Lost

Years later, Morah Penina’s words still reverberate in my mind, haunting me.

IT was June of 2021, and I was a mother of two pitzkelach, doing the same thing we’re all doing, trying to juggle work and raise a family.

My bechor, Meir, was three and a half; my daughter Tirtzah was two. They were signed up for daycare for the coming school year, with the morahs located three houses apart from each other. Meir’s daycare ended at 3 p.m. sharp, while Tirtzah’s daycare — run by Morah Penina — ended at 3:15 p.m. Problem was, my workday ended at 3:15 p.m. How was I supposed to pick them up on time?

I hesitantly approached my boss to ask if I could cut back my hours and leave at 2:50 p.m. His response was immediate and firm: “Either you stay until 3:15 p.m. or there’s no job. I’ll have to let you go.”