Education for girls in Europe during the late 19th and early 20th century either consisted of some private lessons in Hebrew and Yiddish or the girl would go to a girl’s chedar. According to Zborowski, the common belief was that “If a girl can read a little, pray a little, then she’s a real intellectual”. 

Prayers were sometimes translated into Yiddish for those who want to understand them but many just resorted to memorizing them mechanically without really understanding the meaning behind them. Tears were also considered the “correct” accompaniment of feminine reading because women are expected to sympathize and identify with tragic events in their readings. Some girls had the opportunity to have education beyond basic Yiddish and grammar when the family has no son, parents give in to their nagging or they eavesdrop on their brothers lessons if they have a private tutor.