A Jew Traveling in the Islamic World

Arab publishers are seeking rights to "The Marco Polo Odyssey" the story of a Jew who became the first to follow Marco Polo through the predominately Islamic nations of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Western China as a means to enhance the image of the worldwide Islamic community.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) June 22, 2009 -- The story of a Jew traveling across the Muslim countries of the Middle East and Asia is attracting the attention of a number of Arab publishers. Harry Rutstein was the first to follow the 13,000 mile route of Marco Polo from Italy to Israel by sea, trekking across the predominantly Islamic nations of Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and finally exploring the Islamic half of China following in Polo's footsteps to Beijing. Sunni, Shi'a, Isma'ili and other Islamic sects warmly welcomed him in villages, tea houses, and along the many mountain paths he followed on his ten year journey east, without a single incident of discrimination or hostility. Rutstein's recently published book, The Marco Polo Odyssey has been described as history wrapped in an adventure. Interest in the book by publishers in United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is attributed to his portrayal of Muslims as a peace loving, hospitable people far removed from the terrorists at the fringe of their society. They felt Rutstein's book would help pave the way to a better understanding of the over one billion Muslims who wish to live in harmony with their neighbors around the world as President Obama proposed in his June 4th speech in Cairo.

The following excerpt from The Marco Polo Odyssey (page 85) illustrates the hospitality Harry Rutstein and his traveling partners, cultural anthropologist Joanne Kroll and his son Richard experienced throughout Islamic Asia:

"Even if we had wanted to, we could never sit alone at teahouses. Almost as soon as we had loosened our bootlaces, someone would come over and ask us to join them and their friends or family groups. Everyone quickly moved babies and baskets and bundles aside so we could squeeze into the circle. We would sit down with legs folded under us, and the introductions would begin.

"When there is little shared language, one can at least exchange and understand names and then answers to "Where are you from?" and "Where are you going?" Numbers are easy to convey, so "How old are you?' was a popular question. Somehow, after drinking our tea and passing the fruit basket around--and after a lot of laughter and gesturing and consulting the dictionary--we would all part with some faint idea of who everyone was, what each was doing that day on the road, and, very likely, the ages of everyone in the group.

"The fact that I was Jew in an Islamic nation was not a factor regarding the acceptance we received wherever we traveled in the Middle East and Asia. As Americans we were honored guests. This universal, gracious greeting led me to believe that the first commandment of the culture in this part of the world was "Thou shalt be hospitable," as it says in the Koran."

Excerpts, film clips, and photos from the book can be found on www.MarcoPoloFound.org.

Contact:

Harry Rutstein, Executive Director

Marco Polo Foundation, Inc.

1501 17th Avenue, Suite 1010

Seattle, WA 98122

HRutstein2 (at) aol (dot) com

Cell: 206-979-5974

www.MarcoPoloFound.org

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