Believe It to Live It

Shani Neiman with Zivia Reischer

“I

t’s hard,” Naomi told me. “Every summer, the seminary girls come back, and we hire a few for my department. It’s tough to watch all these young girls waltz into the office, work for a few months or a year, and before you know it, they’re wearing a ring, then a sheitel, and then maternity. Most of me is happy for them, but the other part can’t help but feel sad for myself. Is my turn ever going to come?”

I could hear the melancholy in her voice. But then her tone changed.

“My parents think I need a ‘dating coach,’” she said sardonically. “Like I’m doing something wrong.”

“It’s very common for people to need coaching,” I said.