I was in Washington for a Free Republic Patriots’ Rally back in 2002...my wife and I thought we were in the damn Middle East on the way back to our car via subway. Couldn’t get away from there fast enough.
I said “Hello” to an older lady who appeared to be Paki and she said “Shalom.” Isn’t that a Jewish word? Perhaps she thought I was a Jew?
I also bought a soldering iron from a nice Arabic fellow. $2.