I'd never seen this before... I tried to send a message to someone from my past who had not accepted my friend request yet... because I'd just made it.

Facebook presented a prompt that said...
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You aren't connected to XXXXXXXX on Facebook, so your message would normally get filtered to his Other folder. You can:

( ) Send this message to his Inbox for Php41.29 PHP (about $1 USD)
( ) Just send this message to his Other folder—What is this?

Soooo... Facebook is now charging $1 for you to send a message to someone you haven't connected with yet. Interesting...

try

From Jerusalem, Shabbat Shalom, my friends. Shabbat Shalom...