Pages from My Life

This chapter sheds light on Sarah Schenirer's childhood and on the beginnings of the Bais Yaakov movement. At first, Schenirer was not entirely happy with her newly founded Orthodox Girls' Union. Its activities were impressive enough, and the members listened to her lectures with enthusiasm and took an interest in the ideas she expressed. However, the girls still could not bring themselves to submit to the commandments of Jewish law and fulfil the obligations of Torah. This is because most of them were young women already, and it was not easy to persuade them to take on a new, truly Jewish life, with all its customs and traditions. Thus, Schenirer decided to start schools for young girls, truly Jewish schools, where the educational spirit would be in accordance with the perspectives of Israel of old.