Orthodox Islamic Women Behave Differently

Istanbul is full of women wearing full headcover, long coats, no makeup, dull colors. They’re indistinguishable from each other, completely anonymous. Usually they’re walking alone or with a group of women, but sometimes they’re walking with a man – I assume their husband or their son. And when they do, they hang on to his arm. It’s an odd sight. The man is usually clean-shaven, in regular street clothes – nothing unusual or religious-looking about him. The anonymous woman seems from a different world, and clings to his arm. They’re often chatting among themselves like a normal couple…

They’re very different from Orthodox Jews. When Orthodox Jewish couples walk together, they almost never touch. They seem like two independent entities. But they both look equally Orthodox. The man wears a Kipa, often side curls and black attire. With the Islamic couples it’s tough to believe that they’re related, but they must be. Surely a religious Islamic woman wouldn’t cling to the arm of a strange man…