Girls today should learn all aspects of Torah necessary to protect them from falling prey to the disinformation from without but even more, from within the Jewish society. There is no aspect of Torah that a girl today should not learn, in order to shield her soul.
Even in this comments section, krumkeit and idiocity is often quoted in the name of Torah. From there, its a short path to abandoning one’s entire heritage. That is not to say that she has the same chiyuv of limud as a man, but without the protection of lifelong Torah learning, a Jewish woman is in great spiritual danger.
The 26th of Adar marks the yahrzeit of Sarah Schenirer, a visionary whose impact on Jewish education for women continues to resonate deeply.
Born in 1883 in Krakow, Poland, the third of nine children of Bezalel and Rosa (Lack) Schenirer; the Schenirers were a distinguished rabbinic family with ties to both Belzer and Sandzer Hasidism.
Sarah Schenirer grew up in a time when girls were not encouraged to pursue formal education, particularly in Torah. In fact, the prevailing belief was that women should focus on domestic duties, while Torah study was reserved for boys. Yet, Sarah Schenirer saw things differently.
She recognized that Jewish women had untapped potential and deserved the opportunity to learn Torah and deepen their spiritual lives. With great determination, Sarah founded the first Bais Yaakov school in 1917, a groundbreaking step that defied societal expectations. At a time when few thought it was necessary for girls to receive formal Jewish education, Sarah Schenirer boldly set out to create an environment where girls could engage with Torah in a structured, supportive setting.
The Bais Yaakov movement she started in Krakow was not embraced. Most Torah leaders in the Jewish community opposed her idea, believing that it was inappropriate for women to study Torah. However, Sarah Schenirer was unwavering in her commitment to provide Jewish girls with the tools they needed to lead lives rooted in Torah and tradition. She saw that an education that combined both spiritual growth and practical knowledge was crucial to empowering women to contribute meaningfully to their families, communities, and the Jewish world at large.
Despite the challenges, the Bais Yaakov movement gained tremendous momentum, spreading across Poland and eventually to other parts of Europe and the world. The idea of Torah education for girls was embraced by many Jewish communities, including various Hasidic groups, who established their own girls’ schools modeled after Bais Yaakov. This further cemented Sarah Schenirer’s revolutionary approach and ensured that her vision would endure for generations to come.
Through her efforts, Sarah Schenirer not only transformed the lives of countless Jewish girls but also reshaped the landscape of Jewish education for women. Her vision of Torah education for girls became a cornerstone of Jewish life, ensuring that future generations of women could engage deeply with their faith.
Today, the Bais Yaakov movement continues to thrive, with schools and institutions dedicated to Sarah Schenirer’s principles of Torah study, modesty, and spiritual growth. Her legacy lives on in the thousands of women who have been empowered by her teachings to study Torah, lead their families, and contribute to Jewish communities in profound ways.
As we reflect on Sarah Schenirer’s remarkable life on the 26th of Adar, we are reminded of her unwavering belief in the importance of Jewish education for women and the lasting impact her work continues to have on the Jewish world. Her courage to challenge the norms of her time and her dedication to the education of Jewish girls created a path for generations of women to engage with Torah and live lives of meaning and purpose.
