T oday I’ll write about the Geulah Battalions. That was the name Rabbanit Chana gave our campaigns when we would divide up into pairs and take to the streets to bring merit to our Jewish sisters.

“All these women’s neshamos are hewn from the same pure source” said Rabbanit Chana. “They all want to dress the right way with absolute modesty. They just don’t know any better and sometimes the yetzer hara mixes up their minds. They need to hear an explanation that reaches their Jewish heart that touches the place inside that seeks the truth.”

It was obvious to us that we were the crème de la crème of the Jewish People. Rabbanit Chana loved to tell us how we were spearheading the Geulah. She described how Mashiach would come and we would be standing in the front row to greet him. Chagit especially was enchanted with that image. I remember how she would imagine all the people who insulted us standing there in shock seeing all the honor being given us.

“Oy how they’re going to regret it that they didn’t dress the way they should ” she would say with shining eyes. “But it will be too late. Only we’ll be there to greet Mashiach.”

“I don’t mind if other people also get to be there ” I said.

I said it innocently but looking back I realize it sounded like a wisecrack. Rabbanit Chana gave me a long look and then she resumed her talk. At the end of the gathering Chagit approached me and started to argue that if all those other people also get to greet Mashiach even though they weren’t properly modest how would our own sacrifice be worthwhile?

To which I said why should I mind if millions of other people also enjoy the privilege I’m enjoying? Surely when Mashiach comes there won’t be any more jealousy and hatred and none of us is going to mind if some other Jewish women who didn’t wear shalim are there to greet him too.

Chagit looked a bit stunned. “If that’s how it’s going to be then what are we wearing a shal for?” she said.

“Because we believe it’s good ” I answered. “And that it’s the truth.”

Then we decided who should pair up with who. “If we go in groups of three it might make the women we approach nervous ” Rabbanit Chana explained. “It would look like we’re ganging up on them.”

She didn’t want us to go alone either. We would get all different sorts of reactions and it’s easier to absorb rebuffs and insults when you have someone with you.

The plan was to bring each woman up a level from where she was currently holding. If she didn’t wear a shal we’d talk to her about wearing one. If she already wore a shal we’d talk to her about adding a redid over her headscarf. If she was wearing a wig we’d try to get her to switch to a scarf.

I was paired up with Udel. She asked me to start the conversations. “I don’t know how to talk like you ” she said. “You have a way of speaking that makes people listen.” (Excerpted from Mishpacha Issue 679)