Jamal Tirawi was released from his 30 jail sentence on a technicality. Few knew his name, but, it wasTirawi who sent the homicide bomber to My Coffee shop on March 30^th 2002. That was the terror attack in which Kinneret Chaya was so terribly injured. Incredibly, Tirawi regrets his terrorist past and believes that today he would never have done such a dreadful thing. He was interviewed in his elegant and opulent home in the “refugee camp” http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-convicted-of-terrorism-set-free/

That well known genius Professor Stephen Hawking was coming to the Presidential Conference in Jerusalem in June., but deicided to cancel because he suddenly became concious of the plight of the Palestinians!!! Cambridge University, where he teaches, said, “Not at all – he is just too sick to travel”. Well, there has now been a retraction of the retraction and he is not coming in order to boycott Israel!!! When you think of how many Israeli innovations are keeping him alive and the fact that Hadassah has just make a huge breakthrough in the treatment of ALS – I wonder how long his boycott of Israeli medical advances will last!!!! So I am asking a favour. Get voting NOW – but NOW!!! Was Stephen Hawking right to boycott President Peres Conference and Israel. VOTENOW http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2013/may/08/stephen-hawking-boycott-israel

A great article by our friend Danny Adeno Abebe about the financial and social situation of Jerusalem tells us that Jerusalem is doing just fine thank you. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4377163,00.html

Yesterday, Jerusalem Day, was the anniversary of the liberation of the Camps in Europe and Memorial Day for those who fell on their perilous journey from Ethiopia to Jerusalem. Pres Peres at wreath laying ceremony, remembered that President Bush (Snr) sent USAF aeroplanes to bring Ethiopian refugees from Sudan. “Many of those who departed for the journey didn’t make it to the Jewish homeland. Today, at this huge event, the State of Israel honors their memory and their bravery. The story of the ‘Exodus from Ethiopia’ encapsulated the ethos of our people, courage – your spirit was a source of pride not only for your community but for us all. Here, standing by our national flag, we salute you all. Here and now, beside this monument, we bow our heads in memory of those Ethiopians who perished on their journey to Israel. To us they are heroes who fell in the line of duty.” Here are the children of the Sheba Choir singing their journey. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKcRKzbSeJM

I was in Mahane Yehuda twice this week and Shouk Ramle once!!! I took Jill and Victor to my favourite coffee shop, Mizrachis, for a delicious light snack and ………. of course a a cup of Cafe hafuch! I had the most delicious “sandwich” imaginable. Toasted croissant (freshly baked) with melted camembert, thinly sliced pears and rocket! Gosh it was gooooooood! We sat and watched the world go by. As Victor observed, Arabs and Jews, Haredi and secular, Christian Priests and men with long flowing earlocks……….. all bustling and rushing to get to the most delicious piece of fruit or the freshly roasted nuts and seeds. It was delightful!

JERUSALEM DAY celebrates the reunification of Jerusalem after just 19 years of division. All of us who are of a certain age remember that magical moment when Motta Gur said the immortal words “Har haBayit b’yadenu” The Temple Mount is in Our Hands.

At 10:20 on June 7th 1967, the third day of the Six-Day War, Raphael Amir of the Israel Broadcasting Services announced, “At this moment we are going through the Lion’s Gate in a jeep with the Deputy Chief-of-Staff and the commander of the Central Command. I am now in the shadows cast by the gate. Now we are in the sun again, in the street. We are inside the Old City. The soldiers are up against the walls.” In the background could be heard noises of shooting and soldiers shouting, “To the Wall! To the Wall!” http://www.sixdaywar.org/content/ReunificationJerusalem.asp

-Hundreds of thousands of young people- parades, dancing and singing – it was heartwarming. Zvi and I took Jill and Victor to David’s Citadel to meet Mayor NIr Barkat and wife who hold a reception for invitees – Jerusalemites – every year. The Citadel is wonderful, sitting and looking at the work of Suleiman the Magnificent – watching the guests, Jews, Moslems, Christians, Bahai and Druze clambering up to the great heights of the ramparts above us – needless to say from our very comfortable seats listening to the children’s orchestra playing Jerusalem songs.

I can’t help but be reminded of Jerusalem Day two years ago when I was stuck in the worst traffic jams near Mount Herzl with our Canadian friends the Kovens and the Robins and the car phone went. It was Andrew White calling me from Ezekiels Tomb in Iraq……… which was the beginning of a highly successful reclamation of the Tomb. A real international effort which succeeded in bringing together Moslems, Christians and Jews as only the Vicar of Baghdad can! Andrew went there at my behest and it culminated in a very emotional conversation with the Imam of the Tomb thanking me for bringing him and Andrew together. If it can be done in war torn Iraq – why not here????

Just about to go off to Christian Embassy for their wonderful Jerusalem Day reception on their lawn. There we will meet up with Earl and Kathleen Cox, Lola and Norman Cohen and so many other wonderful people all welcomed by the director Juergen Buehler into one of the most exquisite buildings in Jerusalem.

I have some congratulations this week. Barry and Cristine Slawsky are nearing the end of their 8 month honeymoon and we had the pleasure of seeing them at the Dan.