Sara+Schenirer

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Sarah Schenirer by: Neta Shvat and Hila Columbus

=Article=

128 years ago, in 1883, in Krakow, a baby girl was born to Rabbi Be__z__alel Ha-kohen and his wife. This baby's name was Sarah. This baby was to become one of the most influential women in woman's Torah study. As a girl Sarah attended a Public Polish school but due to the livelihood of her family, she worked as a seamstress. During The First World War she fled to Vienna and there conceived the idea of Torah study and Jewish education for girls. The idea to build Jewish schools from a halachic point of view was issued at the time of the "Chofetz Chaim". The halachik ruling of the Chafetz Chaim is that although Torah study was forbidden in the past, today it is no longer relevant. The obligation is actually for women to study Torah in this generation, because in this generation began the phenomenon of secularization and assimilation for the first time and he was worried that girls who do not have strong roots in Judaism would leave the religion. When there is no formal Jewish education for Jewish girls, they have no real relevance and knowledge of Judaism and faith.

When Sarah heard this halachik ruling, she immediately agreed and decided that she will strive to make this happen.Immediately when she returned to her hometown of Krakow she established a school for Jewish girls. In the school, religious subjects as well as more general studies and preparation for the establishment of a kosher Jewish family were taught.

Sarah Schneirer has become one of the most affective women in the Jewish world because if not for her, we would not have Jewish schools for girls today.Sarah was very courageous because she was the first woman to establish the idea of learning for women. As a result she established a formal meeting place for Jewish girls though it was something that was not accepted at the time. However, she continued with her values and went ahead with it. Furthermore, it was not easy for her. People did not agree with her at first and didn't send their girls to her school.

But despite the lack of support from the Jewish communities, Sarah's family really supported her. Her brother even went from city to city and community to community and publicized for the better the school of his sister and explained the importance of continuity of the Jewish people. As a result, just after her brother became involved in the mission, people began to understand the considerable importance of the new school and began to send their girls. The movement called Agudath Israel took responsibility of her school and set up many more such schools. Sarah's idea became reality. One school became a huge network of schools across many countries. This network is called "Beit Yaakov", after the first school that Sarah established. In conclusion, we think that we and all Jewish girls have to say thank you to Sarah Schneirer because she transported the Jewish people in the most practical way and influenced the schools we learn in today. Her concern to preserve the tradition of Jewish girls and Jewish continuity has made a huge impact on Jewish learning forever. Sarah's share of Torah study of the Jewish people is great and she is one of the most influential women from the Jewish world.

=ID CARD=



Full name: Sarah Schneerer Parent's name: Be__z__alel Ha-kohen Year of birth: 1883-1935 Where born: Poland, Cracow Place of work: "Beit Ya'akov" school Profession: teacher and writer What she is famous for: Schenirer began establishing a school for young girls.

=Interview=

** 1. **


 * Q. **** Why do you think it's important for girls to learn? **

** A **. In my days, Jewish learning for girls did not exist, so girls, either studied in public schools and went astray, or did not study at all. Therefore, something had to be organized so girls can learn and remain Jews.

** 2. ** ** Q. How did you get this idea? ** ** A **. At this time, the Chafetz Chaim's rabbinical ruling said that because of the complex situation of Jewish families, women were allowed to learn in formal education.

** 3. ** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">** Q. How did other people react to the idea? ** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">** A **. Many initially opposed the talk but over time more and more realized that something was needed for Jewish girls

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 4. ** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. How did **** your family support you? ** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">** A. ** My family supported me, and my brother even went with her from town to town and spread the idea.

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 5. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. How was your childhood? How did it influence you? **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** A **. I grew up in an Orthodox home and my parents were proponents of "Belz", but I learned in a Polish school. As a result, I realized the importance of teaching Jewish girls Jewish studies to make sure they stay Jewish.

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 6. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. Why did you go to the "Hafetz Haim? **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** A. ** The Chafetz Chaim was a very respected rabbi. He also was the Rabbi who cancelled the ruling said that women cannot studyTorah. Because of this I went to him and asked him if I could open a Jewish girls school.

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 7. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. What do you think about girls learning Jewish and secular subjects together? **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** A **. I thing it's important to study them both. The Torah is important because we are Jewish and this is our tradition. It is also influential to learn secular subjects because it's good to know for the rest of their lives. Therefore it both are important.

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 8. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. Where did the name "BEIT YA'AKOV" come from? **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** A **. The name "Beit Yaakov" is taken from the Midrash about receiving the Torah. There is a verse that means "Moses went up to God and called to God from the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to Jacob and tell the people of Israel." The midrash says, "Thus shalt thou say to Jacob - those women, and tell the people of Israel - those men." Because of this it's call "Beit Yaakov".

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 9. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. **** What did you do before **** "Beit Ya'akov" is opened **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** A **. I worked as a seamstress to help support the family, while I studied education in Judaism.

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** 10. **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">** Q. How were studies and lessons learned in " Beit Ya'akov? **

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 12.55pt 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">** A **. School lessons were in Yiddish. "Kodesh" subjects were studied such as the Bible, Hebrew grammar, Jewish History, and Ethics, and secular subjects were taught separately.

=Speech=

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">Rabbis, Parents and Educators: <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">"Coh Tomar Le'beit Yawakov Vetagid Lebeit Israel" <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">I want to say here, on this stage what I think about education for Jewish girls. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">Some parents, rabbis and educators may not agree with my way, but please listen to me, if not for me, for Jewish girls that will keep our Jewish character and be the mothers of the next generation. <span style="color: black; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">The midrash says: Beit Yaakov those the women, and Beit Israel those the men. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> If you are thinking that there is no need to study the Torah and home economics – you are making a big mistake and you are very wrong! A Jewish girl who doesn't learn Torah study and home economics, at the end she will not conserve the Jewish tradition, and if all the Jewish girls will be so, Jewish tradition will not be saved. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">What do you think would happen if Jewish girls did not keep the tradition? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">How will we ensure the continuity as a nation? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> How can she bu ild a Jewish home when she doesn’t know home economics and the halachik way to do this? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> Therefore, I, Sarah Schneirer, am worrying about the future of the Jewish girls! I, God willing, will open a school for Jewish girls that will study the Torah together with home economics !!! <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 16pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> If you want to protect your girls and protect the continuity of the Jewish people, give them the right education to build another floor of the Jewish people. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;">I hope for the best that we could go the same way toget her!

=Reflection=

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> 1. Here you must explain what you have learned about the subject (in short). <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">**A**. We learned that Sarah Schneerer changed the world for woman. We learned that all our studies are thanks to her work. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> 2. Then you explain what you learned from working on the project. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> Has it improved your: <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 75.7pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -21.85pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> £ searching skills <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 75.7pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -21.85pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> **//£ summarizing skills//** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 75.7pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -21.85pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> **//£ writing skills//** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 75.7pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -21.85pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> **//£ vocabulary level//** <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 75.7pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -21.85pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> £ English language skills <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> 3. What was difficult for you in the paper? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">**A.** The paper was little difficult because there was not a lot of information about our subject. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"> 4. a. Did you have enough time for the paper? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> Yes, we did. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> b. Did you get enough help and support from your teacher? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> Yes. Thanks teacher about all! <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> c. Did you understand the instructions? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> Usually yes. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> d. Were the assignments clear and fair? <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> Yes. <span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"> 5. Choose one of the following:

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;">**A.** I enjoyed working on this project because I learned from it English and about Sarah Schneerer.

=Rationale=

<span style="direction: ltr; display: block; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> The teacher chose to write about Women of Valor. We chose to write about Sarah Schneerer because she established the school "Beit Ya'akov ". She became famous because she was the first to establish a Jewish girl's school. We were looking for a Jewish woman that we didn’t yet know about. We had heard a little about her and we were interested to learn more about what she did and her accomplishments.

=Bibliography=

<span style="color: #333333; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; letter-spacing: 1.65pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> "Sarah Schneirer - Founder Beth Jacob." //Jewish time travel after four Jewish families in Europe//. N.p., 2002. Web. 27 oct 2010. [|http://www.amalnet.k12.il/meida/masa/articles/jews0200.asp].

<span style="color: #333333; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; letter-spacing: 1.65pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> "Sarah Schneirer." //Wikipedia//. N.p., 12/1/11. Web. 13 oct 2010. [].

<span style="color: #333333; direction: ltr; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; letter-spacing: 1.65pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: top;"> "Sarah Schneirer." //white maps//. N.p., n.d. Web. 26.1.2011. [].