It was also puzzling me. I think a link posted below [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/14/magazine/14syrians-t.html] explains it. They are a closed ethnic community. Reporting it would be like betraying not just your employer, but also your people.
The article is really excellent. It is really a closed community. There is an religious edict that bans everyone who marry a non Syrian Jew.
From the article:
"Seventy years after the promulgation of the Edict, it seems fair to say that, taken on its own terms, it has been an almost uniquely successful tool of social engineering. The enclave grows and thrives beyond the dreams of its founders. It offers a secure economic future and a sweet family life to those who remain within its confines."
BTW, is it offensive to use the word Jew? If so, how should I have called them?
The article is really excellent. It is really a closed community. There is an religious edict that bans everyone who marry a non Syrian Jew.
From the article: "Seventy years after the promulgation of the Edict, it seems fair to say that, taken on its own terms, it has been an almost uniquely successful tool of social engineering. The enclave grows and thrives beyond the dreams of its founders. It offers a secure economic future and a sweet family life to those who remain within its confines."
BTW, is it offensive to use the word Jew? If so, how should I have called them?