Times are a changin’.
Women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to attend sport events.
In a few months, women in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to drive a car.
Photos of the new Saudi auto dealership for women only
show women covered in black from head-to-toe.
In Iran, Wednesdays have become protest days for women,
removing their white head coverings in protest to Islamic rulers.
And in Israel?
In Jerusalem, Israel, head coverings are important.
Without a red hijab,
how could we know this young woman in Aroma was an Arab girl?
World Champion gold-medal winner Anna Muzychuk
became news when she refused to wear an abaya
for the World Championship chess tournament held in Saudi Arabia.
Around the same time,
an interesting tourist group of women arrived
at the Western Wall Plaza.
Escorted by two men,
a group of young women in traditional Muslim dress
mingled with locals and other tourists.
I was on my way home, but I
stayed to watch the reaction to the women at the Kotel,
the Western Wall, on that sunny afternoon.
There was none.
As they went close to the Kotel and stood there
no one seemed to pay attention – but me!
They took the normal tourist photos.
As the women wandered through the crowd,
even their male escorts gave them space.
One woman waited outside the toilets for her friends.
Did anyone take notice?
From my vantage point above,
I noticed her taking the time to offer a prayer.
Her shoulder bag was from Milli Gorus,
which started in Turkey in 1969,
and is the most influential Islamist organization in Germany.
However, I am not sure where they live.
Arab tourism has increased,
and Muslim groups from Turkey and England are not unusual.
Next time I see a group of young Muslim women
I plan to ask them where they live and how their trip is.
Will these women go back home and tell the truth?
In their traditional dress,
no one bothered them as they walked freely.
Israeli Arab girls and women in malls
or older women alone on side streets
know they have nothing to fear.
As a friend noted about 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls,
“Because somehow the “nude” got attached,
it will remain viral.
It will outlive the mythical cockroaches in a nuclear war.”
Last year that post had almost 15,000 views,
my hope is some of those voyeurs
from every country in the world,
will see the truth about what is really happening
on these Jerusalem, Israel streets,
these real photos of Arab girls.
Oh Sharon…how this touched my heart and the hope within for peace…I am sending this out to the Jewish community here on Salt Spring Island and am also posting it on my Facebook page…so many thanks and so much appreciation of your photos and of you text…and of you…still hoping to meet up with you when next I come to Israel
Oh Hannah, Thank you, thank you! Hope you get here soon to see for yourself.
Thank you for another beautiful peek at the Jerusalem Streets.
Thank you for taking time to comment! Shabbat shalom
It is, indeed, wonderful to see such tourism photos. There is no reason for Arabs not to visit this beautiful land, especially to one they think they have an “emotional” attachment or just historical curiosity for truth. Just make sure they return to THEIR “homeland” which is some place the British, idly and wildly, drew on a map with a pencil in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Israel’s boundaries were always on the map for 1000’s of years and slowly eroded because of territory wars, forced exile and “land for peace” deals. Know your history, folks. Check out King Solomon’s empire and what really G-d gave to Abraham. Jewish archeological evidence is being destroyed as proof positive of Jewish life in surrounding “Arab” countries. Any Arab country allow Jews or Israelis to roam freely as tourists – suspicion, trouble, and bothersomesome free? Even Jewish or Israeli archeologists are not allowed to dig in Arab, or some Muslim, countries. However, Arabs are very welcome to come to Israel and visit. Why not? I enjoy seeing them and their interest. Where are the world newspapers documenting this? Shabbat SHALOM. I am off my soap box.
Thanks. Always love your comments!
We are tolerant and respectful out of our own sense of what is just, whether or not the world notices. Thanks for the confirmation provided by these photos.
Thank you Michael for taking time to comment. Today, a friend highlighted ‘compassion’ as a Jewish trait, referring back to Egypt, in his writing of the weekly portion – BO. I responded, hopefully compassion will not come to be our fatal flaw.
I couldn’t stop thinking of the respectful way they entered the Kotel and compared it to those Jewish women who come one hour a month to make a ruckus.
Interesting. Yes, they were quiet and respectful. Received no attention, whistles or negative comments from anyone I could see, and I watched the entire time they were in the area. After they went past Yeshiva HaKotel and I went holme.
Amazing photos, Sharon. It is so interesting to see these women walking about freely. I don’t imagine we would be able to do so in East Jerusalem or in other Arab countries. Shabbat shalom! Carole
Thank you. Now how do we get more to see these photos? Shabbat shalom
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