A Bit of Original Reporting from a Fellow Congregant

College Student Michael Bassin has been traveling in the Middle East for the last seven months and is now safe at home. He briefed us on his adventures during this morning’s services and indicated that his comments were available online.

Dear friends and family,

I hope this letter finds you well. Since I’m the one writing I’m obviously sitting pretty. I wanted to let you all know that I’ve returned from my experiences abroad safe and sound, to the surprise of many. Many of you expressed disappointment that I did not write more often. For this I am sorry but I assure you I had good reason for my inaction. As you all know, I lived most of these past four months in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates as one of six American exchange students at the American University of Sharjah. I learned a lot about the Arab/Muslim world as well as other developing country and learned to appreciate many things about life in a western country that I really don’t think I could have appreciated had I not lived in an authoritarian country, or two……MORE