Economy Holding Up?

Submitted by Harriet Tarlow (United States), May 21, 2002 at 20:01

I have just returned from 2 weeks in Israel. In Safed, we were welcomed with open arms, "you're from America, weren't you afraid to come?" There was not one tourist in sight during our 3 day stay in that area. The restaurants, shops and hotels were empty, and they were grateful that we were there. In Jerusalem, we experienced the same reaction......shopkeepers, taxi drivers, etc. expressed the same sentiments.

My son, who lives in Jerusalem, who had 4 stores which sold his own computer products and additional hardware and software, has had to close 3 of the stores in tourist areas, and let his employees go. The 4th store is open only because the landlord has agreed to work with him on a reduced monthly lease.

I wish it were true that the economy is holding up, but everything I saw and experienced lead me to believe just the opposite.

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