My friend looked at his retreating back in horror. Had she lost her job before it even started?

Nechama Norman with Batsheva Berman

MY

friend Faigy trained to be a social worker. Once she graduated, she found a job in a clinic. Her very first client, on her very first day, was a man in his twenties with OCD. He entered her office, and she stood up to greet him. Immediately, he put out his hand.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, “but I don’t shake hands for religious reasons.” She was nervous, so she began babbling. “This has nothing to do with you. I respect you as a person, I just can’t shake hands with someone of the opposite gender.”

The man blew up. “That is so disrespectful,” he yelled. “I came here for some understanding and compassion, and your behavior shows a total lack of both!” And with that, he stormed out.

My friend looked at his retreating back in horror. Had she lost her job before it even started?

The secretary saw her standing at the door of her office, clearly shaken. “Hey, what’s the matter?” she asked.

Haltingly, my friend told her the story. The secretary didn’t bat an eyelash.

“If he can’t understand your religious needs, he can just leave,” she said loudly. “I don’t shake hands either. Not for religious reasons, but for sanitary reasons [this was long before Covid hit], and if he can’t accept my feelings and sensitivities, then he can go somewhere else. You have every right to stick up for what’s important to you!”