Church shelled in Damascus

Damage on church roof

Yesterday evening I received news that our Franciscan parish church in Bab Touma on the outskirts of Damascus was bombed. It was not serious ... a corner of the roof was destroyed and the pews below were covered with debris. No one hurt. But it goes to show that the war in Syria is far from over. Last night the neighbourhood of Ghouta adjacent to Damascus was heavily bombed by State forces to flush out rebels who control that area. Many innocent casualties were taken to hospitals. Terrible way to pass Christmas and New Year.

It's not the first time this church was shelled. But from news we receive, the bombings are more frequent and closer to the church. There are many christians living there.

In the same neighbourhood of Bab Touma we have the sanctuary of St. Ananias who was sent to heal Paul's blindness. We have a home for the aged next to the Sanctuary. The sisters of St. Vincent de Paul have a hospital there too.

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Syrian-army-breaks-siege-of-army-base-near-Damascus-533083

Locally the high cost of living is impoverishing lots of people. There are more homeless people now than before because they simply cannot pay the rent.  http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Syrian-army-breaks-siege-of-army-base-near-Damascus-533083

Debris in the church

And the bill to stop all grocery shops from opening on the Sabbath is rumbling back and forth in the Knesset. Ultra-orthodox demand it but many other types of jews are against it. To please the ultra-orthodox parties who hold the balance of power in the coalition govt., the governing party must cede to their wishes. But the majority of the people are against. The only concession the ultra-orthodox are willing to make is petrol station kiosks. When the bill is struggling to get through ... and if it succeeds, most jews will turn to the arabs to do their shopping. That's help the arab side which is poorer ... and by the way, there is already an increase in jewish shoppers in the arab parts of Jerusalem and the country.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-heads-reach-compromise-on-shabbat-bill-but-majority-not-guaranteed/

New week ...

Selling hot coffee in the middle of
the street

The weather continues to be cold but it's quite sunny today and the clouds have mostly blown east to Jordan. Yesterday I had spent the afternoon cleaning the courtyard messed pop by the storm. Because I can't squat or bend the knees low, it made the work doubly difficult because I had to clean out the drains that are blocked by earth from the broken flower pots. We need more rain ... but please no more storms or snow.

The cold has affected many in our house. Sick. There's been a big demand for hot soup and ginger tea. Mint is also in big demand. Yesterday I bought a bunch for 3 shekels ... not the freshest but it was the only bunch I could find as everything in the City has been sold out. Traditional coffee sellers in Bethlehem are vending their cups of hot coffee in the middle street. They have a portable charcoal brazier to keep the coffee hot. Brisk business.

Night market is
back at Damascus
Gate

With the storm over, the open air night markets have resumed. The noise, smells and colors of winter fruit and veggies are incredible. We even have bananas which are summer fruit ... they come from the warmer temperate area of Jericho.

The Orthodox churches celebrated Christmas yesterday. But the Greek Orthodox patriarch was met with a hostile group of orthodox christians who oppose his selling of church property to jews ... and there's lots of land already sold. They shouted traitor and threw stones and bottles at his entourage, breaking the windscreens of 3 cars as it entered Betyhlehem's Basilica of the Nativity ... and the Palestinian police only started to disperse the crowd when Israel threatened to send in Israeli soldiers to protect the Patriarch.

The Chief Rabbi has spoken openly that he's against the death penalty for terrorists as advocated by rightwing ministers. The PM had suggested that this should apply to jews as well ... meaning the death penalty is actually meant for arabs (or non-jews) only. The Chief Rabbi is fearful that jews might be put to death so he's against this law. Doing the right thing for the wrong reason.   http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/politics-and-military/politics/chief-rabbi-against-death-penalty-bill-33518

The eventual enforced repatriation of African migrants is disturbing the local scene ... not least because these migrants work in some industries which need their labour. The hotels will be the first to be affected as most cleaners come from this group. Hoteliers are warning the govt. that hotels may have to close if these workers are forced to return home.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.833578

Baptism of the Lord

Intense fog over the City

The weather continues to be very cold though the rains have stopped. This morning the entire City was enveloped in a thick fog ... so thick you could hardly see the Ghawanima minaret some 30 meters away and it's the highest and most prominent minaret in our area.  The whole of the Mt. of Olives was invisible. I've not seen such fog for some 20 years. Meanwhile crowds are flocking to Mt. Harmon to see the snow and the Sea of Galilee rose by 3 cm. Roads in the desert are blocked because of flash floods that bring stone and boulders rolling about. It's always dangerous to go to the Dead Sea or the desert during this time as water from the cities flow down into the low-lying deserts.  People have been hurt because of the storm.  http://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=435699&utm_content=buffer3cf05&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Selling cheap winter clothes at
Zion Square

It's quite some time since I went to the New City and today I thought I should go and get some fresh air. It was a little sunny but cloudy. There was only a little wind but it was cold nonetheless. A good 2kn walk to the asian grocery was peasant but all through the City there were garbage strewn all over and toppled flower pots and broken tree branches. Puddles of water are everywhere but people are back join the streets. Only the cafes and restaurants are quite empty. In the middle of Zion Square there were several men emptying cartons of winter clothes and blankets on the ground ... selling them for 50 shekels only. That's incredibly cheap and crowds of elderly were gathering there. I wonder if it's legal to sell things like that. The police across the road could see everything but did nothing.

Well Christmas is over as we celebrate the Baptism of Christ. The franciscans held the traditional procession in Jericho to the Jordan River and solemn Mass was celebrated at the small chapel. This Christmas is is shortest we've had ... Advent was practically only 3 weeks as Christmas fell only one day after the 4th Sunday of Advent ... then Epiphany fell on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas and the Baptism a day later. Usually there would be a week between all these feasts. Now I'll have to pack up my Christmas decorations.

There was some confusion in Jerusalem today as municipality workers called a strike. No one was sure the extent of the strike. Only now in the evening are we told that garbage collectors and other general workers went on strike but schools decided to open. That's because the Ministry of Finance has not paid them salaries. It's terrible because life is so expensive here ... from food to rent to electricity.  http://www.janglo.net/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=display&catid=99&tid=435700&utm_content=buffered62f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Epiphany

Holy Sepulcher
in the rain

The wind was so wild and strong all through the night ... and the rain was slashing the sky like knives. And I found my bathroom flooded. I thought a pipe had broken but after checking everything I found out it was the rain coming through the exhaust fan ... the wall was wet with rain coming in. And the electricity kept going off ... almost over a dozen times. And I didn't have a stock of candles ready. Awful.

I fell when the wind knocked me over yesterday. Last night my left hip hurt so much I woke up at 2am and couldn't sleep. Well it was also too cold. Found out that one of my best buddies working with security was doing night shift so we chatted for over an hour. Good to pass the time when you have a good friend to talk to. Would have been just as great to chat with another best buddy but he keeps Sabbat meaning no phones allowed.

Gold, frankincense
and myrrh

Well without electricity means no wifi as well. Good day to do some reading. However I had Mass at the Holy Sepulcher at 8am. Walked out in the rain and cold. Mass was quite crowded as many tourists wanted to attend Epiphany Mass. The side altar was beautifully decorated with the child Jesus enthroned and in front were gifts of "gold", frankincense and myrrh. Really creative and original. Loved it. So officially Christmas ends on Monday.

The whole neighborhood is talking about the book Fire and Fury and people searching bookshops to buy it ... but it's not in Israel yet. I guess even if some of the "facts" are not real ... most people already feel that way about Trump. The book simply put into words what people have been thinking all this year. Anyway in a surprising move on the foreign affairs department, Trump ordered a letter to the Israelis to curb jewish prayer on the Al Aqsa mosque compound so as not to provoke the muslims; at the same time asking the ultra-orthodox rabbis to allow other types of jews to pray freely at the Wailing Wall. https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-officials-advised-israel-to-expand-jewish-prayer-at-western-wall/

And as christians begin to wind up Christmas celebrations, here's a timely reminder that christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world ... but nobody wants to talk about it. Well you should be aware and spread this awareness.  https://www.newsmax.com/lelagilbert/christians-persecution-religion-north-korea/2018/01/03/id/834939/

And one funny bit of news ... hedgehogs in Israel are getting too fat ... so fat they can't curl up and protect themselves from danger. Why the obesity? They've been eating cat food left by people in the parks and woods. 10 wild hedgehogs were caught and are now on a crash diet before they will be released. Looks like humans are not the only ones with obesity issues.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5066328,00.html

Storm

Most of our plants toppled by the wind

The storm was slow to arrive in Jerusalem though it hit the coastal cities yesterday night. The wind was very strong in the morning in Jerusalem but there was only drizzle. Most of our potted plants and enormous jasmine climber (1 storey high) were toppled. But after 1pm the rains came .... hard and heavy. I thought it was hailstones because it fell so hard. I had to go out because by chance I met a former student and her husband while going home yesterday. They had some free time after lunch so we decided to meet. But what a weather to meet. Lightening and thunder came later at 2.30pm. The wind was so strong I was almost blown over down the street. We stayed inside Jacob's Pizza till it was time for them to go. I walked home and was totally drenched.

On a national level, floods and accidents occurred everywhere. https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-children-rescued-from-roof-of-car-stuck-in-flooding/

Students preparing for exams
yesterday in the library

Tomorrow is the feast of Epiphany and so there is the solemn entrance of the Custos into Bethlehem. There will be vespers soon and then the midnight prayers before solemn high Mass tomorrow morning. However the processions in the streets of Bethlehem in this storm will be quite a sight ... all the civil and ecclesiastical dignitaries wet. Last week's midnight Mass also took place in a thunderstorm. Everyone in the Basilica was wet while walking through Manger Square into the Basilica entrance. Quite a coincidence that both feasts occurred in storms. Rain is a blessing here in the Holy Land, a drought stricken land ... so jews, muslims and christians are all very happy.

Well one good thing about this storm is it's keeping the students at home. Next week the mid-term exams begin so they're studying hard in the library instead of being distracted by the New City attractions. I'll just have to make sure the library is warm enough ... it's 6 degrees now ... and the students find all the books they need.

Coming storm

Storm clouds from the west

The temperature continues to fall and the forecast for a super storm tonight was already coming true this morning. Dark storm clouds were blowing from the west (Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus which is under the storm). The cold spell from Europe especially Greece has blown into the Levant this morning. The wind was strong and humidity was so high you could smell it in the air. The skies continued to darken and the winds got stronger and stronger. Everyone could feel the cold ... even the soldiers and my security friends who are very tough and served in some of the toughest units of the army ... all felt very cold and kept moving in order to stay warm. Hope those guys are well covered when they do the night shift.

Pigeons on the
rose window

Well I've decided that if the storm gets heavy I won't go to work tomorrow ... at least to the library up the hill. It's been so cold, at 4pm when I was going to the MC sisters' convent for confessions and adoration, I noticed dozens of pigeons huddled in the rose window of Ecce Homo basilica. The Roman Arch abuts the rose window thus providing a shield against the rain and wind so the pigeons are pretty smart in looking for shelter. One thing to watch out for though ... never walk below the rose window because the pigeons poop like crazy.

One good thing about this storm is if it's as powerful as predicted, then there'll be no violent clashes at the borders and no demonstrations in the streets. Everyone will stay at home. And talking about violence, the Knesset was set to push a law to make the death penalty easier to pass for terrorists. But in a surprise move the PM said this death penalty should equally be applied to jewish terrorists who kill arabs. Suddenly the ministers backed down and said the law was not necessary. Democracy? Justice? it's a tragic comedy.   http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/PM-Jewish-killer-of-Palestinian-family-also-deserves-death-penalty-532750

Meantime the bad New Year is not getting better ... over 2000 Municipality workers were fired because the govt. is not paying their salaries. And more are expected. All this after the workers dumped garbage at the Finance Ministry's doors.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-municipality-begins-firing-over-2000-workers-amid-budget-crisis/

Meantime a police study was released today regarding the number of road accidents and deaths in 2017. The main cause of deaths was using the cellphone while driving. But don't count on this study to stop people from using their cellphones while they drive.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/cellphones-were-number-one-cause-of-israeli-car-accidents-in-2017/

Amazing sunset

Sunset of awe

There was an amazing sunset just now .... everyone and everyone stopped to take photos. It was utterly incredible. It lightened up the tensions in the country, between jew and arab, between ultra-orthodox and secular, between religious faiths and political boundaries. It united everyone in awe and wonder at God's creation. It was something we all needed so much here in this divided country. It was surely God's way of telling to stop all these bickering and fighting and see what unites us.

Our cappuccinos and
their creator

Well I got to see it only because some of my students asked me out for a cup of coffee at the Anglican Cafe near Jaffa Gate. They wanted to thank me ... which was a nice gesture. Several however were sick and couldn't make it. It's still a freezing 6 degrees and definitely a weather to make people sick. We had cappuccinos made by a cheerful Sudanese volunteer. I later decided to have a sahlab instead ... my first this winter. After that we went out to Jaffa Gate and saw the awesome sunset ... and there were well over a hundred other people standing at watching it as well.

I was told tomorrow the temp. will drop to 2 degrees. Well from the regional weather forecast we can see the rain and cold blowing from Greece and Cyprus so we should expect some rain and cold in the coming days. Though I dislike the rain, the country needs it ver much. Newspapers say its been the driest December in 20 years and the rain will be a big help to replenish the scorched earth.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5065369,00.html

And the dateline for African illegal immigrants has arrived. If they do not voluntarily go home, they will be arrested and deported by force. Sad new year for many who are genuinely escaping persecution in Sudan and Ethiopia.   http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42541515?ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook