Oh my Gosh, it's Abu Gosh

What a beautiful setting for a wedding!! The Arab village of Abu Gosh http://www.gemsinisrael.com/e_article000003341.htm was established in 1520. It is named after the Abu Gosh family and almost all the villagers are their descendents. Originally, the people were probably Caucasians who came from the mountains of the Caucasus. The villagers are well known for the friendly, close relationship they have with their neighboring Jewish inhabitants. For many generations the village has provided a stopover for pilgrims and travelers on their way to Jerusalem, and it was at this site they paid a toll fee for their transit.

Our coach full of guests left Haifa (strangely, I don't ever remember wedding hosts providing coaches to transport their guests to a wedding in the UK) with everyone in good spirits. It gave us an opportunnity to talk to friends that we don't get to see too often.

The setting of the wedding was like that from a film set and around 350 guests mingled on the terraces, eating, talking and some dancing.

Towards the end of the evening, our daughter from Jerusalem arrived with a couple of grandchildren that we took back to Haifa for a bit of spoiling.

Today it was reported that the first commercial shipment of goods since the Hamas takeover had passed into Gaza http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1182951030198&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. With mortar attacks on the various crossing points and the damaged caused in the Hamas takeover, one has to wonder just what Hamas expect to achieve for the Palestinian population at large, yes they are suffering .

One further intetesting story concerning academia today. It was reported that a Jordanian woman became the first Jordanian to be awarded her masters degree in desalination tecniques. Where? At Ben Gurion University!! She is the first of seven Jordanians finishing her studies there as part of her degree. Next year it is planned that 5 Jordanians and a Palestinian will begin their MA studies. May this type of information should be shouted from the rooftops in the British Universities