Blessed be the Thais

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These are greenhouses way down near the Dead Sea.
They say that Thai workers can withstand the heat inside because they are used to it. 

About 30,000 Thais are employed in Israel, most in agriculture and some in factories.
Some 4,000 work on farms  nearer the Mediterranean,  just north of the Gaza Strip.

Several days ago a guest worker in his mid-30s who had been in the country only one month was severely wounded when a Gaza mortar hit the hothouse where he was working.

He was rushed to the hospital in Ashkelon by helicopter where he succumbed to his injuries, becoming Israel's third civilian casualty.

Today a Buddhist monk officiated at the funeral ceremony for Narakorn Kittiyangkul.
May he rest in peace.
His body was flown back to Thailand.  
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See  http://www.timesofisrael.com/thailand-asks-israel-to-move-workers-from-the-south/
and the report in the Bangkok Post.
Also my post from March 2010 about a Thai killed by a Kassam rocket from Gaza.
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A big thank you to those Thai workers who carry on and stay in Israel during these dangerous weeks.
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UPDATE July 28:  Meanwhile Ynet has published an article about this:

Wake held for Thai worker who was killed by mortar shell

Ceremony held in Netiv HaAsara in memory of Narakorn Kittiyangkul, before his body was sent back to Thailand for burial.

Matan Tzuri

Published:  07.27.14, 23:21 / Israel News

Dozens of Thai workers arrived to the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council on Saturday to attend the wake of Narakorn Kittiyangkul, the 36-year-old Thai worker who was killed last week from a mortar shell that hit the Netiv HaAsara greenhouses.

A Buddhist monk arrived especially in order to conduct the ceremony that was attended by dozens of Thai workers.
Kittiyangkul was killed while working at a tomato greenhouse. He was having breakfast with his coworkers when a volley of mortar shells was fired at them. He was severely wounded and was declared dead several minutes later.
The wake was held in Israel before his body is taken back to Thailand for burial. During the ceremony, attendees lit candles, prayed and bowed their heads in front of Kittiyangkul's photo that was placed on a table decorated with flowers.
According to Thai tradition, the attendees and the monk that hosted the ceremony prayed for Kittiyangkul's soul.
Residents from Netiv HaAsara also attended the ceremony and took part in it.
"The Thai workers are a part of our society, a part of our community, and that's why we stand by their side in this difficult time, that is also a difficult time for us," one of the Netiv HaAsara residents said.
After the ceremony, Kittiyangkul's body was taken to the airport, from which it will be flown to Thailand, to be buried in his home village.
The head of the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, Yair Farjon, said: "We are deeply saddened by the death of the Thai worker. He was a dedicated worker who paid a heavy price for something that was no fault of his. We send our condolences to the family." 

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UPDATE Aug. 20:   120 small shelters are being put in the fields for the workers and farmers near the Gaza Strip.   See
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Agriculture-Ministry-installing-shelters-on-farmland-on-Gazan-perimeter-371686 
and also
http://www.timesofisrael.com/port-o-shelters-placed-in-fields-to-shield-vulnerable-farmers/
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Two great fathers

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Wishing a happy Father's Day to the two devoted and loving fathers of my grandchildren:

My son, Edo, and his son, Kai.
They live in Los Angeles.
Kai was face-painted in this picture for a skateboard competition.

My son-in-law, Guy, and his kids, Dean, Libby, and Eyal.
They live down in Sydney, Australia.
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And a happy Father's Day to all you other great dads out there, too!
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Mazal-tov to Spacedlaw

Sage burning in a friend's lair

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(Easier to see the wafting smoke if you click on the photos)

I was reminded of these photographs by the good news just announced by my favorite poet-on-the-Web. Congratulations, Spacedlaw (Nathalie), on TWO of your poems being nominated for Best of the Net 2009. "The Sage's Secret" is beautiful [and was also nominated for the Pushcart Prize]!
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Nathalie's short posts are a daily joy for me. You too can sample her blogs,
"A TITLE? What's in a title? I was never told there should be a TITLE!"
and
"Word of the day! Fresh! Fresh! Fresh!".
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Post-Day of Atonement post

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Yom Kippur ends with the Ne'ila (= locking, closing) prayer. You can feel the heightened intensity in the congregation in this last hour of a long day of prayer. We stand before the holy ark and plead

"OPEN UNTO US, O GOD, THE GATE OF MERCY, BEFORE THE CLOSING OF THE GATES, ERE THE DAY IS DONE. THE DAY VANISHES, THE SUN IS SETTING; LET US ENTER YOUR GATES!
We beseech you, O God, forgive, pardon, condone; have pity and compassion, grant us atonement, and subdue our sin and iniquity."

Thank you all for your expressions of solidarity and blessing for this long day of fasting and introspection.
This morning I woke up to a surprise. Father Adam created a lovely post of Yom Kippur wishes for his Jewish friends, complete with a closing (or opening?) stained glass gate!
Thank you, FA. God bless you and all the new possibilities of interfaith learning that blogging opens for us.
FA is a Carmelite monk and priest in California and his Monastery Daily Photo is a welcome look behind the monastary walls. And he answers comment questions too!
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