The original Weed Eater

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One man's weeds can be another creature's meal.
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This picture of a former neighbor with open mouth hopefully qualifies for Rob and Mandy's new food meme called "Food for Thoughts."
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Sheep and goat grazing is encouraged in Israel, especially here in the forested Jerusalem Hills, in order to reduce the amount of underbrush and lessen the chance of fire.
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After a few recent days of rain, green growth is finally starting to replace the brown dry stuff that has been around all during the extra-long extra-hot summer dry season.
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Sacristan duties on a ladder

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A brave Benedictine nun positioned a ladder on the stairs leading down to the crypt and climbed up to extinguish the candle at one of the stations of the cross.
This was after the Epiphany Mass last Thursday.
I think you have to be surefooted as a mountain goat to take care of the tall 12th C. Crusader church.
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The church and the Abbey of St. Mary of the Resurrection are behind the tall trees.
I imagine the nuns and monks hear quite well the muezzin's call to prayer five times a day, as the minaret is just to the left of their compound.
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Abu Ghosh is a Muslim Israeli Arab town west of Jerusalem.
Its restaurants are always full of Israeli Jews who appreciate their Middle Eastern food.
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Z is for Zen GPS and Zen Judaism

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(with thanks to Dave Coverly and his Speed Bump cartoons)

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Denise Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday has again reached the end of the alphabet.

Here we are, at Z .
With all the sad things happening -- Australia's flood, Arizona's shootings, mortars flying over the Gaza Strip fence into Israel -- I need something funny for just one good laugh.

You too?

Try this:

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The Tao of Zen Judaism

from the book EVE by Aurelio O'Brien http://www.evethenovel.com/

If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

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Take only what is given.

Own nothing but your robes and an alms bowl.

Unless, of course, you have the closet space.

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There is no escaping karma.

In a previous life, you never called, you never wrote,

You never visited.

And whose fault was that?

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Let your mind be as a floating cloud.

Let your stillness be as the wooded glen.

And sit up straight.

You'll never meet the Buddha with posture like that.

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Wherever you go, there you are.

Your luggage is another story.

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To practice Zen and the art of Jewish motorcycle

Maintenance, do the following:

Get rid of the motorcycle.

What were you thinking?

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Learn of the pine from the pine.

Learn of the bamboo from the bamboo.

Learn of the kugel from the kugel.

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Be aware of your body.

Be aware of your perceptions.

Keep in mind that not every physical sensation

Is a symptom of a terminal illness.

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Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Forget these simple things and attaining Enlightenment

Will be the least of your problems.

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The Tao has no expectations.

The Tao demands nothing of others.

The Tao does not speak.

The Tao does not blame.

The Tao does not take sides.

The Tao is not Jewish.

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Drink tea and nourish life.

With the first sip, joy.

With the second, satisfaction.

With the third, Danish.

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The Buddha taught that one should practice loving-kindness

To all sentient beings.

Still, would it kill you to find a nice sentient being

Who happens to be Jewish?

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To Find the Buddha, look within.

Deep inside you are ten thousand flowers.

Each flower blossoms ten thousand times.

Each blossom has ten thousand petals.

You might want to see a specialist.

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Be here now.

Be someplace else later.

Is that so complicated?

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Zen is not easy.

It takes effort to attain nothingness.

And then what do you have? Bupkis.

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An Arab hospital in a German fortress

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We have seen some pictures of the Lutheran church at Augusta Victoria on Mt. Scopus; but today, for the That's My World tour, let's walk around the hospital part of the compound.
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We can enter through the gate house.
Kaiser Wilhelm II built the huge complex, completed in 1910, naming it after his wife, the Empress.
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It was built as a hostel for Christian pilgrims and as a rest home for the German population in Eretz Israel.
Many of the materials were imported from Germany.
It was the first building in the country to have electricity, powered by a diesel generator.
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Step in and be greeting by a fantastic doorway!
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I had to remind myself that I was entering an Arab hospital and not an old castle in Germany!
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Victory.

Trampling out the evil creatures.

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You don't often see gargoyles in Jerusalem!

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Here is the back of the building, which was fashioned as a medieval German fortress.

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During the last century it passed through many different hands.

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The Turkish army headquartered here from 1914 until they surrendered to the British in 1917.

Then it became General Allenby's HQ.

From 1920 to 1927, Augusta Victoria was the official residence of the British High Commissioner of the Palestine Mandate.

After damage from the big 1927 earthquake was repaired, it was converted to a hospital during World War II for the British forces.

From 1948 to 1967 it became under UN control in the buffer zone of Mount Scopus, but was actually a hospital for the Jordanian army.

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In the Six Day War of 1967 the second floor was destroyed by shelling between the Israeli paratroopers 55th Brigade and the Arab Legion.
After Israel's victory Augusta Victoria was incorporated into the unified city of Jerusalem, and today it is a 161-bed hospital serving parts of the Arab population.

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More photos and information at their website, Wikipedia, and BibleWalks.com.

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Break and cast away [not!]

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Bridge of Chords, Jerusalem
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1 Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter in vain?

2 The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed [saying]:

3 "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us."

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The verses from Psalm 2 are contributed to Robert's new PsalmsChallenge meme at Daily Athens and our Calatrava bridge (long may it stand!) is for Louis la Vache's "Sunday Bridges."

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A Senegalese bridge-harp in a French monastery in Abu Ghosh

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(Enlarge to see the strings!)

When this Benedictine accompanies her singing sisters and brothers on the kora, which sounds almost like a harp, the liturgy sounds heavenly.
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The dim light within the 12th century Crusader church is enough to create shadows for Shadow Shot Sunday.
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The kora is from Senegal.

It has been a traditional instrument in the hands of the griot (~ bard) for centuries.

A calabash gourd is cut in half and covered with cow skin.

Over the bridge and up to the long neck are stretched 21 strings made of fishing line.

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Hear a little of its sound at coraconnection.com/sounds/konte1.mp3 .
The modern French Benedictine contribution to the kora (or cora) is mentioned in the History section of the Wikipedia article.

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The spaghettis

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Jerusalem turned on its head!
Or maybe it's the "celestial Jerusalem" hanging in the sky?
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The half dome above the door of a restaurant creates a fun reflection of the Old City wall between Kikar Tsahal and the Jaffa Gate for James' "Weekend Reflections."
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Its name is "the spaghettis."
The Hebrew says Mehadrin chalavi, meaning it is strictly kosher and serves only dairy food and no meat.
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Binding

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The Western Churches are celebrating Epiphany today in Israel.
I went to Abu Ghosh to observe the beautiful prayer service at Saint Mary of the Resurrection Abbey.
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And guess what!
Their Book of the Gospels (which I showed you last week) now has a new binding.

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But inside, the lovingly illuminated pages painted and written by the freres and the soeurs of the community are still the same.
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Epiphany marks the night when the three Magi arrived at the humble birthplace of Jesus.
This page shows even their camel and horse kneeling before the baby!
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This is my favorite page.

Enlarge the photo and you will see monastic communities from all over the Hills of Jerusalem ( Hills of Judea), actual nuns and monks of our own day and age, 2011, are walking toward the manger.

I know some of the people by name!

What a great idea, to make the Book of the Gospels span two millennia in such a way.

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In previous posts: Epiphany at Abu Ghosh 2007, and T.S. Eliot's poem "The Journey of the Magi".

Gallery images and more about the Gospel Book at the abbey's website.
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Still life

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On an ancient table new fruit.
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For the new meme in Spain, "Food for Thoughts."
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Yogurt cheese -- labaneh

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For Y Day at ABC Wednesday I'll serve you up some yummy yogurt cheese.
In Israel we call it by its Arabic name, labaneh.

It all begins by milking the ewes early in the morning.
(I got to help milk during my 5-day Arabic course / home hospitality at the Bedouin village of Dirijat in the Negev desert!)
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Labaneh is made in quantity only a few months during the year.
I suppose it depends on when the lambing season is.
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I just happened to wander into a backyard and sighted all the production things.
Unfortunately it was just a few minutes before my ride was leaving back to Jerusalem, so I didn't have time to find out the exact process.
The older women do not speak much Hebrew or English, and my Arabic is still very small.
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Notice even the bags are made from sheep.

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But you can read about strained yogurt / labaneh in Wikipedia.

The women in Dirijat roll some of their labaneh into balls and pack it in glass jars with olive oil and sell it in their visitors center.

The Bedouin also like to press the strained labaneh in its cheese cloth between two heavy stones and later sun dry it.

It becomes hard and dry, like the ball in the photo, and can be stored for long periods.

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I hope you all have the chance to dip hot pita or flat bread into cool labaneh, drizzled with olive oil and zaatar!

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BYU

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Did you know Jerusalem has a Mormon university?

On the left of the photo you see its graceful arches built on 8 different levels on Mount Scopus.

Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was opened in 1987.

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It is even more beautiful inside. You can see the video or take the virtual tour at their website.

Read about the sometimes troubled history of the building of the campus at Wikipedia.

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If you are ever in town, take the one hour guided tour, complete with organ recital.

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Enjoy other tours in different places around the world at That's My World Tuesday meme.

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Happy is the man

. Are you up to a new photo challenge? Robert of Daily Athens invites us to illustrate a favorite verse from the Psalms every Sunday. Like him, I start with Psalm 1. 

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(Please enlarge the photo)

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אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ-- אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ, בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים;וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים, לֹא עָמָד, וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, לֹא יָשָׁב כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה, חֶפְצוֹ; וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה     Ashrei ha-ish asher . . . . 

1 HAPPY IS the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful. 

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. 

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, {N}
that bringeth forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf doth not wither; and in whatsoever he doeth he shall prosper.
4 Not so the wicked; but they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD regardeth the way of the righteous; but the way of the wicked shall perish.

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Note: The Hebrew term ashrei, usually translated as "happy," carries much deeper meaning than our modern use of the English word. Ashrei implies peace, satisfaction, fulfillment, and tranquility of worldview. It is the mindset of the righteous. 

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Bridging the years

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Crossing over into a new year with a pilgrim's staff.

Where will the path lead?

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The little Australian bridge is for Louis la Vache's Sunday Bridges.

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A symbolic reflection

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A nun's face is caught up in the Book of the Gospels and is reflected back to us
(and to all in James' Weekend Reflections group).

The exquisite book from which the Bible readings are chanted was hand-written and illuminated by the French-speaking Benedictines of the Monastère de la Résurrection in Abu Ghosh.

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I realize that religious things are not at the top of most people's thoughts this day after New Year's Eve.

But as a good Jewish Mother I just have to talk about the brit.

Like all Jewish boys, Jesus was circumcised and was given his name eight days after his birth. Yaani, today, January 1.

Mazal tov!

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Various Christian churches around the world celebrate this day as The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.

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Full hearts and newness

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Gentle rain is falling on the thirsty earth. A good sign.
And look -- a heart in the sky!
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Dear blog friends around the world, with all my heart I wish you many blessings and new delights throughout the new year about to dawn.
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Gentle skies to us all, for SkyWatch Friday.
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Shalom, peace, and Shabbat shalom.
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Flowing olive oil

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Pure, beautiful oil running from the press, extracted from the countless olives I helped my nun friends pick.
This was a magic moment!
It was my first time (2006) to see the whole process with all the modern Italian machinery.
You can see how our region's olives are pressed there, at the Latrun Monastery, in my earlier post.
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And see here how smiling expert olive farmers come from Italy to prune some of our local olive trees.
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Any food eaten with or cooked in olive oil has to be good.
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You're invited to join Rob and Mandy's fun new FOOD meme at Barcelona Daily Photo.
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Remember the widow, the orphan, . . .

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There were things I could hardly believe when I saw this car.
1. Its PA system was blaring a recorded message.
2. It was parked at a super-busy bus-stop-only curb near Jerusalem's Central Bus Station.
3. No one was inside.
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On closer inspection I found a cup hanging on the open window, waiting for our donations.
The signs enjoined to "Remember first the poor of your own city."
The organization is Yad Ezra Veshulamit, one of many that help the poor with food, clothing, and services.
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In a country of almost 7.5 million souls, 1.5 are under the poverty line.
Jerusalem has one of the highest rates of poverty.
Children go hungry. It's a crying shame.
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When I passed the car again a short time later, the driver was back.
A gray-bearded religious man, he sat quietly, reading Psalms.
I guess he figured that only an extremely hard-hearted policeman would give him a ticket or tell him to move on.
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Station X

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For today's ABC Wednesday, let's take X as the Roman numeral for ten.

Station X of the Way of the Cross marks where Jesus reached Golgotha and was stripped of most of his garments by the Roman soldiers.
Enlarge this photo to enjoy the intricate stone carving from Crusader times.

Now it is glassed-in, but the entrance to the 10th Station was from the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

The flight of very steep stairs was originally built by the Crusaders as a way of giving pilgrims direct access to the chapels on Golgotha.

Here is a view, through the glass, of the Latin Chapel of the Agony of the Virgin.

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A haunted house in Jerusalem?

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You ready for a creepy story for today's That's My World tour?
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I had always wondered about this secretive historic building on Jaffa Street in central Jerusalem.
Thinking to get a photo from the back I walked into the parking lot.
A guard came running, asking me "What's this?!" and sent me and my camera away.

Next I peered through the locked front gate in the old embellished stone arch marked District Health Office.

From these signs I assumed this was the location of the travelers clinic where you can get immunizations for southeast Asia, India, Nepal, etc.

These are the destinations favored by our young men and women for a year of freedom following their long compulsory army service.

As I was leaning on the locked gate and peering into the dimness, a buzzer buzzed and I just about fell inside.

An armed guard searched my bag and questioned me.

He said I could take a few pictures but NOT to enter the building.

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What is IN there, I started wondering.

Sorry for the blurriness. I must have been shaking by then from the creepiness of the place and my desire to get out quickly.

What you are supposed to be seeing and being duly impressed by is the emblem of the Ottoman Empire on top of the building.

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Only later, safely back home, did I learn the truth about this building!

Here it is, as told in the Yad Ben-Zvi guidebook, Jerusalem, a walk through time:

"In 1882 a Christian Arab youth, the only child of a wealthy family, was about to marry. His delighted parents built for the couple a magnificent house where the wedding would be held, decorated it for the happy event, and invited all their friends and acquaintances.

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But a terrible blow descended on the family: the groom died on the eve of his nuptials.

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The parents, who were unable to come to terms with the enormity of the disaster, decided to hold the ceremony, no matter what.

They dressed the dead groom in his festive garb and seated him on a chair in the hall next to the bride who was wearing her wedding gown.

The guest and the mother circled around the couple and danced.

At the end of the dance, a terrible cry issued from the mother's thoat, she tore her clothes and fainted.

That very day the groom was buried.

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The house remained empty for a long time, since the rumors of evil spirits and curses drove away potential purchasers.

Only at the end of the nineteenth century did the Ottoman Jerusalem Municipality decide to buy the building and turn it into a city hospital [called 'Baladiyeh']. "

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The British used the building, which had since been given a second storey, for their District Health Office from 1918 to 1948.

And since '48 Israel has done the same.

Apparently the Ministry of Health has offices and labs inside "the dead groom's house." Although we will never know . . .

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Shadows of a beating heart

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"The Beating Heart Caring for Jerusalem" by Yaacov Agam

creates shadows for Shadow Shot Sunday.

I guess back in 1984 when Agam made his kinetic sculpture for Hadassah, the hospital and the country must have had enough water to keep the fountain flowing and the heart beating.
No more . . . We are drying up.
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Here is a video of the now-old artist explaining his beating heart sculptures.
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The Torah says no to the making of graven images.
Agam believes that part of the reason for that prohibition is that Judaism embraces the value of life, and life is not static. Life is in a state of continual change and therefore the art of Jerusalem should be different from those of all other civilizations.
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Agam was born in 1928 in Rishon Lezion, then a small, semi-rural settlement. His father, Rabbi Yehoshua Gipstein--who devoted his life to Jewish religious learning, meditation, and fasting--refused to register his son in a school because no place in a religious school was available.
So the boy grew up without any formal education and almost without the company of other children.
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Fortunately for himself and the world, at age 18 he went up to Jerusalem and then to Zurich to study art.
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