The First Meeting of the Taiwanese Association for Peace in the Middle East (Muzha Chapter)

When you live in California, it's not often that you meet real Iraqi citizens. But when you live in Taiwan, you can meet a few right here in Muzha, studying Chinese with you at the National Chengchi University School of Mandarin Studies.

We students at the Hua Yu Ban (華語班) have all seen each other at least once, but we don't all know each other. Today, while walking on the Zhinan Rd. Bridge, I saw a nice couple whom I had seen before. They look Middle Eastern, and I had been wanting to introduce myself to them.

For those of you who don't know, my father is from Morocco and both my parents grew up in Israel. I feel I have a deep connection with the Middle East. Made me want to help start a band band in Berkeley, California that plays traditional Arab music (www.zaatar.web.com), which I did, along with my good friend John.

I am also a friendly guy and am interested in learning about all cultures, all of which made me want to say hi.

Walking on the sidewalk next to them, I said hello and asked them where they are from. "Iraq," they replied.

"Keyfa haluka (hello)," I said to them in my best Arabic accent. They asked me where I am from, and I said California. I told them that my father is from Al Magreb, Morocco. When I said this, the girl's face lit up, as if she were meeting family. I introduced myself and they told me their names were Bruah and Kisha.

"So you are muslim?" Bruah asked.

"No, ana yahud (I am Jewish)," I replied. It was amusing to see Kisha's reaction this time, which was an obvious frown. I am sure she had no idea what her facial expression looked like.

"You know, I don't support my country's government," I said.

"Why not?" Bruah asked me.

"Because they are killing people, and perhaps they got rid of Saddam, but I don't think they would have done it if there weren't oil there," I said.

"We are Kurds," Bruah informed me, "so we are glad that the US got rid of Saddam, but there are things we don't like about the US government."

I told Bruah and Kisha that I play Arabic music in California, "I play tabla (Arabic hand drum)", and Muslims and Jews and Christians all come to our concerts and they dance and enjoy the music together.

I continued: "I believe that people are good and that it is the governments of the world that pit one people against another. I have good Palestinian friends and we all know that there is no reason we should hate each other. It's certainly not because of religion."

Bruah told me that Islam does not permit terrorism and that if someone is good, he likes them; if someone is bad he hates them. He, too, doesn't believe that just because you are a Jew or a Christian that he as a Muslim should hate you. "How about you, how do you feel about Islam?" he asked me.

I told him that all the Muslims I have met are good people, and that I know that the true message of Islam is about peace.

I then took his hand and I said, "Bruah, you are my brother." And I looked at Kisha, "You are my sister." It doesn't matter what religion we are.

We had walked a few blocks together, and they needed to turn the corner, and so we said goodbye.

I'm glad we got a chance to talk.