From Turkey, with love

ISTANBUL – This country is nothing like I ever imagined it would be.

 

When I first received an invitation to join moderate Muslims for Ramadan Iftar dinners in Turkey, I did not consider it to be a viable option. After all, isn’t Turkey a fundamentalist Islamic country? Isn’t it unsafe for an Israeli and/or a Jew to be in a country filled with burka-clad women and men in Islamic garb? But I agreed to participate only when promised armed guards, and an armored car for transportation And I was stunned by what I saw.

 

Istanbul and Ankara look no different than any major American city. Shopping malls. Sky scrapers. Stadiums and arenas.

 

Yes, I saw a large number of mosques, but the overwhelming majority of people dress in modern, nonreligious clothing.

 

The Muslim garb I did see was generally women in modern dress, with head coverings.

 

Actually, most of the modern-looking citizens who walk the streets are traditional.

 

Read More: From Turkey, with love – Opinion – Jerusalem Post