Some of us may be bitter that we prematurely resume our trajectory to modern-day conventional living after returning from Israel, while others are thrilled to be released from the reigns of seminary. For a select few, such feelings have just surfaced: the last week of January marked the start of the spring semester, and with its onset came the arrival of a new cohort of Stern College students. These are women who have recently returned from an additional semester at seminary in Israel, and that fact alone comes with a weighted perception that some may not be ready for.
The way in which many other students perceive the “Shana Bet Freshback” may not be accurate. Most associate “Shana Betters” with a more mature sense of Judaism and a deeper devotion to Torah learning and values. And while these students’ choice to remain in seminary can be inspirational, perhaps looking from the inside out lends a different perspective.
When I asked some new Stern students who just returned from their third semesters in seminary about the expectations generally imposed onto them, there was a clear theme throughout their answers: the pressure of being super-humans.
“People expect you to always be learning, dress more modestly, have well-refined middot,” explained Adele Lerner, who attended Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalyim (MMY). “In the first place, the pressure is always there as a Jew, but this is a certain added pressure.”
For Shana Bet returnees, the unspoken expectation for them to attend many extra events and lectures is hard to handle. “They don’t realize that there’s a lot of other things that go on… It’s hard to find that balance,” explained Tali Golubtchik, a recent graduate from Midreshet Moriah. Lerner agreed: “I don’t like that I’m expected to have higher standards by virtue of staying [an extra four months in Israel]. I don’t want Shana Bet to overshadow people’s perception of me.”
The apparent scrutiny and pressure to perform religiously is, for many newly returned, hard to handle. “It’s hard when people expect your struggles to not be like theirs,” said Ester Robinson, newly returned from MMY. “For example, when you say that it’s hard for you to get up and daven, and people sort of look at you like, ‘what have you been doing these past few months in Shana Bet?’”
When asked about what she gained Shana Bet, Robinson explained that her group at MMY was small and intimate. Still, she found that with so few girls in comparison to her first year, she was alone for much of the time. But in this way, Robinson grew tremendously.
“While Shana Aleph was for spiritual growth, I found that I gained the practical skill of being by myself in Shana Bet. A lot of people are afraid of being alone, but it really helps you get to know yourself,” she said.
Lerner recounted that she solidified a foundation in Torah and learning, and developed profound relationships with her teachers in Israel—ones she knows she can count on when facing challenges in the future.
Upon her return to a seemingly other world, Golubtchik tries to clarify a major goal: “It’s so important to find out what you want out of your life, and who you want to be as a person.” Robinson shares an important personal gain as well: “If you want to do something, stop thinking about it and just do it. Even if it’s just for five minutes a day.”
While these answers are not very surprising, they are quite enlightening. For those of us who didn’t remain in Israel for a second year, or even to seminary at all, the point of time in seminary is the same as experiencing life anywhere. “The Baal Shem Tov says that you are where your thoughts are. Just like it was important for me to go Shana Aleph, and then Shana Bet, it is important for me to now be at Stern.” Lerner expressed.