Meanwhile, bad news came from the University - two of our friends there have been refused entry into Israel and the West Bank after their 'Eid holiday.
Read MoreMarthame felt up to going to Jenin, where he connected a couple of journalists with friends in Jenin Camp.
Read MoreHappy Thanksgiving.
Read MoreToday is the first of the three day Eid al-Fitr, the celebration marking the end of Ramadan.
Read MoreWe spent the next few hours trying to negotiate our way across the checkpoint. We were told in no uncertain terms that we should not pass from this checkpoint, because Hamra is meant for us. Hamra has mostly meant frustration and abuse (and three hour waits) over the past few months, so we knew better than that.
Read MoreOur friend Homam today becomes a Deacon of the Roman Catholic Church. Homam served last year in Zababdeh as part of his seminary training, and we very much enjoyed getting to know him.
Read MoreElizabeth went to lovely handmade pottery and tile workshop, run by the Balian family, one of three Armenian families brought to Jerusalem in 1917 to renovate the ceramic tiles on the Dome of the Rock.
Read MoreA friend we met on the way told us the crowd and the extra security was because today is the last Friday of Ramadan and tonight is Laylet al-Qadr, "The Night of Providence."
Read MoreThe line was long, and the movement slow to imperceptible. Closer to the head of the line was another bus run by the same company, so those of us on board were advised to disembark and walk up to board that one, in order to get through faster.
Read MoreThe Jalame checkpoint has been moved a good half a mile inside the West Bank, almost next to the petrol station along the main road. The only business along the main road which was not demolished (due to its owner being Israeli and having all of the necessary licensing and threatening legal action against the military), the station is now obsolete.
Read MoreMarthame wet off to film Fr. Firas in the hills today, interviewing him under the olive trees.
Read MoreIn the afternoon, our friend Susan came up with her sister to visit. Susan works for an NGO in Jerusalem and is up here checking on some projects; even so, like many NGOs, she has a lot of trouble crossing checkpoints.
Read MoreOn November 15, 1988, the PLO, in exile in Tunis, declared Palestinian independence. And so annually it is celebrated, in spite of the absence of independence or freedom here. Oh the irony.
Read MoreThis evening the young adult group at the Latin Church held a memorial for their friend Wisam, a 20 year-old young man who died recently in a tractor accident.
Read MoreThis morning, we worshiped with the Melkite Church, using the opportunity to film Fr. Firas and his congregation.
Read MoreEarly this morning we heard the death knell ring from the Latin church bell tower. A solemn, lonely sound. It wasn't until the afternoon, when Marthame went to the church, that we knew why. Fr. Boutros passed away. He was a Latin priest from Zababdeh who served many years in Beit Sahour.
Read MoreThere is no church building in Jalame, but one of the congregation has converted his upper level into a makeshift home church.
Read MoreLate this morning, Marthame went to Jenin (which has been open the past few days) to run errands. Our telephone, cellphone, bank account, and other services will need to be closed when we leave, and he went to all their offices to see what we needed to do in advance. We hope Jenin will be open when we need to close these accounts for good.
Read MoreMarthame went to the daily prayers at the Orthodox Church today to record the chorus. They are interested in creating a cassette, we're helping them and using the music on the film.
Read MoreHe and others presented their papers to stop the project taking their land, but the trump card of Security wins out in Israel.
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