On Sunday, we went to Mamilla Mall and the Old City for some shopping.  Deanne found some nice ceramic pomegranates, and Jim got his falafel from Munzer in the Muslim Quarter.  Always colorful and fun.  

Only one Christmas vendor so far

making fresh falafel

We stopped by the YMCA to check out the logistics for the tree lighting festival as the students were coming to perform that evening.  Haya Dandis was in charge, very nice lady.  We had a group of 45 students, and they were celebrities up there singing for the hordes of visitors.  

Jim's cousin Rob and wife Luree Welch met Jim at the YMCA—they were staying at the Waldorf Astoria two blocks away.  Jim played the carillon at 7 p.m. when they turned on the Christmas tree lights.  Santa (Issa) was there, and it was all fun.  We even made The Jerusalem Post... well, almost. Got back in time for the chamber concert at the Center, Schubert and Franck.

Jim practiced at Notre Dame of Jerusalem for his concert on December 15. Nice for him to play a vintage English organ in good acoustics! He also saw the buffet there, open for three meals every day.  We’ll have to go. 

It was time to decorate the Christmas trees here at the Center, so Jim untangled a lot of lights and tossed the ones that didn’t work (are we the only ones who will throw anything out around here?).  Deanne organized the unorganized array of ornaments and décor. Choir rehearsal was in the evening.  The risers were up, and the choir is sounding good! 

Luckily, the big tree outside is not our responsibility!

Marvel Earnshaw putting on the final touches for one tree

Jim met Rob and Luree at Mamilla Mall in the afternoon.  They’re on a Viking Cruise trip to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.  They visited David Street, Garden Tomb (decked out with Christmas decorations, looked a little odd to them), Damascus Gate, Austrian Hospice, Sisters of Zion and underground lisothstratos, Birthplace of the Virgin Mary, Eastern Gate, Via Dolorosa; picked up Chicken Lickin’ and had a fun dinner at home with them.

We continued to help decorate more Christmas trees for the Gallery area, eight in total.  Deanne went shopping with Tawfic for Christmas decorations at the greatest little shop in East Jerusalem dedicated to Christmas. A gold mine.

During Spirit Week, one day was "crazy hair day." It was crazy, indeed.

Ella Havranek (a plastic liter bottle is under her hair!)

Baylee Springer

Lauren Hales

Charley Davis

Wednesday was our visit to Santa.   It had been a fair amount of work with calls back and forth to set it up with Issa Kassasieh, but it was worth it—the students loved it, of course.  He is not only very friendly and welcoming, but he’s definitely got a Christian angle to his message.  He's got a great little workshop and a big chair where he sits to hear everyone's requests. His real name Issa Kassasieh ("Issa" means "Jesus" in Arabic) and is a Palestinian Christian. He made a big name for himself playing basketball professionally in Israel, and more recently has delighted the local communities as the Holy Land Santa. (He even attended Santa University in the US.) He has a big sign outside his front door that says "Jesus is the reason for the season." He was so welcoming to us. Who doesn't love Santa?

Reagan Winget

Casey Jones at Santa's desk!

Mila, Jobi, Ella, and Emma

The traditional UNforum sharing evening was Friday.  It was full of fun musical and original talents. Jim accompanied Christian Devey in a piece from Secret Garden and also Reagan Winget and Abigail Wallace in “Santa Baby,” which was a big hit.  

Megan Bentley on the harmonica

Azure Nikora's hula

Sarah Hansen and Bethany Israelsen playing Feliz Navidad

Christian Devey

Reagan Winget and Abigail Wallace

We are almost finished decorating Level 8. The big outdoor Christmas tree lighting and two student concerts are coming up this week!

Our most interesting interaction was with "Craig" from Michigan. He walks barefoot around the Old City dressed as... Jesus. There is a story there but he wasn't sharing.