Into the Waves

According to the NYTimes report, the two people below are Ms. Laalaa and Mr. Damouny, both 20. They are Muslims who are participating in a year-old outreach program called On the Same Wave.



On the Same Wave promotes mulit-cultural understanding. Chinese, Somalis, Sudanese are taught beach culture and safety. It also diversifies the stereotyped Aussie lifeguard: "a virtually sacred Australian icon, the Surf Life Saver, as someone who is always blond, blue-eyed and sun-bronzed. Under the program, 22 men and women, from 14 to 40 years old and including a woman with three small children, signed up to become Surf Life Savers. Most were ethnic Lebanese, but there was a Palestinian, a Syrian and a Libyan.

I'm all for it.

But something similar here in Israel among the Haredi populace, for example, just wouldn't go down. Mixed swimming and mixed beach ogling isn't accepted.

Funny, though, for in my experience all the male Pals. coming to Israel's beaches never dress up the way that fellow does.

And kudos to Ms. Laalaa who said one reason she had joined the lifesaving program was to educate Australians about Muslims.

“They don’t think Muslim women swim,” she said. “Or do anything,” she quickly added with an irrepressible laugh.