For my last day of class with my Zoology students, they wanted to take me to Jebalolia Dam. It is located an hour outside the city, so the class was going to take three hours longer than usual. I had set aside time after class to get tea or ful with my students, but not that long. They were very upset, because they had planned this big event for me. Finally I agreed to change my plans and go to the dam.

The area around the dam is very beautiful; a variety of interesting trees grow on the Nile flood plane. We talked, drank tea and played chess, but I was afraid to bring up the topic I wanted to discuss for the last class.

Finally I took Hajer (one of my best students) aside and asked her about the topic. I wanted to discuss my Jewish heritage. At first she acted surprised, but soon admitted that she already knew I was born Jewish. She said that the topic will not be a problem, the students are very open-minded. I was still a bit skeptical (I am living in a Sharia Law governed Islamic dictatorship, after all), so we pulled over a teaching assistant and he also said that it would be ok.

I was still nervous and stalled while the students prayed and cleaned up from our picnic. Finally in the van on the way home, I told them. Most of them had never met a Jew (or at least Jew by birth). It must have created a great conflict in their minds, because they like me, but they were taught to hate Jews. I explained that not all Jews support Israel (I certainly don´t) and that there is no such thing as a Jewish conspiracy.

They were actually accepting. Ahmed explained that he is from the Nubian tribe, who were Christian before they were Muslim and Jewish before they were Christian. The conversation went very well. I hope that I was able to dispel some of the myths that they have been taught. They have certainly helped me dispel some of the myths about Muslims.