the rest of the year, this one week of abundance. Usually January and February are low season due to the cold, rain and snow. You can't see much because places open late and close early due to the winter sunrise and sunset hours.

My shoulder is feeling better today because it was adjusted by a physiotherapist. The ligament/tendon however still hurts but not as severely. The cold air however agitates my lungs and I get asthma attacks as well as a terrible headache. Winter is definitely not for me. I wish I could stay indoors everyday and not have to go out. The Sisters of M. Teresa are very kind and they have cooked a warm meal for me so that I can feel a little warmer and not suffer from asthma during the night.

Storm

Rain in the Suq & slippery streets

The rains continued this afternoon .... heavily. Infant there was a hailstorm at 1.15pm before the downpour. But prior to that the sky was bright and blue, though very very cold. The hail caused a lot of noise as it beat down on the zinc roofs. Then the rain pelted down. I had to go up to my other office because I had 2 meetings and 2 chores to do in the New City. By the time reached my office, 1 km uphill by foot, I was totally drenched despite the raincoat  I wore. On one hand it felt like what winter should .... but on the other hand, it's terribly inconvenient. The stone pavement in the Old City is a death trap ... almost everyone has had a narrow escape from the slippery streets.
Most shops are closed though those serving hot food are doing brisk business.

And anyway we really do need the rain after these 15 years of drought.  Tel Aviv and the coastal cities are receiving 2 consecutive days of rain. But it's not as cold as in Jerusalem here. The Sea of Galilee however is not rising because the water is flowing towards the Mediterranean Sea instead of the lake. So we might still have a drought year in 2017.

Freezing weather before the rains

But this weather is nothing compared to the political scene here. Israel is furious over the UN security council voting to draft a resolution against Israel's building of settlements in Palestinian land. Ambassadors of the council were summoned on Christmas Day and roundly rebuked, with promises of aid withdrawal. In fact aid has already been cut or stopped to several countries as punishment for not taking israel's side. Mad with Obama, the Israeli PM thinks he'll have a better deal with Trump.  All I can say is: Trump is a businessman; if he sees no profit in an endeavour, he'd cut his losses by pulling out and going the opposite direction. Israel has one very unpredictable ally in Trump. Israel had better have a Plan B and C  when Trump dumps Israel.

The revenge of having to withdraw one settlement from south Jerusalem this week is the demolishing of hundreds of arab houses in east Jerusalem. And though permits are granted for other arab houses to be built, for each permit granted 18 existing houses are demolished. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.761306

Another scary news of the rising power of the religious far right. Some soldiers died of cold because after exercises in the freezing weather, officers denied them turning on the heating because it's against the sabbath law. I think 3 died of hypothermia as a result this weekend. The Sabbath Law was meant to serve man, to preserve life but now it's man serving the Law. It's pharisaism like once upon a time. Sad because Israel's security is at risk. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/military/commanders-refused-soldiers-to-turn-on-heating-in-tents-for-fear-of-sabbath-desecration-25559

On a happier note, there's an article about what food christians here eat during Christmas. Apparently the christians in the south have different food traditions than those from the north. Interesting. http://www.haaretz.com/jewish/food/1.693702

Feast of St. Stephen

Seminarians encounter

What a storm we had last night .... it was actually a regular shower but by Jerusalem's drought standards, it was a storm. And it was very very cold. I had to go visit a group (the 3rd group this weekend) to share a bible talk. It was a wet cold walk 2 kms to the Rosary Sisters convent where they stayed. Nevertheless it was a nice visit. I brought 2 seminarians from Melbourne to meet with 4 Singaporean seminarians who came with the group. It was a good exchange of experiences. And the meeting room was very warm and dry.

Archbishop Pizzaballa in Bethlehem

Christmas Day was exceptional this year with thousands of foreign visitors entering Bethlehem to celebrate and thousands of Palestinian christians coming into Jerusalem because they received permission from Israel for this festive season. Roads and streets were closed not only in Bethlehem and Jerusalem to facilitate the movement of huge crowds ... but also Jaffa where no religious tourists flock to party out the jewish feast of Hanukkah. It was good to see my old friend and classmate, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, entering Bethlehem as Archbishop of Jerusalem. He was our previous Custos of the Holyland and was consecrated a few months back and assigned as Apostolic Administrator of the Holy Land by the Vatican. A few days back I messaged him to ask if 25 years back when we were classmates he ever thought he'd be an archbishop today. I'm very proud of him.

Poor Haifa ... first torched by the immense forest fire that destroyed hundreds of homes, then inundated by the floods ... now there is a huge fire of its oil refinery plant. It's out of control. Haifa has been having such bad luck recently. The residents can't celebrate a proper Hannukah or Christmas.

Thanks for the lovely gifts, the beanie, clothes, calendars and medicines especially Aunties Yvonne, Mary Patricia Lim, the Caveros, Agnes Lee, Irene Teoh, Marveen and many others. Received everything. Really appreciate your kindness.

Christmas Day

Crowds lining up
to enter the Basilica

Merry Christmas to all. As I promise, I prayed for each and everyone of you in Bethlehem. I was there early in the morning yesterday to celebrate a Mass for 120 expats living in Jaffa and Tel Aviv area. They came to make a christmas pilgrimage. It was very cold and drizzling. And the crowds were unbelievable .... crowds after crowds were walking toward the Basilica. Many streets were closed, palestinian security were everywhere making body searches on everyone entering the area.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4897788,00.html

Even so early in the morning there were thousands of pilgrims trying to enter the Basilica of the Nativity. The line stretched all the way out 200 meters into the streets. And the drizzled did not dissuade the people. More and more groups just kept walking up the hill. By 9.30am the scout bands were marching in parade. The giant Christmas Tree was the focus of everyone who wanted to take photos while the Grotto of the Nativity was the main aim. But it would have taken over an hour lining up to reach the door of the Basilica. Many people just gave up trying to get there.

Altar of the
Milk Grotto

I had Mass at the Milk Grotto. The cloistered Perpetual Adoration Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament who serve in the chapel send their greetings and assurances of prayers. The Milk Grotto was where the Holy Family lived for 2 years after the birth of Jesus but before the flight into Egypt. There I celebrated Mass, remembering all of you, your prayers and intentions.

As I had mentioned earlier, Christmas this year coincides with the jewish feast of Hanukkah. The rhetoric of the rabbis against christianity is not letting up. The call to punish jewish or public institutions that put up a christmas tree has met with tacit approval by most rabbinical authorities but also opposition by secular and tourist institutes who fear the lost of business .... especially this christmas being the most crowded in many years. Any negative impression on this year's groups would lead to less groups coming next year.

But the real good news for Christmas was to learn that east Aleppo has been liberated from the militias and the govt. has declared it a safe zone. Christians returned to celebrate Midnight Mass in the ruined churches.  Our friar in Aleppo and the little children of the ruined city send their christmas greetings in a video:   https://www.facebook.com/ChristianMediaCenter.HolyLand/videos/1832854670325775/

Also in Mosul in Iraq the muslim militias have been chased out and christians have returned to celebrate Christmas in their ruined churches. As our Archbishop said ... the physical war may be over but the ideological war continues. We need to pray so hard.

1 day to Christmas

Sufgoniot at a
local bakery

The weekend is upon us .... it's holiday mood throughout Israel and Palestine: Israel because it's the feast of Hanukkah (the re-dedication of the Jewish Temple after it was defiled by the Seleucid kings), Palestine because it's Christmas and tens of thousands of people are flocking into Bethlehem. Most shops in the Israeli side of Jerusalem are closed ... except pastry shops and bakeries selling sufgoniot. That's the traditional jam-filled doughnut eaten during Hanukkah. Shops on the Palestinian side on the other hand are opened 24 hours, making the most of the tourists' visits.

The weather is still very cold. Tomorrow's Midnight Mass will be quite trying for those celebrating in Shepherds' Field. It's all open-air and the night wind blowing from the desert will be biting cold. If you're planning to go there for Mass, you'd better bundle up. Forecast is rain on Christmas Day. I'll be far away in another city near the north to celebrate Mass for the catholic community there because they have no priest. I hope I won't catch a cold.

We're just receiving news that the Berlin Christmas Market attacker has just been shot dead. And that a Christmas plot in Australia has been foiled. So far it's good news ... but goodness knows what's lurking in the dark of people's minds and souls. We must be very vigilant especially here in our land during this festive weekend. Anything can happen.