by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com

At the end of the 19th century, a girls’ cheder was established by Rebbitzen Malka (Malka the Rabbi’s wife) in Mir.

The girls’ cheder taught the girls of the town to read and write, as well as some Chumash and Tehillim.  The Cheder also taught the girls to write with a beautiful handwriting.   Bruria Ratner-Rosenblum, was born in Mir, and was brought to the girls’ cheder in 1914. She remembers her parents bringing her to Malka’s cheder when she was three years old, where she joined 60 other girls.

Bruria described the Mir yeshiva: “In contrast to the sorrowful air of the synagogues there was a quite different atmosphere at the yeshiva. The light and joy within made us forget what was going on outside its walls. The joy of learning Torah prevailed. On Simchas Torah, the Yeshiva giants Rabbi Kamai, the Mashgiach Rav Yerucham and Rav Finkel joined the students in the circle with Sifrei Torah in their arms. Their eyes were closed, their heads raised and their arms entwined with elevating the atmosphere and devotion of the songs and the dancing. The exalted mood caught us too, as if we were taking part in the festival and the love of the Torah.”

Bruria Ratner-Rosenblum, “A Walk in the streets of Mir,” Mir, [Hebrew]  p. 202

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