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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Dawn.com</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">For Iraqis, learning Hebrew is a mixed blessing</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Wearing an elegant pink headscarf, Marwa Abdel Karim serenades her fellow <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Baghdad</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> students with a heartfelt rendition of “Filled With Love,” remarkable for the language in which it is sung - Hebrew.</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">She is one of the 150 students at the university's Hebraic department, studying the language of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> in an Arab country that has never had ties with the Jewish state and where most people regard it as an enemy.</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">For the first time since it was set up 40 years ago, the department organised a festival earlier this month where students sang songs and recited poetry for an enthralled audience of about 100, and gifted tutors with presents.</P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Full story:</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/31-for+iraqis+learning+hebrew+is+a+mixed+blessing-ll-02</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>