Selah
11-5-12, 1:37am
I'm so excited! I interviewed last week for a part-time teaching job at an Israeli girls' school here in Nahariya. The interview went well, even though I openly disclosed that I am not only not an Orthodox Jew but also a "ger" (convert to Judaism), and, to make matters "worse," I also run a non-orthodox synagogue out of our apartment AND act as the Cantor, singing the blessings as part of the service, and have chanted portions of the Torah. This is VERY far from what orthodox Judaism teaches about the role of women in the expression of the liturgy, so it was a bit touch and go as to whether my activities (which aren't worth trying to keep secret, since there's no such thing as a secret in Israel) would be accepted. It is perfectly legal and not seen as a problem to deny someone a job based on their religion, if the job is to be conducted at a place that is openly religious. Interestingly, even though the school is a public one, in Israel public schools are allowed to be built around religious traditions (Secular Judaism, Modern Orthodox, Orthodox, Muslim, Christian, etc.).
The Principal simply asked me not to discuss my religious activities or background with the students. That's fine with me...I'm still of the American philosophy about "separation of Church (or in this case, shul) and State."
Anyway, I did an observed lesson yesterday with "my" class, of four ninth-grade girls who needed assistance with remedial English. The Principal observed me for some time, and the head of the English department observed the rest of the lesson. I got a call last night, and I start tomorrow!
By the way, I don't know how to post pictures here, but if you're interested in seeing a photo of the ridiculous outfit I put together to get through the interview, you can see it on my blog, address in my signature line below. There are strict rules about "modesty," in that you have to have your knees, elbows and collarbones covered in order to be considered appropriately dressed. However, I made the mistake of thinking this school was more "frum," or more restrictively modest, than it actually was. Given my getup, I'm doubly amazed that I got the job!
I'm really pleased about this. I can't believe I've been here for less than a year and managed to get a "real job" in the Israeli school system, whereas I was in America for eight years and never managed to pull it off. Go figure! It's a big accomplishment to get into the system here...it will help financially now, of course, but also gets me into a "real" system where laws are observed, loyalty is rewarded, and can help me build a real financial future for my husband and me. Not only that, my mother will be THRILLED! :)
The Principal simply asked me not to discuss my religious activities or background with the students. That's fine with me...I'm still of the American philosophy about "separation of Church (or in this case, shul) and State."
Anyway, I did an observed lesson yesterday with "my" class, of four ninth-grade girls who needed assistance with remedial English. The Principal observed me for some time, and the head of the English department observed the rest of the lesson. I got a call last night, and I start tomorrow!
By the way, I don't know how to post pictures here, but if you're interested in seeing a photo of the ridiculous outfit I put together to get through the interview, you can see it on my blog, address in my signature line below. There are strict rules about "modesty," in that you have to have your knees, elbows and collarbones covered in order to be considered appropriately dressed. However, I made the mistake of thinking this school was more "frum," or more restrictively modest, than it actually was. Given my getup, I'm doubly amazed that I got the job!
I'm really pleased about this. I can't believe I've been here for less than a year and managed to get a "real job" in the Israeli school system, whereas I was in America for eight years and never managed to pull it off. Go figure! It's a big accomplishment to get into the system here...it will help financially now, of course, but also gets me into a "real" system where laws are observed, loyalty is rewarded, and can help me build a real financial future for my husband and me. Not only that, my mother will be THRILLED! :)