Sheep, then and now

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These sheep are most likely on the table now during this week of Id il Adha, the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice.
Click to enlarge the photo.  See a lone goat going in the wrong direction?  :)  

We saw them in April crossing a road just northwest of my town in the Negev. 

A friend and I were driving home parallel to the security wall. 
On the other side is the West Bank. 

Id mubarak, wishing a blessed and happy holiday to the Palestinians across the way and to our Bedouin neighbors here in the Negev. 
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Iftar (my first!) at Wadi Attir in the wide desert

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I got to participate in a lovely iftar this week, my first!
No, it wasn't in this big Bedouin hospitality tent, but it WAS in the courtyard of the new buildings next to it.

It was at Project Wadi Attir, a new and growing Bedouin + Jewish sustainability initiative in the Negev desert.
If you enlarge this photo all the way, you can see the modern and clean sheep and goat shed.
One of their ways to have income is to make and sell cheese.
Traditional Bedouin medicinal herbs and cosmetics are another.

Here is the courtyard where we assembled and later, at sundown, ate.

The iftar was in collaboration with Women Wage Peace, a multi-faith non-political movement formed by women in the aftermath of the big 2014 conflict with Gaza.
They arranged a panel discussion by a Muslim of Wadi Attir, a Polish Catholic priest from Beer Sheva, and a woman rabbi, who presented the different attitudes and approaches to religious fasting.

On the left: Lina Alatawna, the new young (!) female (!!) Bedouin Director General of Project Wadi Attir--a big success story!  See here:
http://www.sustainabilitylabs.org/wadiattirnews/lina-alatawna-named-general-manager-of-pwa/

On the right: "Ghadir Hani, formerly our Executive Secretary, has begun working with Ali in the Field Crops department, managing outreach and sales, and helping with special programs. In addition to farmer's markets, Ghadir has also been introducing the products to new markets through word-of-mouth marketing events in people's homes in nearby neighborhoods like Omer, and has been a fixture at special local events..."  quoted from the April newsletter.

The  man wearing a kipa is my town Meitar's mayor; he also spoke, as did the mayor of our neighboring Bedouin town, Hura.

While the adults heard the talks, the Bedouin kids and their young Jewish guests made squares for a peace quilt out in the tent.

The following day, Unity Day in Israel, this happened (quoted from Women Wage Peace English Facebook page):

Unity Day at the Women Wage Peace Mothers’ Tent outside the Knesset
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On June 6th, Unity Day, we will spread out 150 quilts which were sewn from thousands of Pieces for Peace which we received from all over the world; we will then create a human chain of unity, and will express our common longing for peace; later Yael Decklebaum will join us at the tent and will sing her songs and talk about her journeys to peace; we will sing the Prayer of the Mothers with her.
1-4 PM Presentation of the Peace Quilts in the Rose Garden
4 PM A human chain along the street leading to the Knesset

After all was said and done, the sun set and we hastened outside to the waiting tables full of good food (some prepared by the hosts and some brought by us guests).
The Muslims dug in without hesitation.
They had been fasting from food AND water from before 4:00 a.m. until 7:47 p.m.!  
I can't imagine having that kind of self-discipline and devotion for the entire month of Ramadan, which often falls during our very hot summer.
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Here is a nice explanation from "What You Should Know Before Attending Your First Iftar."

The fast itself is considered a purification of sins and a time to cleanse mind, body, and soul. Feeding a fasting person is believed to come with great reward from God and therefore many individuals, organizations, mosques, and community centers will offer an Iftar gathering in which the breaking of the fast is celebrated. It's usually not a ceremonial affair, although at many community gatherings this is often seen as an opportunity to educate and create an inter-faith gathering with delicious food, friends, and conversation.

Ramadan kareem!
(This blessing/greeting means "May you have a generous Ramadan," i.e. be generous in your giving to others.)
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(Linking to inSPIRED Sunday.)
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Two domes, one crescent and one cross

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In honor of Ramadan, which begins on Thursday, here is a favorite shot of the Dome of the Rock.
It is a Muslim shrine (not a mosque), built in 687-691 by the ninth Omayyad caliph, Abd al-Malik.
I took this picture in December 2008 from the roof of the Ecce Homo Convent.
The grey dome with the cross belongs to their church. 
On the left of the photo is the Mount of Olives.
All the houses of worship and the holy places are packed together in Jerusalem's Old City, area less than one square kilometer.
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(Linking to inSPIREd Sunday.  Lots of nice churches at the meme; have a look.)
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Ramadan mubarak

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Ramadan karim

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(Linking to SkyWatch Friday.)

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A capital idea. (And a bloody Ashura)

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 An ancient capital reflected in the glass ramp that leads to

the Church of the Flagellation,  which was originally built by the Crusaders in the 12th century.
The Convent (monastery) of the Flagellation now belongs to the Franciscans.

The external wall of the sanctuary is the 2nd Station of the Way of the Cross, marking the imposition of the cross.
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(A post for Weekend Reflections.)
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UPDATE: 

I see that many readers are freaked out by the name Church of the Flagellation (or Scourging).

It refers, of course, to the whipping Jesus got from the Romans in that place. 

But by some strange coincidence, I now notice that today is Ashura, a major Shi'ite holiday marked by bloody self-flagellation. 

I just saw a YouTube video from Lebanon but will spare you by not giving the link.

The Shi'ite men walk through the street in procession, rhythmically whipping their bare back with chains, or hitting their head and chest, or cutting their scalp with razor blades or swords.

The street is literally running with blood.

The most shocking is to see a few fathers cutting on the head of their young sons! 

I would hope our neighbors in the surrounding countries  could find better ways to publicly express grief and mourning for Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, killed in the battle of Karbala in 680. 
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Ramadan mubarak

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The domes and minarets and the long flat building are the Al-Aqsa mosque up on (what we call) the Temple Mount.
More than 100,000 Muslims prayed there yesterday, the first Friday (and first day) of Ramadan.
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I wish my Muslim readers Ramadan kareem. (I think kareem means generous, yes?)
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The Atlantic has a new article about religion in space which contains a delightful video of a Muslim trying to pray in the microgravity of the Space Station.

They write

Muslim astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor had to figure out how, exactly, one faces Mecca during prayers when you are moving at about 17,000 miles per hour and its location relative to you is changing minute to minute, sometimes as much as 180 degrees in the course of one prayer. It was decided that Shukor, who was on the International Space Station during Ramadan, could do no more than the best of his abilities, in trying to face Mecca, kneel, and perform ritual washing.

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Keeping cool in Ramadan

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Is that a reflection or a shadow on the floor of the entrance to Jerusalem's Museum of Islamic Art?
Does it go to James' Weekend Reflections or Tracy's Shadow Shot Sunday?
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Enlarge the picture better to see what created the reflection/shadow.

The delicate pattern from the windows is even echoed in the museum's benches.
And hey, there's definitely a shadow under the bench!

Here are the holes in the bench from above.
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You still see a few examples of this on upper windows in the Old City.
The mashrabiy or rushan is an element of traditional Arabic architecture used since the Middle Ages up to the mid twentieth century.
The wooden lattice would prevent people down on the street from seeing the women in their home and yet would allow the women to see what was happening in the street. Or so it was explained to me.
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In addition to the social aspect of privacy, the rushan was like a primitive air conditioner.
Wikipedia says "The wooden screen with openable windows gives shade and protection from the hot summer sun while allowing the cool air from the street to flow through. The wood itself absorbs the humidity from the air."
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This year Ramadan falls in August, the hottest month of the year.
Not drinking or eating during the long hot day must be a real test of character.
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Wishing Ramadan kareem to our Muslim readers.
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Redeemer church restorations and reflections

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R-Day at ABC Wednesday

Regretful rethinking of plans was called for this morning.
I had come to the Old City for a haircut but found all the Muslim places of business closed.
Then I heard loud booms and realized (hoped!) that it was from the Muslim ceremonial canons.
Right! It was Id il Adha holiday starting today!
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Redeemer Church was right near, so I went in.
Its bell tower is the tallest structure in the Old City and the view must be great.
But the only way up is by a narrow spiral staircase. Sorry, I can't do that, not even for the blog!
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Restorations!!
Yay, work is going on down in the bottom!
The present church was dedicated in 1898 by Kaiser Wilhelm II. But under it are medieval remains of the Church of St. Maria Latina. It was first built in the 8th century by Emperor Charlemagne.

I'm anxious to see what they do with it.
Please enlarge the photo to read all the sponsors and plans.
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Reflected in the door of a chapel is the cloister.
The two-storied cloister is the best-preserved in Jerusalem.
Once the fighting Crusader monks of the Hospitaler Order of St. John lived there.
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The cloister and the courtyard are a green oasis of peace and quiet in the middle of the bustling Old City.
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The bell tower and dome of the German Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.

And way behind it, on the crest of the Mount of Olives, is the tall tower of the other Lutheran church at Augusta Victoria, named for Kaiser Wilhelm's wife.

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Id mubarak to any of you celebrating the holiday today.

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Ramadan and the Jerusalem qibla

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The new moon was sighted. Ramadan has begun.
Ramadan kareem to all our Muslim blogger-friends.
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Coming this year as it does in the heat of summer [as in, Robin's Summer Stock], the holy month must be a great challenge to observant Muslims, who may neither eat nor drink from sunrise to sunset.
This is a copy of part of an old mosque in the Tower of David Museum of Jerusalem History.
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The minbar is a stepped pulpit from which the imam preaches.
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The mihrab is a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla, that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying.

But it was not always so.
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Like Jews then and now, the earliest Muslims also prayed in the direction of Jerusalem, specifically, facing the Haram e-Sharif (what we call the Temple Mount).
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To quote Wikipedia --
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"This first qibla was used for over 13 years, from 610 CE until 623 CE. . . .
According to accounts from the prophet Muhammad's companions, the change happened very suddenly during the noon prayer in Medina, in a mosque now known as Masjid al-Qiblatain (Mosque of the Two Qiblahs). Muhammad was leading the prayer when he received revelations from Allah instructing him to take the Kaaba as the Qiblah.
According to the historical accounts, Muhammad, who had been facing Jerusalem, upon receiving this revelation, immediately turned around to face Mecca, and those praying behind him also did so."
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And the rest is history.
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UPDATE: Sarah of Mashhad (IRAN) Daily Photos
has contributed new information and also personal insights in a comment. Don't miss it!
And now good input is given also by "Green," whom I am sure you all remember.
Thank you, my young friends, for sharing your knowledge and opinions.
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