Glossary of Terms (some of these are pretty funny)

ahl al-kitab- "People of the Book," the term referring Jews and Christians as peoples tolerated by Islam.

Arab- any member of the Semitic speaking group of people whose cultural, linguistic, and in some cases, ancestral origins trace back to the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula

Ashkenazi- A type of Jew who is genetically “German” in history

Dar al-Islam- "The Household of Submission." The territories governed by Muslims under the shari'a; the term's opposite is Dar al-Harb "The Household of War," meaning those lands that lack the security and guidance of God's law.

Hesperophobia- Fear of the West

Jerusalem- The main city in ancient Palestine for Jews, Christians and Muslims. The Temple of David was located there, Jesus was crucified and resurrected there, and Mohammad ascended to heaven (his miraj) there. For all three religions, hence, Jerusalem is a "holy city."

Mizrahi- A type of Jew who is genetically “Middle-Eastern” and thus original in their history

Palestine- The area of major Jewish history which into modern times has coincided with arab history and created conflicts.

Qur’an- "Recite." Name given to the collection of Islamic scriptures, consisting of 114 suras (sections), believed to have been revealed verbatim orally to Mohammad over a period of time through the angel Gabriel.

Zionism- The shared thought of Jews to one day return to their homeland of Israel