JERUSALEM—Regardless of where I’ve traveled, the local women always fascinate me. How do they dress and do their hair? How do they interact with each other? How do they relate to their local men? How do they parent their children? What are their favorite topics of conversation?
Israel hasn’t been an easy study in understanding what makes the local women tick. First, there is a language barrier since I speak about eight words of Hebrew. Second, the female population here comes from all over the world and brings the different characteristics of their native countries with them. Third, I don’t buy into all the stereotypes associated with Jewish women. I think people are individuals, no matter how heavily influenced they are by their physical environment, culture, and ethnicity.
But if I were to subject Israeli women to analysis, I’d compare and contrast Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
It took me weeks of living in Jerusalem to learn that the women clothed from head to toe with long skirts and shirts are religious. If their hair is covered with a scarf, they are married. They are the least likely to look you in the eye, speak to you, or be seen mingling in general public places like a coffee shop or the grocery store.
There are also conservative women in Tel Aviv, but in general you just see more skin. The environment overall is lighter and more metropolitan. The nightlife caters to people who like parties and clubs and cultural performances.
Israel hasn’t been an easy study in understanding what makes the local women tick. First, there is a language barrier since I speak about eight words of Hebrew. Second, the female population here comes from all over the world and brings the different characteristics of their native countries with them. Third, I don’t buy into all the stereotypes associated with Jewish women. I think people are individuals, no matter how heavily influenced they are by their physical environment, culture, and ethnicity.
But if I were to subject Israeli women to analysis, I’d compare and contrast Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
It took me weeks of living in Jerusalem to learn that the women clothed from head to toe with long skirts and shirts are religious. If their hair is covered with a scarf, they are married. They are the least likely to look you in the eye, speak to you, or be seen mingling in general public places like a coffee shop or the grocery store.
There are also conservative women in Tel Aviv, but in general you just see more skin. The environment overall is lighter and more metropolitan. The nightlife caters to people who like parties and clubs and cultural performances.
