- [first lines]
- Teacher: We're forced to handle the challenges of ESL. Different cultural traditions, everything they enter the classroom with, serious family dysfunctions. Basically our schools, New York city schools, are one big experiment, one big laboratory in this exercise we call the American Experience. And we as teachers aren't equipped to deal with the task at hand. We're not, that's the sad truth. So, after lunch, I'll introduce some exercises designed to demonstrate what we all share, teachers and students. Because our research shows that building this sort of common ground, in the beginning of the year, in the first few weeks, is *key* to classroom management. And more importantly, academic success.
- [last lines]
- Rochel: Gideon has 2 older sisters.
- Nasira Khaldi: Jamil has only one, but she is no joke.
- Rochel: Putty in our hands, huh?
- Nasira Khaldi: Yeah. Can shape them into whatever we want.
- Matan Meshenberg: My eldest daughter is going to be marrying such a wonderful young man, joining such a family, it fills me with *joy*, profound joy.
- Avi Meshenberg: And hopefully lowers your blood pressure.
- Rochel: The guilt slinging is in full force. My mother keeps telling me that my father's blood pressure is too high on my account. Elevated.
- Nasira Khaldi: Yeah. They like to use that card, right? That's a universal.
- [Both chuckle]
- Nasira Khaldi: Yeah.
- Rochel: Do you think we will when we're mothers?
- Nasira Khaldi: [nods] Probably... but only in emergency situations... like this one, you know?
- Rochel: [overlaps] Of course.
- Nasira Khaldi: You know, we could probably sue her, retire at 25. Do you want to?
- Rochel: We could just educate her a little.
- Rochel: Are you interested in finding an orthodox man now?
- Nasira Khaldi: Yeah I mean, in case Jamil doesn't work out.
- Rochel: Why does traditional have to equal nonsense to you? How... how is this any less valid or... or meaningful than all the other teachers reading their horoscopes everyday at lunch?
- Principal Jacoby: Oh please, they do that for fun, they don't believe it for one second.
- Rochel: [interrupting] Yes, they do. Yes, they do. And-and you know why-why is... umm,getting drunk and-and sleeping with some guy you don't even know a better way of finding love? I mean how is that liberated than how we do it?
- Principal Jacoby: No, I am not taking about that. You know I am taking about having a *choice* in life...
- Rochel: [interrupting] I have a choice.
- Principal Jacoby: ...a choice in career, a choice in who you love.
- Rochel: [raising voice steadily] I have a choice. The community has a choice!
- [silence]
- Rochel: It's different, yes, but I have a say.
- [Last lines]
- Rochel: [talking about their husbands] They're putty in our hands, huh?
- Nasira Khaldi: Yeah! Can shape them into whatever we want.
- [Both laugh]