The 13th Enumeration by William Struse, Rachel Starr Thomson Page A

by side in peace and for a common purpose. What I hope this museum represents is a foundation for a new era in the relations of our peoples.”
    Darius opened his briefcase and removed a small padded plastic box containing a clay tablet. He walked over to the empty display case, solemnly lifted the protective covering, and placed the clay tablet into the case.
    Walking back to the lectern, he continued, “This clay tablet is a written record of Darius, son of Hystaspes, the greatest ruler of the Persian people. It is especially important to me because Darius Hystaspes was one of my distant ancestors. This tablet is a written record of Darius’s granting the governorship of Jerusalem to the biblical Nehemiah, his cupbearer. In part, it reads as follows: ‘I, Darius the great Artaxerxes, ruler of one-hundred-twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia in my twentieth year, do hereby appoint my cupbearer Nehemiah as governor of Jerusalem.’”
    He let the words die away. “Ladies and gentlemen, there was a time when Persia was a benefactor of the Jewish people, not an antagonist. I believe it is time for our peoples to rekindle our shared interests. Darius, son of Hystaspes, rebuilt places of worship for the Elamites, the Jews, the Babylonians, and the Egyptians. I share my ancestors’ vision of rebuilding the sacred places of worship of all peoples. Even though I have beliefs similar to those of my ancestors, I hold equal respect for the beliefs of all other peoples.”
    That was true enough, he thought—he held all other religions in equal disdain.
    “There is another reason this little clay tablet is important to me. A reason even more personal. This document states Darius was the ‘Artaxerxes’ over one-hundred-and-twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. As your own book of Esther states, one of your own married the ‘Artaxerxes,’ or ‘Ahasuerus,’ if you prefer, who ruled over one-hundred-and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. Darius Hystaspes was the husband of Hadassah, one of your greatest heroes. Hadassah was my great-great-great . . . grandmother, the Jewish heroine who is remembered every year on the thirteenth and fourteenth of Adar for saving her people. So I don’t call on you to share my vision just as friends, but also as brothers and sisters. Let this museum of our common history and our common ancestry be the foundation upon which we build a better future for all our people.”
    He paused, taking a moment to sweep the gathering with his gaze. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. If there are any questions, I would be happy to try to answer them. Let’s keep it short if we can. Dinner is being served, and we have some fine entertainment as well.”
    A hearty round of applause followed. After that, a hand was raised in the back of the room.
    “Yes,” Darius pointed to one of the press correspondents from Al Jazeera.
    “Mr. Zarindast, you claim these artifacts, as you call them, prove a common history between the people of Persia and Israel. As I am sure you are aware, many Muslims today deny Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular was ever a historical fact in relation to the Jewish people. What do you say to these critics?”
    Darius replied, “My friend, I would say it is time the few fanatics found in every religion be ignored. To deny Jerusalem and the Jewish people existed is as intelligent as saying Persia and the Persians never existed. Frankly, it is just hate-filled extremist rhetoric.”
    There was spontaneous applause as he finished. The reporter sat back down with a look of embarrassment.
    “Any other questions?” he asked as he turned and looked for another hand. “Yes,” he pointed to another correspondent.
    “Sir, Aaron Klein here with WorldNetDaily. You stated the clay tablet behind you shows Nehemiah was the governor of Jerusalem during the reign of the great Artaxerxes, Darius , son of Hystaspes. Aren’t you concerned about the ramifications