It was the perfect new girls’ school that would serve the spiritual needs of a group of families that were not satisfied with the local Bais Yaakov in their Jerusalem neighborhood.  Much thought and planning went into the new school.  They hired the finest principal, and the crème de la crème of teachers.  They were highly selective in which students they chose.

Excitement was in the air. This school, without doubt, would outshine any and all Bais Yaakovs.   The only thing left was to receive a blessing from the leading sages of the generation – and to start with Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman shlita.  A group of Avreichim who launched the school travelled to Bnei Brak and entered into his residence.

Rav Shteinman, upon seeing the list of students, asked why these particular young ladies were not accepted into the local Bais Yaakov.  The Avreichim quickly corrected Rav Shteinman and stated that it was not that they were not accepted.   Au contraire, these young ladies were from the finer families, a cut above the standard “Bais Yaakov” family.  The parents had willingly registered them in this elite school.

Rav Shteinman responded that, if that is the case, the plans for the school should be negated immediately.  The group attempted to explain to the Rosh Yeshiva the dire need for the new type of institution, but they were unable to budge Rav Shteinman.  They were stuck and had to scramble to register their daughters in the other Bais Yaakov institutions.

Word quickly spread throughout Yerushalayim.  There were other elite schools too, that were established for the same purpose.  Kollel Yungerleit flocked to Rav Shteinman, only to receive the same response, “There is no inyan whatsoever to be frummer than Bais Yaakov.  Anyone who registered their daughter at an elite school should negate the matter and re-register in the Bais Yaakov schools.”

Yerushalayim, this past month, was in a state of shock.  A few days after the incident developed Rav Shteinman explained, “The Bais Yaakov schools do an extraordinary job in educating our girls, and there are a number of reasons why developing more “elite” schools is unwarranted.  One reason is that it is important that the parents understand that a child raised in a manner that is disconnected from her friends, can and does ruin the child forever.  Children learn with their peers and the elitism can be most destructive to them.”

It has been conjectured that the two other possible reasons behind Rav Shteinman’s strong stance are:

1] the fact that the Bais Yaakovs are struggling and should be supported as much as possible.

2] Rav Shteinman, generally speaking, discourages attempts at excessive levels of piety or frumkeit.

Rav Shteinman is ninety nine years old and is the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevech LeTzeirim.  He is also the author of Ayeles HaShachar on six volumes of the Talmud.