Last night, today

Arab drummer and jewish guitarist

I was utterly appalled yesterday when I watched the destructive rampage in Hong Kong's LegCo. It was not justified nor justifiable ... so please don't make excuses for them. At the same time it must not be generalised as the entire protest movement. It was not. It was committed by a minority fringe who did not reflect the ideals of the peaceful majority.

We've had our share of violence as well today. An israeli shot dead an ethiopic jew and now ethiopic jews throughout the country are demonstrating. It's another moment that black jews feel discriminated by white jews ... like the unprovoked beating of an ethiopic soldier by israeli police several years ago. It led to major demonstrations and riots in almost all cities in the country. My jewish ethiopic friends all tell me tonight things will heat up in the City. I'm just wondering if I should go out and see the demonstration ... it'll definitely get complicated because the Festival of Lights is still on.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5541869,00.html?fbclid=IwAR0UDIWq89RcqKlK-N0ZeRkKntc8Pr8gmYV_lh8Z0mWrneNOrcX7_bJYFgg

Anyway last night on my way home from work I saw an encouraging sight at the Festival ... an arab drummer and a jewish guitarist making music. Only arab passersby stopped to listen and watch ... so I decided to stand there in support and took photos. Immediately other jews also stopped and took photos ... they were just scared to stop and stand next to arabs until they see strangers doing it. Differences can be resolved if only we have the courage to stop, and share what is common between us. The greatest enemy is fear. The greatest sin is unfounded hatred  (sinat chinam in hebrew).

Bad news Monday

Crowded street in
Old City

The Hong Kong protests are misguided. Accept the fact that you're living on borrowed time ... that in a few years HK will return fully into chinese authority. And any changes demanded now can and will be reversed then. Instead of wasting time and energy fighting the inevitable, it's more constructive to study how to adapt. Such violence I am watching now on the news is disturbing and very destructive to future plans.

And down along the bad news line ... Israel bombed syrian military positions early this morning. 16 killed. Now we'll see if Syria and Iran will respond. Doesn't look good. Trump's weak and contradictory response to Iran is threatening Israel's security. If America is not going to be firm with Iran, Israel will. Shows you who's the boss around here.

And a newspaper report says that lots of arab teenagers are being arrested. Israel should realise that jail is no longer a deterrent or scare tactic to prevent future attacks. Jail is now a status symbol ... a mark of honour and adulthood and heroism among the arab youths.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.MAGAZINE-israel-jails-hundreds-of-palestinian-boys-a-year-1.7021978?fbclid=IwAR2X_Sp4MV-dfg3LfpbzDBsVDyB40CghC_v6l6q0lm3N6bTUwlIhwNMtmPw

Families picnic at Rockefeller Park

A general strike was scheduled for tomorrow at the airport and all immigration crossings. It's scared a lot of tourists. This morning I heard the strike might be called off of the workers are paid. They have not been paid for the past month. Horrible. I don't blame them. The cost of living is high and without a month's salary, you just can't survive.  

And yesterday while watering the jasmine bushes in our sisters' courtyard, a small snake fell near my feet ... apparently it was curled up on a jasmine branch. It slipped away quickly behind some pots. Now everyone is scared they'll get bitten. I'm wearing shoes from now on when I go out watering the plants.

I'm still sick with fever and pain and dizziness and nausea. It could be heatstroke after all. So much for all the bad news on Monday. Garfield would have been proud.

Sick again

Rain clouds in the morning

Am feeling very sick today. Not sue why or what I caught. High fever and joint pains. Didn't wake up with it ... it was only after Mass that I had a high fever and was very giddy. Came home and drank lots of water and slept for 5 hours but still am feeling very sick. It could be the weather .... very hot during the day but cool in the nights. There has been a very strong wind from the west ... and it was cold as well. I came home last night in this cold but didn't felt sick at all.

Lighted archway near the Holy
Sepulchre

It's just been crowds everywhere this weekend. The Festival of Lights is still on and during the day, being the weekend many jews and muslims have entered the Old City to get to their places of worship. I don't particularly like crowds at Damascus Gate ... especially since yesterday an arab was killed by Israeli soldiers for throwing fireworks at them in the village of Issawiya just below the eastern side of the Mt. of Olives. There has been riots since the killing. And police stepped up in numbers in the Old City ... expecting some violence as well. But nothing happened. Thank goodness.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-clash-with-police-in-jerusalem-over-death-of-fireworks-shooter/?fbclid=IwAR0EgRdMZDzdP-PzTrEpqnMRO_B1BWtuIuwOIXAaSVqc26ODkOId23fuCdo

Night jasmine in bloom

Well if there is any consolation, it's that my night jasmine has flowered profusely. The perfume is so strong I can smell it up on the 2nd floor terrace. Simply love it. Actually it's not a jasmine but a cestrum and it flowers only in the night. A couple of neighbours also have such bushes and these bushes bloom at the same time. So in the early morning at 5.30am when I go out to celebrate Mass, the street is covered by this sweet smell. Now wait a minute .... I've been smelling the tiny flowers up close .... maybe I'm allergic and that's why I'm sick. Oh dear.

Light Festival

Damascus Gate illuminated

Time flies ... I've been so busy I've had no time to update the blog. And today is Saturday. Time flies. This week I'm celebrating 2 Masses each day and reciting Vespers twice. Then as hebdom I have to lead all prayers before and after meals, prepare the dining table, serve the meals and do the washing up. Well I took a break on Thursday night because I really wanted to see the Festival of Lights as I was feeling strong enough to do the walk.

Damascus Gate

This year the festival is big ... 32 events compares to last year's 10. The traditional 3 routes were reopened: covering the green route that runs through the Muslim Quarter, the red route that runs through the Christian Quarter and the blue route that runs along the walls of the Armenian and Jewish Quarters. I only managed to do the red and green routes as the crowds were overwhelming and the climbing up and down of the Old City steps tired me out. But the lights were fantastic. As usual Damascus Gate held a spectacular show covering the entire facade. At Jaffa Gate there were illuminated stilt walkers and near New Gate there were jugglers. And there were many more interactive events allowing people to join in actively in the show.

Illuminated great white shark

There was a green screen event where people can be filmed live on the City wall acting out the history of Jerusalem. In the dark mysterious Cave of Zedekiah, there were old scientific apparatuses reworked to modern interactive machines. Some flashed lights when you clap or stomp your feet. Others active when you move or talk. The cave became another world of weird shapes and colours. I guess I'll have to go see the blue route one of these nights.

Back to daytime and it's nonstop work. I'm losing a lot of my memory maybe due to fatigue. Can't find my wallet and all the important contents. Forgot people's names when I meet them. Go to places and forget why I went there.

Here's an interesting article by a top Talmud scholar who thinks it's christians who "invented" judaism. Worth a read.  https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-how-christians-invented-judaism-according-to-a-top-talmud-scholar-1.7417536?fbclid=IwAR36Yx1z-5BgT1Wi_Y51s_eWnwoPmlltyeyrU87Ce9Vz8BupuTImk3JxhiE

Midweek woes

Bedouin veggie vendors at Damascus
Gate

Palestinains continue to demonstrate and strike over Trump's peace deal. Actually I was quite sold into it when I read the details ... enormous infrastructure overhaul and economic boost. But on further  deeper reading I realised nothing will change if Israel continues to control the entry of goods, medicines, electricity, water and all other essentials into Palestine. You can have the best roads and railways that Trump promises but if you're not allowed to cross borders or streets, then that's all useless. Checkpoints and walls will continue to stop freedom of movement. And one american newspaper editorial put it very succinctly: though 50 billion dollars is promised, no actual money has been concretely and factually donated yet. It may just exist on paper only. So as I walked out of Damascus Gate this morning, I saw many bedouin women selling the veggies from their fields ... and I thought they'll continue to struggle carrying their sacks of veggies, lining up at security checkpoints at 4am, crossing into Jerusalem and selling their produce for a measly 200 shekels and head back home. Trump's plan won't benefit them.

Vegetarian lunch

In a continuing saga of the trial of jewish arsonists who killed an arab family of 3 including a baby, the jewish youths refused to talk and their parents say it was "arabs" who burned and killed the arab family. Such is the hatred for arabs among these rightwing israelis, any accusation can be flung and it will be believed. With this kind of hatred, can anyone think that Trump's plan will benefit the arabs?  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5536770,00.html

I'm trying to stick to my vegetarian diet ... as ordered by a 2nd doctor. It really shouldn't be that bad ... but a chicken wing would be nice. And no white pasta, bread or rice either. I eat shraq which is an unleavened bread. And there's lots of fresh veggies in our house. The sisters who work in the kitchen are calling it donkey food. I hope I'll survive this food regime.

Tonight the Festival of Lights begin but I'll go to sleep instead. Am exhausted with lots of work and my left ankle is swollen again.

Feastday again

Demolished park

Yesterday was the solemnity of John the Baptist ... so there was major celebrations at his birthplace in Ein Kerem from Sunday evening till Monday evening. I on the other hand had a very very busy day ... just an idea of what it was like ... 2 Masses, 1 funeral, and solemn vespers recited twice. I had to do the gardening in the morning as the 2 courtyards were really messy and the vicar of the house told me to get it done. Then there was sending off my final year students who flew off home for their ordinations ... and then at 9.30pm I had to send another guy off to the airport. However I was so tired by then I only managed to send him to the Light Rail and taught him how to  change the line to the train in order to arrive at the airport.

New Armenian Catholic Exarch

Yesterday and today there have been demonstrations against Trump's so-called peace plan for Palestine (not Israel). Flatly rejected by locals here ... meaning even israelis are against it because in certain areas they lose out. Let's hope the violence doesn't get out of hand. It'll ruin the Festival of Lights which begins tomorrow evening ... and I was looking forward so much to it.

And strangely the multi-leveled garden/park on the east of Damascus Gate was demolished. We've no idea what's taking it's place but my guess is it'll be leveled so police and horses can run through it quickly whenever there's a riot. When it was multi-stepped, it was difficult to climb up and down the stairs and bushes and trees ... let alone military horses.

And the weather while it cooled last week, is picking up again today. Afternoon was a high of 32 degrees. The Festival of Lights will be quite hot. That could be fun because then I can have an ice cream as well.

Anyway I found a photo of the installation of the new Armenian Catholic Exarch with all the Catholic dignitaries. That took place last week and technically he's my boss when I celebrate the Sunday Liturgy in this cathedral.

Corpus Christi

Sunrise at Damascus Gate

It's Sunday ... Corpus Christi for us latins but ordinary Sunday for the Oriental churches. I had to preside the solemnity at our chapel at 7am then rushed off to the Armenian Catholic church for the ordinary Sunday Mass. All 3 of my armenian seminarians came as well as 4 Missionary of Africa seminarians. It was the last time 2 of the armenian seminarians will help at Mass because they will be transferred outside of Jerusalem for their one year apostolate experience. However it was a grand Mass because the singing was great ... the responses and readings all in armenian. We'll miss the twin seminarians ... now I just hope the last seminarian will remain long enough to help me in summer. I think there was a celebration at the Last Supper Room.

Altar for Corpus
Christi at the
Holy Sepulchre

Being a feast day, I went out at 5am to the bakery to get fresh bread. There were lots of buns fresh from the oven. I bought 11 ... which should be enough for everyone. And the owner who by now knows me, charged me only 1 shekel each. It should cost between 3 to 5 shekels each. And at breakfast time, all the buns were wiped out. They really like it. Since the docs have all agreed I should be vegetarian, meals have become a nightmare. It's ok having veggies and fruit but absolutely no meat ... not even white meat ... is too much. No more Arab Fried Chicken. That's ultimate torture.

But things could be worse. The escalating tensions between US and Iran is making everyone nervous here. If a war does break out, Iran will surely employ its syrian and lebanese allies to attack Israel. We're all watching carefully. Definitely no AFC if there's a war.

Restorers and archeologists claim they have found an ancient baptismal font inside the present baptismal fount in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Sounds interesting. Photos show a round  gray basin encapsulated by the modern octagonal baptismal fount. I think a round baptismal font is strange for the Byzantine period (the archaeologists claim it's byzantine) because such basins are almost always cross-shaped.   https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-say-baptismal-font-discovered-at-church-of-the-nativity/?fbclid=IwAR3mH7deWzGBNt8R5GMy3ML19p3HoxoKRzdJPStADPgw10ukTQt8nunn7iw