Shalom all,
    Tom's post of Feb. 10
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/feb2005/tomg210-1.htm

has the gematria for Damascus as 444....but I fail to see the final "S" in Damascus in his hebrew letters.  I think that would be a semek, which equals 60; thereby making the gematria for Damascus be 504.

What does this indicate?   I feel it is important, but there is still some little clue missing.

Shalom,
Miriam Brown