Sudden storm

Geraniums at Tsahal Square

What a thunderstorm .... in 10 minutes the sky grew so dark we had to turn on the lights indoors. Thunder roared and enormous raindrops pelted down so loudly we couldn't hear each other. Unbelievable that it should rain like this in May. But just as suddenly as it came, the storm disappeared after 10 minutes. I was hoping it would continue raining because today I must wash the courtyard. Too bad for me.

More restrictions have been eased today with parks, libraries and gyms reopening with immediate effect. The 100m limit for walking is now lifted and people can wander as far as they want. Shopping malls and street stalls may also open. However universities and colleges will open only on June 14th. One strange ruling is beaches are closed for sunbathing but open to water sports. Does that mean one must keep playing non-stop because if you stop and sit down to rest, that's sunbathing. Confusing.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/malls-libraries-gyms-and-zoos-the-businesses-that-can-reopen-under-new-rules/?fbclid=IwAR2qW57xfLBNdGvDcOg_Iv-jRtTBt6vHZhrJ7g9ij9-9HsVBRIwxMcKp8wo

Jaffa Street at the Post Office

My chest pain has lessened a lot thanks to Dr Thomas Wong's advice. It's been terribly scary ... with palpitations, dizziness and nausea for 3 days now. Today I feel a lot better with no dizziness and only once chest pain. Still I'm avoiding to exert myself. I'll see how I'll wash the courtyard without becoming sick.

Well as schools eventually reopening in 3 weeks, students are preparing for exams and finishing their theses. I have no workers in the library yet ... so I'm alone handling the university students with their very many demands for photocopies, scans etc.... I guess its that pressure that'll give me a heart attack.

1st burger

Damascus Gate today

The week has started and the sunny summer weather is upon us. In the afternoon, it's 26 degrees but nighttime is chilly ... 10 degrees. Most people going out still wear a sweater or jacket ... while it gets terrible hot under the sun, the sweater serves to keep the chill out in the shadows and shade.

I had the chance to go out into the New City today after 7 weeks of lockdown at home. Some places have changed ... obviously the Municipality took advantage of the lockdown to renovate and alter some public squares and repair some roads. Along the way I could see people wearing masks ... but like in the Old City, people think masks are meant to cover their mouths only. All their noses were sticking out. What use is the mask then? Police motor squads were everywhere along Jaffa Street but not one police stopped these people. intact the police themselves wee wearing their masks with noses sticking out. Someone should make a study of this phenomenon.

Iwo's on Hillel Street

I managed to buy my essentials and on my way back I saw Iwo's Burgers opened. After 7 weeks eating only bread and an occasional instant noodle, I thought I'd treat myself to an Iwo meal ... a 400g beef burger. No one was allowed to enter the restaurant. Orders are made on a computer screen outside and the cook receives the order on his computer inside. He happened to be our parishioner. Once the burger was ready, a delivery boy brought the takeaway pack out to me and I paid him. The burger tasted so good ... the 1st I've had in almost 2 months.

Saturday evening saw another massive demonstration in Tel Aviv against the economic crisis caused by the lockdown. Despite thousands of people gathering in one public square, social distancing was kept and demonstrators wore masks. That's social responsibility.

Jaffa Street today

In another move to normality, the govt will vote to reopen shopping malls, parks and gyms by Friday. Sounds good but everything depends of people's civic consciousness by wearing masks and keeping distances ... which is not always easy to enforce when crowds are big. Just today I saw 4 policemen stop an arab for not wearing a mask (200 shekel fine) but 5 others without masks walked past.

Good Shepherd day

Modern shepherd

It's the 4th Sunday of Easter ... traditionally Good Shepherd Sunday which in Asia is associated with vocations. I sent this photo of a modern shepherd in Nazareth to our Archbishop and he was happy.

Schools have reopened for primary 1-3 students as well as secondary students, special needs students and ultra-orthodox seminaries. It's mainly to relief the parents from homelier so they can go to work. However many mayors have questioned the wisdom of such an action ... being based more on economic than health concerns ... so they have refused to allow schools to reopen in their districts. Newspapers are speaking of chaos but I think it's all a bit exaggerated. Things we find it's equilibrium and if everyone takes necessary precautions there would be no further infections. But in all this, I see how parents view the education system ... schools are more daycare centres than formation centres. It's meant to let parents be free for their work. That attitude needs to be looked seriously into.

Several days back news report that Israel fired missiles into Syria. There has been nor retaliatory attacks by Syria ... being occupied with the virus containment. Hopefully there'll be no escalation as everyone is already wearied from the lockdown and a military offensive is the last thing everyone wants.

Our student-chefs at work

Lockdown meant we have no workers coming in to work ... including the all important cooks. A team of profs and students have undertaken this job to feed us. And their secret talents have been revealed. 2 of our students are excellent pastry chefs, making cakes and creampuffs every week. I guess today for Good Shepherd Sunday they've come up with a chocolate spongecake. And the others are preparing a barbecue in our courtyard. It's a good change to get out in the open for  a meal. Tents have been set up to block out the scorching sun. Everything seems to be in place. We just need to bring our appetites at noon.

St Joseph Day

Palm Plaza sunny but empty

I've been being vey sick for the past 2 nights but yesterday was extremely bad. It was like a heart attack ... palpitations, sweaty hands, chest pain, dizzy spells. I kept my heart attack medicine close by all the time. Found out yesterday morning I forgot to take my daily medication. Today am feeling still bad. Very dizzy and light-headed. Not sure if it's high blood pressure. I'm not risking going to hospital because that's where you'll catch the virus. Hoping for the best.

Despite my predicament, I managed to clean 2 floors of the library. Not easy as it's a huge place. 3 more floors to do ... but maybe next week. The weather is fantastic and it's a pity people are locked in Still the strict rules have saved us and the infection rate is falling. News of vaccine trials around the world is giving us hope.

Damascus Gate roundabout

Lockdown is slowly relaxing and we expect more normality tomorrow when the govt will announce more good news. Schools will be open on Sunday ... from primary 1-3 and secondary students. Later in the month the other students will be allowed to return to school.

On the other hand, newspapers say that many israelis have begun flouting distancing rules now that lockdown is relaxed. Police are warning that strict enforcement might be back if people continue to flout it. Parks and beaches are crowded again. And some of our guys went out last night to see the Ramadan lights at Damascus Gate.

Yesterday was St Joseph's day and many people were praying to the protector of the family and good death. It's one or the other. St Joseph hear our prayers.

Double curfew

People lining up for govt aid

Yesterday was Independence Day ... but a totally surreal one. We were under curfew. No one was allowed to leave the house. Not even for food. It lasted from Tuesday evening 5pm till Wednesday 8pm. We've been used to picnics and barbecues in the park and streets, parades, parties, flybys by the airforce, concerts ... suddenly this year everyone is locked in the house. All celebrations cancelled. It felt so very different.

Well for us here living in East Jerusalem it was a double curfew because other than the Independence Day curfew, we also have the nightly Ramadan curfew which aims to stop muslims from gathering. A double curfew? totally surreal.

This morning I had to go to the other library and check because one librarian is allowed to come back to work. The relaxed directive is 30% of the workforce allowed to restart work. Then I had the usual payment of books and magazine orders, arrangement of other workers' permits. After that I had a long walk to East Jerusalem to the bookshop to buy files that are urgently needed for our admin work. On the way back I bought 2 papayas that were locally grown. Gave one to our sisters. I need the vitamins because my mouth ulcers have broken out again.

Hawkers reopen their stalls

On the way I passed the Post Office and there was a huge line with distancing waiting outside the Post Office. It's been like this since the lockdown started. These people are getting govt aid. But the Post Office is limited to 10 persons each time so the line gets very long. Nevertheless the walk out this morning was refreshing. The sun was shining brightly but a cool breeze was blowing. And I got to exercise my legs.

Hawkers selling toys and other stuff also open though it's not included in the directives. Police close one eye ... like ignoring arabs without masks (a 200 shekel fine) or social distancing. Perhaps its a little mitigation in the Ramadan spirit ... but that's dangerous as we're in a viral outbreak. The  arab population will be decimated by this virus ....

Sad day

Police below our
house stand in 1 min
silence

Last night at 8pm the sirens sounded throughout the country and all Israelis stopped in silence for a minute. This morning at 11am another siren ... 2 minutes this time ... sounded and again the country came to a standstill. A sombre as Israelis remember their soldiers and victims of terrorism on this date. But sadder still because of the pandemic, no one could go to the cemeteries. The President was with a small entourage at the Wailing Wall last night to deliver a speech ... and today again at the cemetery of the fallen. It's been hard for many families.

Some instead went to Ikea and protested there ... because while cemeteries are closed, Ikea was allowed to open. There's general discontent with the megastore but there is little the people can do except protest and boycott to register their disapproval.

Mt. of Olives under night curfew

I was out on our terrace for the evening siren. The street below was empty ... because of the night curfew on muslims during Ramadan. Only 2 police were at the street corner. They stood in silence ... and it was really very sad. But I also thought of the palestinians who were innocently killed these 70 yrs ... and they have no memorial day, no sirens, no public mourning. It's a sad world ... and the pandemia is reminding us all of our common fate ... death. What with all the fighting on earth when in the end we'll all lie buried in the same earth?

One redeeming article in a newspaper ... israelis saluting arab medical workers who are leading the frontline in fighting this pandemia. If jews can trust an arab doctor or nurse to care for them ... why can't they trust outside of the hospital?  

Out again

Damascus Gate market back
in business

Life is slowly getting back to normal. Today news say the 500m limit for walks will be extended after Independence Day which is Wednesday. 3 fighter jets have been roaring overhead all morning in rehearsal. They'll fly over hospital s to salute health workers during the Independence Day celebration ... which I think that's about it. All concerts, parties and the navy-airforce flypast have been cancelled.

The Suq today

I had a chance to go out again today. Wanted to get medicine at the pharmacy and the superior told me to buy an infra-red thermometer. Went to 3 pharmacies and they're all sold out. But the walk through the Suq (covered market) was interesting ... the first time since 2 months under lockdown. It was quite crowded ... now that most shops are allowed to open again. And being Ramadan, people came out shopping. Not everyone was wearing masks which is mandatory ... but the police are not enforcing the law.  

Meantime we learn that an israeli shop owner committed suicide because of the lockdown. His veggie stall was closed and he lost everything. Other wet-market hawkers demonstrated and scuffled with police. It's terribly sad. And many shops including chain-stores refuse to open because Ikea was the only major store that was allowed to open last week. Everyone questioned why. Well there's a newspaper report answering that question. Not sure if it's verified.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/.premium-ikea-israel-s-owners-gave-millions-to-health-chief-s-sect-it-won-approval-to-reopen-1.8800732?fbclid=IwAR3KXK4y0RRnalOVd5lRzLRZXgtbZpApXk8KABUMh9XegzKFohERhJ1U_ko

It's another week and things are looking brighter. We'll see what summer holds for us.