Dear Mrs. Bluth,
I would like to begin by giving The Jewish Press a great yasher koach for their brevity in having a column such as yours. I know for a personal fact an impressive number of people who have looked to the Life Chronicle column to air their tza’arot and through your compassionate and supportive advice, saved troubled marriages from ending up in divorce court, helped others who have lost hope and bolstered the will to fix what needs to be fixed in their lives. And today, they are healthier, happier and more productive people. I, myself, am one of those people you have helped when I was going through a rebellious and self-loathing stage during my teen years, with no self-esteem or feeling of worth. I chanced to write to you on one of those nights when suicide was such an easy solution. Something held me back from giving it a try and I remembered your response to another young girl who wrote to you contemplating the same thing. It’s not just what you answered her, but how you answered her, as if you were talking directly to her and the words you used, so full of understanding and compassion, is what made me stop in my own tracks.
I finished high school and went on to seminary and college and became a teacher. However, I learned more about human nature and how to respond to the numerous problems young girls face when they enter puberty, all the way until they graduate and become young adults. No matter what grade I taught, students of all ages and grade levels who were going through painful experiences at the hands of class bullies, or unstable homes on the brink of divorce, or simply stretched thin with mental, emotional and physical pains of growing up, would seek me out just to talk. Little did anyone know that the advice and suggestions I gave them came from you! And it helped! They are all grown up now and have children of their own, some of whom were and still are my students today and still come to me for your advice!
The reason I write is because I attended a dinner in my honor now that I am retiring at the end of this term and in my speech I felt the need to come clean and expose the person who taught me everything I know and how to treat each child as if she was the only child in the universe. Very often, that’s all a troubled child really needed to know and feel in order to overcome their feelings of inferiority and low self esteem and to give them the ability to make choices and decisions that will help them move forward in life. It works great for adults too, and I have, on occasion, helped parents of difficult students by offering them coping skills you often give in your columns.
As I look at my plaque of appreciation for thirty years of teaching, I wish to thank The Jewish Press for having the foresight to print informative matter that may be a bit controversial but extremely necessary for the person with no other recourse or place to turn to for common sense solutions, resources and sound advice. I can honestly say that I share that plaque with you and I wish you many years of good health and success that you continue to speak to us every week and help those that await a word of encouragement, support and validation.
Dear Friend,
It’s so seldom that I receive a letter like yours, and so rewarding to know that we really serve a necessary need. The Jewish Press is surely to be credited for not shying away from unpopular topics of unpleasant concern and I am truly proud to say that we, through the Agunah Chronicles column, made giant strides almost forty years ago, in helping agunot suffering in abusive and dead marriages get their gitten. We were the first publication that stood up for these woman who stood voiceless and alone in the beis din, and we were the catalyst that encouraged those with the capacity to help them, come forward and join ranks with us in that endeavor and together we made change happen. Today, baruch Hashem, there are many organizations to help women and their children through these trying times and we still stand firm on the siruv notifications every week.
The Jewish Press saw the need and stepped up to the plate and I’m proud to have pioneered this with them. After all, are we not obligated to look after our brothers and sisters? And if not us… then who?
I thank you personally for your kind words, although there are some who would strongly disagree with you. I say it like it is and don’t mince words when someone writes in a foolish letter that needs to be addressed. For every fool there are probably scores more who think that way and I, for one, will set him or her straight. I am so pleased to have provided you with the ability to help all those kids during your amazing thirty years of teaching, but I do not feel right sharing the plaque with you… because it belongs to you alone. If my column offered you an assist in helping your needy students, that is award enough for me. What I would like is, if ever you come to New York, give me a ring and we’ll meet for a cuppa coffee, chat and get to know each other. That would be grand!
