August 13, 2010

The other face of Islam: The Gulen Movement

Sandy Wollschalger

In mid-July I left for Turkey for a week with a group sponsored by the largest civic organization in the country, led by Fethullah Gulen.

Their purpose is to show Americans that Islam has a peaceful, tolerant face. The Gulen movement does a lot of good, much like Catholic Charities, plus starting schools and universities.

Our hosts tried to outdo one another with very generous food helpings, and there was even some regional rivalry when it came to who made the best baklava. For the record, baklava originated in Turkey, not Greece. My favorite treat, however, came from older ladies who had a food stand near a tourist site, and it looked a lot like lefse, served hot off the griddle and rolled with a sweeter tasting cheese and some chopped greens.