The Arab "Adam Shapiro"

Jewish World Review ^ | Oct. 18, 2002 | M. Gardner

[Alouette]

This spring, Adam Shapiro, the former Jewish Brooklynite who spent the night at Yasser Arafat's compound when the P.A. leader was under "house arrest," made headlines around the world for many reasons. Among them, obviously, were the "man-bites-dog" element of a Jew embracing the "Palestinian" cause, including, reportedly, calls for violence against his co-religionists.

Then, there was his engagement -- and, later marriage -- to an Arab woman.

"How odd," commentators opined. Well, actually, not. Though certainly not at the rate Jews and Christians intermarry in America, Arab-Jewish unions are far from rare in the Jewish State.

Below, we present the amazing but true story of the product of one such union. And a even more surprising ending.

To say that Salah Abdel Manam has yichus, or distinguished lineage, would be an understatement.

On his maternal side, his great-grandfather was a famous Safed mystic (mekubal). And his first cousin died heading a distinguished combat division in Lebanon while heroically defending Israel.

On his paternal side, his great-grandfather was a famous Moslem cleric. And a first cousin is one of Arafat's close advisors, who this spring was holed-up with him at the Mukta compound.

Although Jewish activist organizations helped Salah's mother escape twice from her Arab village and her husband, she ultimately decided to cast her lot with them. While Salah's father was willing to marry a Jewish woman, he nevertheless continued to affiliate with the strictest strain of Islam. In time, 9 children were born to the couple. Each was raised a devout Muslim.

Salah became proficient in the Koran at a young age, and knew large parts of it by heart. Adopting religious dress, he even wore a jalabiya.

Hatred of Jews was a recurring topic in his home and at school. Though married to a Jew, Salah's father wasn't reluctant to proclaim openly his hated of all things Jewish.

His parents intermarriage impacted Salah's day to day interaction with the world around him. "Because my mother was a Jew, I had to show that I was more extreme than everyone else. I knew I was always being watched," Salah explains, matter-of-factly.

But while going through the motions of being an "extremeist," Salah would at once be troubled by contradictions he found in the Koran.

And then politics began to intrude into his life. He lived, after all, in the Middle East.

When the first wave of suicide bombings began, friends tried to draft Salah into the Al Aksa Brigades. The Koran, he was told, "requires me to become a shahid." But being proficient in the Muslim holy book, Salah challenged the recruiters to find the source of this "teaching."

They couldn't.

"It was easy for them to convince the young and the ignorant, but they couldn't seduce me since I knew the Koran inside out. … I also knew that the Koran calls on believers to honor the Jewish people and not to scheme against them. They couldn't fool me," Salah recounts, proudly.

As Salah was finishing high school, he was becoming more and more troubled by the way of life he had known since birth. Eventually, he joined his friends in search of work in Israel proper.

HE'S A JEW

At the time, Salah recalls, "I didn't know I was a Jew, according to Halacha," or Jewish law. "But whenever I would pass a synagogue, I felt a certain warmth emanating from inside. It was as if G-d was calling to me: 'Return my son.' I identified with my Jewish side. I'm not sure why."

Salah's parents soon began to notice the gradual change taking place in their son. They tried to convince him to join his 3 brothers -- including his twin -- who were studying Islam at a Mecca seminary, which propounds extreme Islamic views. They hoped that sending Salah there would put a speedy end to his interest in Judaism.

But Salah refused. He continued working in Israel.

Salah's first encounter with religious Jews was at a Tel Aviv construction company where he found employment. But whenever he would attempt to ask questions about Judaism, his co-workers were evasive. When he eventually confided in them that his mother was a Jew -- which renders him 100% Jewish -- Salah was advised to enroll in classes at a school ("yeshiva") for those seeking to become observant.

He did, but did not reveal his secret.

One day -- almost two years ago -- Salah returned home to his Arab village near Carmiel and packed his few belongings. He has not returned since and intends never to step foot in the region again.

All's well, that ends well? Not exactly.

(UN)HAPPY BEGININGS

Salah discovered that despite his sacrifice, his problems were only beginning.

Initially, he decided to move to an Israeli city with a large religious population. But with suicide bombings and terror attacks escalating, Salah, who began to wear a yarmulke and other distinct Jewish garb, was regularly viewed by residents with deep suspicion due to his Arabic name and his orange Palestinian identity card.

(In recent months, suicide bombers have donned Jewish garb in attempts infiltrate secure areas.)

Worse, his return to Judaism was literally threatening his life. During a police sweep, Salah would be picked up and expelled to the West Bank. Israeli authorities would not believe that he wanted to become a Jew, thinking it was a ruse. Yet were he was returned to the Palestinian Authority, he knew he would be hung and murdered for being a "collaborator" with Israel.

"I was going out of mind," Salah confides. "I was afraid to walk in the streets. I was afraid to go to offices. I was afraid to go to the Ministry of the Interior to change my status because my parents might find out where I was living and someone with a knife or a weapon might come after me."

In the end, he finally decided to open-up to the dean ("rosh yeshiva") of his Judaic studies school. Once the sage verified Salah's astounding story, he took the truth seeker under his wing. The easiest way to solve Salah's problems, it was decided, was to have him officially be converted by the Rabbinate, who ruled that he had to undergo a Halachic circumcision.

FATE?

To his amazement, Salah found out that he had been circumcised according to Jewish law.

"When I was born, there were no local Arab mohelim," Salah explains. "There was no Intifada, and Jews freely entered Arab towns without fear. There was a mohel in one of the settlements near the village where my parents lived, and he did the circumcisions for our family. Afterwards, I understood why. My Jewish mother wanted her children's circumcisions to be authentically Jewish. She specifically asked the mohel to perform these rites quietly and make sure that no one heard or saw. He knew that my mother was Jewish and he gladly fulfilled her will. Who knows if I returned to Judaism in the merit of this."

In the past year and a half, Salah has been vigorously pursuing his studies in a yeshiva. His Arab accent has completely disappeared, and sidelocks and a beard now frame his face. He has also worked unceasingly on his pronunciation of Hebrew, and today it is flawless.

FULL-CIRCLE

Salah has reconnected with his mother's Jewish relatives, who received him warmly like a lost son. He has taken the same last name as his illustrious great-grandfather, and says he is doing everything possible to forget his Moslem past.

Now 24, Salah, who uses the name "Yehudah," is recently married to an Italian-born Jewish woman who recently returned to her Jewish roots, although in a much more conventional manner. A chessed (benevolence) organization undertook to help pay for his wedding.

SOCIETAL PROBLEM

Yehudah says that there are hundreds of Jewish women like his mother who remain in Arab villages -- not because they have such a good life; many, in fact, are abused -- they stay because they feel they have nowhere to return to. Their families have already sat "shiva" (mourned) for them.

He believes that if the Jewish people would open their hearts to these unfortunate women, they could save many of them.

[2timothy3.16]

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist (2Jo 1:7)

[Jimmyclyde]

The only deceiver I see here is you.

I'm still waiting for that verse that shows that Jews are going to burn in hell.

The bible is made up of more than 3 verses you keep posting over and over.

Go back and read some more. And then come back and post.

Maybe you won't have so much hate.

By the way...remember the words of God to Abraham...

I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you. And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

You would have been great preaching the gospel with Paul...

Your nothing like Timothy. Maybe you should change your name to Belezabub.

[sheik yerbouty]

Each individual?

[2timothy3.16]

I'm still waiting for that verse that shows that Jews are going to burn in hell.

You are either toying with me or you are an idiot. Do Jews deny Jesus? Did you read 2nd John 1:7? Do you think that antiChrist and decievers will be in heaven? Do you think that they are the choosen people?

You need to read your bible, not preech what you think it says, but study what it does say.

By the way...remember the words of God to Abraham... I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you. And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

God is not addressing unsaved heathens, He said: ¶ Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Have you ever bothered to read the Prophets? Have you seen God's curse upon the Jews when the became idolaters? Have you read God's words as He walked the earth in the form of a man named Jesus?

You would have been great preaching the gospel with Paul... Your nothing like Timothy. Maybe you should change your name to Belezabub.

You idiot, who do you think wrote first and second Timothy? Who do you think trained and taught Timothy?

As for my sounding like Paul, well, praise GOD!!!

You'll notice I'm calling you and idiot, not a fool. and idiot, not raca.

[Jimmyclyde]

Where to begin...

I'll ask you again for the fourth time...

Show me the verse that says Jews are going to burn in Hell.

Thank you for the quote about God's words to Abraham.Just a couple questions....

Who is the promised seed? Who is the great Nation?

Did you read my post of Jeremiah(you know one of the prophets) or did you dismiss it? Did you read Romans where Paul says that he has not cast off his people and that true Christians are grafted into the promises made to Abaraham? Or did you dismiss that as well. Maybe you read Luke then, where God tells Mary that her Son would be the promised Messiah, to rule over the house of Jacob, on the throne of his Father David for ever? Or did you dismiss that with a wave of your self-rightous hand?

Let me give you some advise..

Get that silly man made idea of everlasting Hell fire out of your head. Its not in the bible. It's the grave, plain and simple.

Go ahead and prove me wrong or stop posting your mindless pagan beliefs.

BTW.. Paul wrote both letters to Timothy, and I don't rememeber him telling Timothy to go around telling people that they were going to burn in Hell of they did'nt believe the gospel.

As for me sounding like Paul, well praise God!!!

You missed my point, you sound nothing like Paul. In fact look at Acts 28 where Paul says "For the hope of ISRAEL I am bound with is chain."

What was the hope of Israel?

Have you read God's word as he walked this earth in the form of man?

More mindless man made paganism.

Prove to me that Jesus was God the Son.

No wonder Jews think Christians like you are wacky,look at what you believe.

Let me recap...

Hell torment forever, to non-believers(no verse to support this)

Jews are not the chosen people and will burn in hell fire.(again no verse but it sounds good if you hate Jews)

And finally, Jesus was God and God was Jesus, God the Son and Son of God, and on and on we go.

WOW...makes perfect sense.

[2timothy3.16]

My how you do ramble and ignore. Now, tell me something, where do you stand on the Trinity? And who is Jesus?

[2timothy3.16]

Each individual?

Any individual who denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God, is both a deciever and an antiChrist. That of course would include all who are Jews except for those Jews who profess Christ and are Messianic Jews. It would include all Muslims, Hindus, and a whole slew of liberal Christ denying so called Christian denominations.

[dighton]

Any individual who denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, God, is both a deciever and an antiChrist.

Speaking of deceivers, what are YOU still doing here?

[BlackVeil]

"still waiting for that verse that shows that Jews are going to burn in hell" Can't help you there. I do not think that there is any such verse, although certainly many Christians have always believed that. I cannot resist taking the opportunity to post one of my favorite verses. The Virgin Mary said: "He protects Israel his servant, Remembering His mercy, The mercy promised to our fathers, To Abraham and his seed for ever."

[sheik yerbouty]

You are going to be a bit lonely..

[2timothy3.16]

Speaking of deceivers, what are YOU still doing here?

I guess Jim figures I'm good for collections, 600 plus responces, what have you done for FR recently? CRY?

[dighton]

Uh-huh, "I was doing it for FR and JimRob."

I am going to beat the powers FR and voluntarily leave, rather than have them come up with one of the cock and bull stories to ban me.

Spare me YOUR cock and bull stories.

[2timothy3.16]

You really are a sucker for punishment aren't you.

[dighton]

You really are a sucker for punishment aren't you.

Punishment . . . . . . where?

Ah! Perhaps you mean: "Dighton, you'll roast in hell for dissing my excellent sermon. You'll roast in a REALLY BAD part of hell for calling me a buffoon and liar."