An Uncertain First-Year Graduates as a Confident Woman

I entered Smith in 1949, uncertain and unsure. I graduated in 1953, confident and more aware of who I was. During those in-between years, I struggled mightily for several reasons.

I was still mourning the sudden death of my wonderful brother, while also harboring a sense of being “the other” stemming from growing up in an Orthodox Jewish family in the small city of Utica, New York. Growing up, I missed many social activities because I could eat only kosher food. I also could not attend dances, football games, or other activities on the Jewish Sabbath—from sundown on Fridays to sundown on Saturdays, we observed the restrictions of not using electricity, riding in a car, or writing. My dad believed that girls, not just boys, should have a Jewish education, so every afternoon after public school I attended Hebrew School—the only girl in my class.

My studying skills were inferior to those of the prep school students. Even my clothes were out of place: Bermuda shorts and knee socks! And my bicycle, a fat-tired Rollfast with foot-pedal brakes; I had never seen a sleek English bike! By sophomore year, I was settling in. Smith maintained a positive climate for religious diversity. With the campus religious association encompassing all beliefs, I could maintain my strong Jewish ties with the Hillel International programs. After fulfilling basic requirements, I widened my religious knowledge with classes such as Introduction to the Bible, Contemporary Religious Thought, and Religion in America, along with taking courses for my early childhood education major.

The confidence I honed at Smith carried me through jobs, moves, a difficult divorce, and other trials of life. My Smith years gave me the foundation for aging—curiosity and open-mindedness—and helped me understand the universality of religion, the power of activism, and the importance of family and friends. I’m now 92 and believe aging is awesome, including the ups and downs, the loves and losses. I am truly fortunate!

This is just one of the many love stories we've received in conjunction with Smith's 150th. Submit your own using our love story submission form.