"Haven’t you been asking some questions in emunah lately that haven’t exactly been your own?”

"What do you mean, I’m not allowed to go back to Yad b’Yad?” ZeeZee’s eyes were narrowed and she leaned forward over Chava’s desk, fists clenched. “I don’t know what my interfering sister said, but I’m telling you, everything’s fine there. Nothing bad goes on, I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

“I believe you that you weren’t doing anything wrong,” Chava said. Inwardly, she sighed. It wasn’t simple to take this away from ZeeZee. Yet she wasn’t just doing Rabbi Freund’s dirty work; she fully agreed that a seminary girl shouldn’t be in such an environment.

“ZeeZee, for better or for worse, we’re influenced by the people we spend time with. And—”

“And these girls are amazing!” she interrupted. “Seriously. They’re strong, they’re honest, they’re real. They don’t just do something because they’re told, they think it out first and decide if it makes sense. It’s so cool to be with people like that.”

“I can imagine you’d find it so,” Chava said. “You’re also very genuine.” She straightened the papers on her desk as she said delicately, “But they’re also girls who are questioning their emunah. And are doing and talking about things that are not quite up to your standards. For a girl at your stage of life, that’s not a healthy place for you to be.” She saw ZeeZee’s mouth open in protest and quickly continued, “Maybe when you’re older and more settled, this would be a good option for you. But you need to solidify yourself before you can help others. This is your year to do that.”

“But what if I can promise I’m not being influenced by their issues?”

“Can you?” As Chava looked at her, she suddenly recalled their last conversation, when ZeeZee had protested the seminary’s lack of openness to questions. “Stuff like, ‘How do I know that Hashem listens to our tefillos?’” she quoted softly and raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you been asking some questions in emunah lately that haven’t exactly been your own?”

ZeeZee’s eyes widened. There was silence in the room as she sat, breathing heavily. Chava waited. In her many years of teaching, she’d been witness to this powerful moment of inner struggle as a girl grappled with sudden self-awareness. Chava had done her part; it was up to ZeeZee now.