I’ve always been Jewish, but I didn’t become Orthodox until I was in my twenties. I chose this way of living because I liked the way Orthodox husbands looked at their wives–with smoldering sensuality, hidden knowing, and reverence. They spoke sweetly and didn’t play games, and I never saw the flicker of distance in their eyes. After years of dating guys who didn’t pay for my dinner, much less pay attention to me, I was ready for a real connection. Hooking up wasn’t getting me what I wanted: love. It was time to try something else, and this looked like a world I could get into. There are many elements of Judaism that keep me religious, but the most compelling one is observant marriage. …

It’s not just the mikvah that makes Orthodox sex so great: The entire system creates over-the-top intensity. To start with, you’re shomer n’giyah, so you don’t touch anyone of the opposite sex–no handshaking, air-kissing, or friendly hugs. In my world, every touch is electric.

-Lynne Meredith Schreiber, "Sex as an Orthodox Jew," Tango magazine