Vered’s Story: Chapter 7

We’d made it: we lived in a large, frum community, and with my bas mitzvah a beautiful memory, I began Bais Yaakov. The years of homeschooling with my mother had kept my secular studies up to par, while the many hours with Rebbetzin Samberg had done their part in bringing the level of my Jewish studies to where it needed to be. She’d prepared me so well that when my new school offered to start me off in the lower track, I felt totally confident telling them that I was sure I’d do well in the higher track.

Starting school in a Bais Yaakov environment was a fascinating experience. Scholastically, I did very well; Rebbetzin Samberg’s hard work and my own tenacity were apparent. But there was so much more than knowing how to read Rashi and make my way around the meforshim.

Like the silly, small stuff that didn’t seem so silly or small in the moment. Like the entire class already knowing about the Bigdei Kehunah. I wasn’t familiar with the term. Well, I knew “kehunah,” but I had never heard the term “Bigdei Kehunah.” I thought the teacher was saying “big day kehuna.” I didn’t know what she was talking about, but I figured that over the last few years I’d learned and absorbed so much, it was understandable if I somehow missed whatever this Big Day for Kohanim was all about. I was quite confused about it for a while. Only after I saw it in writing did my confusion clear. Oh… the bigdei kehunah… the Kohanim’s clothing… got it.

Then there was my assumption that teachers in a Bais Yaakov school would know everything. How could they not? They were Jewish studies teachers! Experts! One example stands out clearly in my memory. I came into Bais Yaakov very proud of the fact that I was a convert. It had never occurred to me to hide it. So when our biur tefillah teacher spoke about the brachah of shelo asani goy, I was quick to ask if the same nusach was used by those who were not born Jewish and had converted to Judaism. Looking back, she was so young, as she stood there in front of the class and mumbled, “What… what?” But it was a huge moment for me. I was like, this is such a basic question, and you are supposed to be an expert, you teach Jewish subjects in a Bais Yaakov, how could you not know how to answer my simple question?