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Menucha Saitowitz

Two Women

Two headscarves, tied differently. Two smiles. Two friends. They are what the future should look like
The author and her dear friend Khitam on their trip to Istanbul
The author and her dear friend Khitam on their trip to Istanbul
Two women.
One Jewish, One Muslim.
One born in Florida,
with her toes in the Atlantic Ocean.
She learned how to run from alligators,
& dressed in red, white and blue
to watch the fireworks on the 4th of July
The other, born in the Negev Desert.
Countless cousins, occasional camels.
Expansive, wide-open spaces
Surrounded by family, she’d never met a Jew.
One spoke English. One spoke Arabic
Both found their way to Hebrew.
One mastered the language,
made it her own.
Her ticket to an education
her parents had missed.
After moving to Israel,
the other learned gradually,
falling back on her English,
an asset in this international world.
They met at work,
both committed to changing
this tiny corner of the big, big world.
Two women, two headscarves.
One tied loosely behind her neck
One closed tightly under her chin.
Two friends who love to laugh.
Two women who love this land.
One day, they board an airplane
and spend a few days somewhere
their friendship isn’t newsworthy.
Outside of Israel,
they are not a Muslim & a Jew
They are two friends
sharing an adventure,
drinking sweet tea,
getting lost on the metro
& walking till their feet hurt.
Until Hebrew once again tickles their ears.
Another tourist, an Israeli man
trying to make himself understood in English.
The Muslim woman smiles.
Though it’s a complex relationship,
She loves the language. She’d missed it.
She translates for him. He’s grateful for the help.
He gives the women a long look.
Two headscarves, tied differently.
Two smiles, accented Hebrew. Two friends.
Mutual respect.
Comfort, laughter, ease.
Suddenly, they are not just two women.
For this man,
in this moment,
They are hope.
They are beauty.
They are what the future should look like.
***
Here’s hoping for happier days
and many more adventures.
About the Author
Menucha Mackenzie Saitowitz earned her degree in psychology and religion from Dartmouth University in 2010. Since making Aliyah in 2011, She has worked to develop Israel's periphery, with an emphasis on the South. She loves that she and her husband are raising their 4 sabras in Be'er Sheva, the heart of the Negev. Menucha is passionate about bringing Jews and Arabs together. She is currently studying for her MA in Religious and Middle Eastern Politics at Bar Ilan University.