Unexpected Bops

Ateaching assistant arrives at her elementary school sporting a new haircut. Suddenly, a sixth-grade student approaches and bops her on the back of her head. The teacher is dumbfounded.

What does it mean?

The student, newly arrived from Albania, apologized to the teacher, and later to the principal, clarifying that it is an Albanian tradition to gently hit people on the backs of their heads when they get a haircut. It wishes them good luck with the new hairstyle.

Many Jewish women of older generations recall something comparable. At the onset of their first periods, their mothers slapped their faces. Explanations varied, but commonly it was a sharp reminder of reproductive responsibilities.

Helen, an octogenarian, remembers telling her mom, Rose, about her period and then being slapped in the face. “It’s not my fault,” Helen protested. “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Rose defended her action. “This is to wake you up to the fact that you’re a woman, and if you’re not careful, you could become pregnant.” Rose then spelled out what in those days was called the “facts of life.”