Today, I interviewed Elise Wolf.
What year did you graduate from Bais
Yaakov of Baltimore, and how have you seen the school change since???
I graduated
in 1986. We had two classes with 35 girls. We had outstanding teachers, like
Mrs. Willner, and Rabbi Steinberg was principal. There were color wars, trips,
and productions! Back then, the plays were written by students or borrowed from
other schools. Or we put on popular plays like Oliver or The Sound of Music.?
The high
school used to be seventh through twelfth grade, so it has significantly grown in size. You might not know everybody in your
grade like you did then, but because of the size of the grades, there are many
more opportunities today to be involved in your school.?
Why did you move to Baltimore from
Virginia for High School? What was your experience??
There was
no high school in Virginia, so I had to board. It worked out really nicely! I boarded with a lovely family and had many friends
on my block and around the neighborhood. On rare occasions, not that I
remember, I probably got homesick. In all, I had a really
amazing experience.?
What did you do after graduating high
school???
I attended
seminary in Israel. After seminary, I attended Sara Schenirer Seminary in the
morning and Touro College in the afternoon for the first year. It was there
that I earned my degree in education and English; later, I would go back to
school for a major in history.??The second year, I switched to teaching in the
morning instead of seminary.
How did you start your career at Bais
Yaakov, and what was it like going to work at the school you graduated from???
When I
returned from New York to Baltimore, I started teaching at Bais Yaakov. Within
my first year of teaching, I got engaged and got married that summer. Working
at Bais Yaakov was very familiar. I was able to work alongside some of my past
teachers and principals. I started off teaching eighth-grade English. It was a
lot of fun; I was not much older than they were!??
How did you become the general studies principal??
As I
taught, I became more involved in school life. When the grades grew, I began
assisting Mrs. Willner with the seminary application for the twelfth graders.
Gradually, I was put in charge of scheduling and other administrative jobs.
When Mrs. Fishkind, the previous general studies coordinator, retired, I
stepped in.?
What is your role with the students in
helping to get them into seminary??What factors do you consider when trying to
match girls up with seminaries????
Mrs.
Willner and I are the seminary advisors. We have worked with seminaries for
many years and do our best to ensure that the seminary meets the students’ hashkafik and academic needs. I travel to Israel
once a year to see how our girls are doing there. I also meet with each
seminary to see what’s new. Sometimes, there are entirely new seminaries, and
other times, old seminaries have new buildings with new faculty.?
How have you seen your students grow
through your career???
The chesed opportunities have grown – from
Adopt-A-Bubby to Menucha and Bnos – and the girls jump at the opportunities
to take them! I am inspired by how our girls are always for the needs of our
community.?
How have you seen the dynamics of Bais
Yaakov graduates change throughout being principal???
Girls take
more opportunities to stay busy outside of school, whether it’s shiurim
or extracurricular programming. When I was in school, there wasn’t this need to
run and go and do. As a school, we try to ensure that our students feel that
they are making a difference in their own daled amos.?
With the current influx of growth in
each successive grade, are you concerned about space in school??
We have
always been a bit worried, but the administration has and will continue to be
creative in making new space. We try to think outside of the box and find
solutions.?
Did you ever imagine your life as it is
now when you were young??
Not! [laughing] My high school friends would have laughed
at the mention of me as a principal.??
If you could give your high school self
advice, what would it
be??
Be patient
and enjoy the ride. Sometimes the waiting and experiences along the way are as
enjoyable as the actual end result.?
Aidee Moss is a high school sophomore in
Baltimore. She competes in CIJE high school robotics and is an assistant coach
for middle school CIJE robotics. Aidee enjoys STEM class, volunteering at the
Baltimore Humane Society, and traveling to new places. Aidee’s favorite way to
spend any day is with her family and friends… but never at the same time!
