Taliban Women in Jerusalem

The 'Taliban Women' have recently attracted increasing attention in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem. This group of extremely zealous Jewish women, wearing long dark headscarves and veils, cover their faces and their long dresses extend down to their toes, revealing only their hands and fingers. The phenomenon of 'Taliban Women' has been observed for several years in neighborhoods of central Jerusalem inhabited by ultra-Orthodox Jews, but their numbers have recently increased. The addition of black veils is a new aspect of their attire that draws more attention. Among approximately ten thousand women in this group, it is said that a few hundred have also adopted the veil. Before this recent change in dress, they were known as 'Shawl Women' because they distinguished themselves from other Jewish women with long black shawls on their heads and shoulders. Until now, women among the ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups, with European roots, shaved their heads and wore wigs. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish women, like devout Muslims, believe that a woman's hair is a sexual attraction. The use of wigs among Jews of European descent has spread in recent decades to Jews of Eastern descent, while until recently, women from Middle Eastern and North African Jewish communities would leave their hair uncovered. Ms. Ariella Sternbach, a journalist for the Israeli website Ynet, has published her observations and the results of her conversations with some of these women in the Tuesday, September 31 issue of the website. This Israeli journalist has participated in prayers and classes of the 'Taliban Women' for several weeks to better understand their lives and the reasons behind their choice of this type of dress and the particular zeal they have adopted in their lives. Ms. Sternbach, at the request of the website she works for, has recorded some of her interactions with these women using her mobile phone camera, which she easily concealed under her heavy dark covering. One of the women who was unintentionally interviewed by Sternbach is Miriam, who comes from a family of Jewish immigrants with roots tracing back to Jews fleeing Lithuania, but she describes herself as 'returning to the essence of the religion.' Miriam stated that she has been interested in this type of dress since her teenage years and concluded that a noble Jewish girl or woman is one who should not allow even a small part of her body to be seen by outsiders. Miriam mentioned that she could not fulfill this 'wish' in her paternal family, but after marrying a Jewish man who was more zealous than her family, she completed her attire, and her 'wish' was realized. The Israeli journalist, who has closely observed Miriam's life, was shocked by the severe poverty and misery of this young family, noting that this couple, who have had three children in their short marriage, live in a dilapidated and 'foul' room with the most basic of amenities, yet they feel deep happiness and satisfaction. Miriam has already isolated her three children from society and does not even communicate with other ultra-Orthodox sects, nor does she want her children to be enrolled in the schools of other Jewish extremists. Miriam has stated that she will educate these three children and any other children she may have in the future about 'values.' The term 'Taliban Women' became popular when a woman from this sect mistreated her child, leading to police intervention and questioning, which provoked a strong reaction from the supporters of this group and their demonstrations. At that time, since the Taliban were in power in Afghanistan, the aforementioned mother was dubbed 'Taliban Mother' in Israeli media. Miriam has also stopped working because not only do followers of other sects not employ her, but she also does not feel good among them, as they do not 'understand' her. Miriam added that she maintains her relationship with her parents, whom she does not consider 'very religious,' but she constantly hears 'rebukes' from them that it is because of her that this family is worried about the reactions of other Jewish sects. Miriam stated that even her husband and parents are not pleased with her decision, but 'they will eventually get used to it.' According to Miriam, she feels sad seeing 'the torment that her father suffers because of her, but since she is fulfilling a divine mission, she is 'content to endure this suffering.' This young woman said she 'accepts' these criticisms because she is 'confident' that the Lord has 'assigned her a mission to be an example for correcting the 'flaws and defects created by humanity.' The Ynet journalist, in a conversation with Miriam at her home alongside her children, learned that she has even accustomed her daughters to this attire from now on. Miriam stated that she does not yet consider herself 'complete' in fulfilling her divine mission and that to please God, she 'must strengthen her faith further.' The Israeli journalist accompanied Miriam to one of their educational classes and witnessed how they cry out to the Lord to grant them 'forgiveness' and to make them 'His righteous servants.' This group of zealous Jewish women sits in the back of special buses in the religious section of Jerusalem; the Israeli journalist filmed this part of the men sitting in front of the buses who are praying while the buses are in motion. The women of this group told the journalist that having all life decisions made by men is a normal matter, and they wholeheartedly accept it because God has willed it so. The conversations and interactions of Ariella Sternbach, which she recorded with her hidden mobile phone camera, eventually revealed her secret, and a controversy erupted at a midnight gathering of these women, forcing the journalist to contact the Israeli police for assistance to free herself from potential dangers.