Letting an impressionable 18-year-old hang out with at-risk girls was a recipe for disaster. She sighed. ZeeZee wasn’t going to be happy

Chava sensed Rabbi Freund’s agitation as soon as she stepped into his office. He stood up to greet her, then sat down, then immediately stood up again, tugging at his beard, as Chava watched him with mounting curiosity.

At last, he spoke. “I just had a meeting with ZeeZee Keller’s mother. She told me something quite disturbing. Did you know that ZeeZee’s been spending time at a center for at-risk girls?”

Chava sucked in her breath. “No! Really?” She stared at Rabbi Freund. “I had no idea. How long has this been going on for?”

“Several months, apparently. Her mother just discovered this now, and she wasn’t happy.”

Of course she wasn’t. “A center for at-risk girls,” Chava repeated. “I don’t believe it.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew that wasn’t true. She actually did believe it. This was completely in-character for ZeeZee. The real question was why this hadn’t been discovered until now.

“Have you spoken to her yet?” she asked.

Rabbi Freund shook his head. “I thought, since you’re her mechaneches, it would be more appropriate coming from you.”

Her mechaneches. Chava’s cheeks burned. Her mechaneches who should’ve been on top of her, but had no clue; who was clearly doing a terrible job inviting confidences from her students.

As if he’d read her mind, Rabbi Freund said, “We seem to have been missing a lot this year. First Shani, and now this.”

Shani. Also her responsibility; another failure on her part as a mechaneches.

“Sure, I’ll speak to her,” she said. Not that Chava relished being the one to have it out with ZeeZee. “What exactly was going on? What was she doing at this center?”

“Apparently serving as some sort of madrichah for these girls. That’s what her mother said, at least. Still…”

Chava nodded. Still, letting an impressionable 18-year-old hang out with at-risk girls was a recipe for disaster. She sighed. ZeeZee wasn’t going to be happy.

Rabbi Freund sat down. He took off his glasses and began to twirl them. “There’s something else I want to talk to you about.”