Previous | Next
Session: 123456789101112131415161718 Page 165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202 of 617
praying, and there are about 35 to 40 people there. And they continue to pray, and then when the prayer ends, they sort of come around and ask us what we are doing. Again, I didn't want to ask them any political questions. After all, I've got these two Syrians and now the three Arab refugees in tow I wasn't going to create any problems for them. So the conversation was sort of inane. One fellow said, “Have they found the cure for cancer yet in America?” I'm sure that wasn't on their minds, and it wasn't on my mind. Then they asked whether we would like to have tea, and they made the tea. It was just a very thrilling, moving experience for Joe and myself. And as we leave, I'm walking with the three Arabs and the leader of the Arabs says, “Can I ask the Congressman a question.” That's translated to me. And I said, “Sure.” He said, “What do American Jews think of Israel?” And I said, “American Jews support Israel.” Then he said, “I am the teacher in this quarter, and this boy is one of my students,” and he points to an Arab child. Then I say, “Do you teach the Jewish children, too?” And he said, “Yes, and this boy [one of the children who had been in the first synagogue who had walked with us] is my student, too.” I had been walking around with this kid, this Jewish kid, from the first synagogue with my hand on his shoulder; I sort of wanted to convey a tie. He said, “Yes, he's my student, too.” And then in a very melodramatic way --
© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help