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March 2, 2001/Adar 7, 5761, Vol. 53, No.22
'Multicultural' guide nixes Israel
BARRY COHEN
Community Editor
The 2001 edition of the Multicultural Yellow Pages describes itself as "a resource guide for multicultural living in Arizona." In addition to contact information and descriptions and ads for selected local businesses, the 96-page publication includes a variety of listings, such as international area codes, airlines, maps and tourist attractions.
Marwan Ahmad, publisher of the Multicultural Yellow Pages and the Arizona Muslim Voice, a monthly newspaper serving the Arizona Muslim community, said the original name for the directory, first published in 1994, was the "Muslim Yellow Pages." The name change occurred a year ago.
"We were trying to break out to other communities," said Ahmad. "Thus, the name change."
What is not listed in the directory is as noteworthy as what is.
In the section of international area codes, which includes more than 220 nations, under "I," in alphabetical order where "Israel" would be, "Palestine" is listed. On a map of the Middle East on Page 43, the state of Israel is shown as "Palestine."
A list of more than 100 world languages and dialects, on Page 29, excludes Hebrew. Similarly, a list of 27 international airlines on Page 31, which includes Air Lanka, and Saudi Arabian Airlines, fails to include El Al, Israel's airline.
In the five-page tourist attractions section, the Dome of the Rock - located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the locale of the First and Second Temples, in addition to the Al Aksa mosque - is listed in "Palestine."
A list of local "cultural publications" on Page 15 - citing Arizona Muslim Voice, Valley India Newspaper, NGAY NAY (a Vietnamese newspaper) and Indian Yellow Pages - does not include Catholic Sun, El Monitor Hispano de Phoenix, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, The Korea Central Daily of Arizona, Korean Heritage News, Heatstroke Gay and Lesbian News or Arizona Informant. (The last serves Phoenix's black community.)
The publication does include the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., and, in a list of international monetary units, the Israeli shekel.
The Multicultural Yellow Pages has a circulation of 10,000 to 15,000 in Phoenix, Ahmad said. None of the people contacted for this article, except of course for Ahmad, had seen a copy.
"It's unfortunate that a narrow-minded book would be put out with a name as 'multicultural,' " said Rabbi Robert Kravitz, executive director of the American Jewish Committee area office.
The Multicultural Yellow Pages includes a letter from Chandler Mayor Jay Tibshraney reading, in part, "Congratulations on your continued success. ... The City of Chandler takes pride in the diversity of our community."
"We were not aware of the content," said David Bigos, public information officer of the City of Chandler. "We're in error for not reviewing (it)." He said in the future, the mayor's office would review content of any publication before signing congratulatory letters.
"If it's called multicultural, it should be all inclusive," he added.
When told of the content of the publication, Rabbi Bonnie Koppell, of Temple Beth Sholom in Chandler, expressed frustration with both its publisher and the mayor of Chandler. It is important for ethnic and religious groups to take pride in themselves, said Koppell, but not at the expense of others.
The Jewish people do not dismiss the Arab community or diminish their existence, said Tami Schultz, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix. And the Israeli government has recognized the Palestinian entity and offered its people a Palestinian state, she added.
Ahmad stressed that he had to consider and incorporate the perspective of the Valley Muslim community in the publication; many Muslims view Israel as Palestine, he said.
"I have to admit, Palestine should have been under 'P,' not under 'I,' " he added. "That was an error on our part."
"He is entitled to publish what he chooses," said Kravitz, "but the downside is people will read it and call it truth because it has been published."
Ahmad said no readers have called him with complaints or criticisms about the directory, but changes could be made in future editions.
The directory provides a page for readers "to contribute information about your culture to this directory." The contact number is 602-258-7404.
Copies of the 2001 issue, printed in December, have been distributed to mosques, retailers, Middle Eastern churches, community colleges and at international festivals.
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