Episoder
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Video link: https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUI
This is a discussion about the documentary 'City of Joel', with the filmmaker Jesse Sweet. It's a documentary about a turf war in the insular Hasidic Village of Kiryas Joel. Kiryas Joel is a Satmar village in Orange County New York, and it's where I lived for the first twenty-five years of my life. The documentary includes amazing footage of the village I grew up in, with shots of several very close male contacts. It was a fun experience to watch it and to discuss the film with the filmmaker.
Click here for the City of Joel documentary: https://amzn.to/4fsl5NS
And here is Jesse's latest project, Nature of the Crime: https://www.docnyc.net/film/nature-of-the-crime/
Please consider supporting my work by making a tax-deductible donation through Fractured Atlas fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/frieda-vizel-brooklyn-youtube-channel or sending a contribution via Paypal: paypal.com/paypalme/friedavizel This helps me to continue to bring to you more Jewish content, which requires a considerable investment on my part. -
Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/vbwZcttuNOQ
Miriam Anzovin is a Jewish content creator who does videos about the Talmud, Jewish lore reactions and even holiday themed makeup tutorials. She is a warm, funny and witty Jewish woman and I find a friend in her in the content creation journey. Join me for a discussion with the wonderful Miriam about her background, about her relationship to her orthodox mother, about her creative process, about trolls and the Talmud and so much more.
Follow Miriam on a bunch of platforms!
Youtube @MiriamAnzovin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miriamanzovin/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCAM7ylcgdb_dkvvrnEmLp0w
Twitter: https://x.com/Anzovina
Website: https://www.miriamanzovin.com/ -
Manglende episoder?
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Video version of this interview here: https://youtu.be/5-RsTIrIbmo
Lea Kalisch has a dream to sing at the Superbowl, in Yiddish, with a shtreimel. She is a singer of many genres, but some of her Yiddish songs reflect a longing for a simple, religious world. "I am a shtetel Neshama (soul), a Jew from yesterday. I should have been a fruma, my hashtag is 'oyvey'." We hear so many stories of people from the religious community longing for the secular world, what does it mean to grow up secular and express a longing for the religious world? For Lea, the answer is very complicated. She at once embodies a side that is a "rebbetzin" and a side that is wearing barely anything to perform. Her perspective is fresh, energetic, passionate, and unique. Please join us for a conversation about the story of Lea Kalisch. 👉 Lea's website is: https://www.leakalisch.com/ 👉 Find Lea on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leakalisch/ 👉 Find Lea on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LeaKalisch -
Join me for an interview with the Hasidic Yiddish influencer Raizy Fried. Please check out the youtube version of this video here:
https://youtu.be/oycLsS4ulyg
In my work documenting the Hasidic community, I've gone to great lengths to bring out of the shadows the story of women in this world and their voices. It has been incredibly difficult, as much of the female sphere is modesty and behind a curtain. Still, I've felt it's important to share this world with you all, as I feel that otherwise, the female experience is invisible, as if erased, out of sight and out of mind. So it's a great honor for me that the first Hasidic "star" that I interviewed is a woman. I've approached several men, but they were apprehensive. I hope to speak to them one day, but for now, this is my discussion with the lovely Raizy Fried from Inspired Living. Please check out Raizy's website at raizyfried.com -
Link to video version of this conversation:
https://youtu.be/O-ov6vTAAqQ?si=uqY1x8Yt-8woN-TD
In this video I talk to Hasidic Jew Rabbi Mendel Hersh Paneth about the community's complicated relationship to animals. People's fear of dogs, the way that animals are slaughtered for kosher purposes and the ritual of kapores. Stay tuned for additional discussions with Rabbi MH Paneth. -
*Note: the play discussed here contains violence*
For the video version of this interview see here.
In this long-form interview, I talk to theater director Igor Goylak about a powerful production titled 'Our Class'. It's a play that tackles timely themes of the human capacity for evil, antisemitism, and the long arc of history. I saw the play in Brooklyn and it's now playing in Manhattan. Igor is a fellow Fellow at the Mandel Institute Cultural Leadership Program Fall 2024 cohort.
**For tickets see the following websites:**
www.arlekinplayers.com
www.ourclassplay.com
www.igorgolyakstudio.com -
For YouTube version see here: https://youtu.be/DQgG_Pzxazg
Baily is a character of a Hasidic woman who spends her summers in the bungalow colonies in upstate New York. In this episode, she shares the trials and tribulations of the experience. This segment is comedy, in the great tradition of the Catskills being a place for comedy. Leah Forster is a brilliant comedian who has spent years entertaining Hasidic women before she left the fold and pivoted to perform for a larger audience.
Check out my other videos on the Jewish Catskills and my earlier interview with Leah about her career.
https://youtu.be/Txi0xO-au7I?si=GI6FUWT-jXb4JcwY https://youtu.be/-PWFttncdZg?si=Z_7NNkbd9vvA7BvW https://youtu.be/1J6pNHymChE?si=R0zuBDc6o9xyLwOD
👉 Please Find Leah Forster on the internet here:
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellowhellowleah
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahforster/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leah.forster.10 -
Andrew Jacobs directed the beautiful documentary 'Four Seasons Lodge' about holocaust survivors who spent every summer in the Catskills in a bungalow colony, connecting and loving life. The documentary follows them during their last years, as they are in their 80s, navigating the end of their time together. They are full of laughter, love, humor, sorrow, and memories of the horrors they went through. When I talked to Jacobs about his work on the documentary, and then so many of the subjects passing away, he welled up as he talked about what the survivors went through and how despite all that, they had so much gusto for life.
👉You can watch this beautiful documentary on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Y4ydDl
👉You can visit the Borscht Belt Museum here: https://www.borschtbeltmuseum.org/
👉For the Borscht Belt Fest, see here: https://www.borschtbeltfest.org/
👉For my visit to the Borscht Belt Museum, see here: https://youtu.be/-PWFttncdZg?si=khrPb2cz9nOyrXT6
This video is brought to you with the generous support of Fairfield University / Bennet Center for Judaic Studies. The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies is a unique academic center that strives to enrich the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual dialogue of Fairfield University. Continuing the vision of Carl and Dorothy Bennett, the Center fosters continued learning experiences and campus-wide awareness about Jewish history, ethical values, and religious observances. It also seeks to engage the Greater Fairfield communities through inspiring lectures and annual programs. https://www.fairfield.edu/undergraduate/academics/centers/bennett-center-for-judaic-studies/ -
Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/311WBTY7mrs
Tuvia Tenonbom is a character! He grew up in the Haredi enclave of Bnei Brak, which I've introduced you to in another video. He left the fold in his early twenties and became a bestselling author and journalist in Germany - with oft-hilarious, oft-controversial views. During covid, he was sent on an assignment to the insular Haredi enclaves of Israel, to the world of his childhood, to write about the experience. He was warned by many people that he'd be kicked out as soon as he arrived. But what happened left him surprised, humored, and a little bit in love with the Haredi world.
The result of Tuvia's time in Bnei Brak is a book and a documentary, both of which I've experienced. The book is titled 'Careful, Beauties Ahead', and the documentary, which I saw at a small theater in Manhattan, is titled 'God Speaks Yiddish'. I don't believe you can watch the documentary anywhere except during limited screenings in various places, but you can get his book!
👉 Tuvia's book titled 'Careful, Beauties Ahead / My Year with the Ultra-Orthodox': https://a.co/d/015wC8l2
👉 Tuvia's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tuviatenenbom/ ✅Other Tuvia works: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ATuvia+Tenenbom&s=relevancerank&text=Tuvia+Tenenbom&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1 \
🔥📷Tour of Bnei Brak: https://youtu.be/f6cnYL94PSY?si=hzOSx4fBlcWpLDdO -
Video interview: https://youtu.be/2saQ0LEwZXQ
Gita Katz is a larger-than-life character. I got to know her through Pearl, the famous Hasidic woman whom I have had the honor of having on this program before. In this interview, she shares what it was like to grow up in Hasidic Williamsburg in the shadow of the Holocaust. -
For the video version of this segment, click here: https://youtu.be/jiE9cTn6Yi0
Riki Rose grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg, in a very conservative family. From when she was young, she had that star celebrity quality to her. But as a woman, her ability to fully express her talents was significantly limited by the religious laws on Kol Isha, which prohibits women from performing to male audiences. Still, Riki's life has been full of joys, good humor, and great moments to shine. In this long-form interview, I talk to Riki about her amazing life story. And as a wonderful bonus, we even hear her sing some songs!
💌Please support Riki in the production of her first album by contributing to her fundraising efforts: https://thechesedfund.com/rikirose/the-riki-rose-album
✅And check her out on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/riki_rose
✅You can find a bonus video of Riki's music as a Hasidic teenager here: https://youtu.be/1eBVPsFmZy4
Timestamps for songs:
1. Yomtov Ehrlich's Song 'FRUNZER ESHALON' 15:08-18:07 English translation for the song: https://www.dinastorch.com/songtitle/frunzer-eshalon
2. Cantorial music: 45:23-48:35
3. Riki's original song "Woman": 1:32:15-1:35:40 -
Video version of this segment: https://youtu.be/tq8y3KkAWTk
As many of you know, my first language is Yiddish. It is the language of the Satmar Hasidic community I come from. The story of why I grew up speaking Yiddish, and not Hebrew, is intimately tied to the story of the birth of Israel, Zionism and Jewish language. And so, today I want to delve into the history of how two Jewish languages came to represent contrasting Jewish ideologies.
I was inspired to do this segment after visiting the wonderful YIVO exhibit in Manhattan titled: 'PALESTINIAN YIDDISH: A LOOK AT YIDDISH IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL BEFORE 1948'
Link: https://cjh.org/visit/exhibit-info/palestinian-yiddish
Address: 15 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011
About my guest Eddy Portnoy, the curator of the exhibition: Eddy Portnoy is an expert on Jewish popular culture. Portnoy earned an MA in Yiddish Studies from Columbia University and a PhD in Jewish History from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He currently holds the position of Senior Researcher and Exhibition Curator at YIVO.
You can follow Eddy on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/eddyportnoy
You can see his book Bad Rabbi on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/cLuRcup -
For the video version of this discussion, see here: https://youtu.be/S2LMqtNjg6c
The Hasidic community has been the subject of great, lurid fascination. People love to hear the stories of its unusual customs and darker sides. I see this fascination as part of a larger fascination with subcultures and cults. For instance, Youtube is full of channels that tell ex-Hasidic, ex-Mormon, ex-Amish and ex-Cult stories and these videos draw hundreds of thousands of views.
Guinevere Turner grew up in a cult. In the Lyman Family cult. What's unique about her is that she doesn't give the audience the lurid story they want. She also has written about how cults are talked about in the larger society. Her essay in the New Yorker, 'My Childhood in a Cult', influenced my own writing, 'Is the Hasidic Community A Cult?'
In this episode, Guinevere joins me to discuss our experiences as women with life stories that draw so much fascination. We talk about why we think the world wants our stories, and why we might not want to give them up. We discuss the Lyman family cult and other groups that are perhaps communes, perhaps cults. A discussion that touches the tip of the iceberg! -
Video version of this segment here: https://youtu.be/_H1hjrS2MLo
A chained wife is a woman who is chained to a man in marriage, even after the relationship ends. This can happen in Jewish marriages when one partner refuses to give or accept the Get, the religious divorce. Malky is a Hasidic woman in Kiryas Joel who has been a chained wife for 4 years. In recent weeks the activist Flatbush Girl has spearheaded a campaign to pressure Malky’s husband to give a Get, by protesting in the strict and insular village of Kiryas Joel, by entering synagogues, and most controversially, by calling for a sex strike.
In this segment, I talk to Keshet Starr, the CEO of the organization ORA, or Organization for the Resolution of Agunot. We talk about how the problem of chained wives comes to happen, how these problems are unique in insular communities, how it impacts the children, the types of pressures that are applied, and more.
Some links related to this segment: ORA’s website: https://www.getora.org ORA’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oraagunot/ Keshet Starr’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keshetstarr/ Flatbush Girl (Adina Miles)’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flatbushgirl/ Thanks for watching! -
Link to video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/8oVcC5z24c4
The Satmar Rabbi is one of Hasidic Jewry's great figures, yet his legacy is mired in deep controversy. He is credited with much of the revival of Hungarian Hasidism post-holocaust. Still, his anti-zionism draws deep criticism, especially since he was rescued during the holocaust by the Kastner train, a special rescue train that was negotiated by the zionists.
In this episode, I bring you a conversation with Rabbi Ysoscher Katz on the life and controversies of the Satmar Rabbi. Rabbi Katz was raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and attended Satmar Hasidic Yeshivas. He now is a renowned Rabbi outside of the community. He has a lively presence on Facebook where you can read his writing and thoughts at: https://www.facebook.com/ysoscher -
For the video version, see here: https://youtu.be/ywWcEMPALlM
You might have heard that in Judaism, there are Hasidic sects. What do we mean by sects? What are the sects, and what’s the difference among them? In this segment, we’ll do a brief introduction to what Hasidic sects are. Please feel free to leave a comment with your questions!
The book referenced in this video is ‘Hasidism, A New History’ -
A candid vlog with my thoughts on appropriate dress in Hasidic Williamsburg. Discussing tourist dress, the model Marisa Papen who walked through Williamsburg without any clothes, and my own choice to wear pants as an ex-Satmar woman.
Video version: https://youtu.be/bE4mSWJzk3I -
Youtube video link: https://youtu.be/2BmWbcCMW3M?si=B3yDwGD7exBuY4fc
In many of my videos, I've explored how Hasidic Jews live in the 21st century.
*But what happens to those for whom this way of life doesn't work?*
Some, like myself, leave. But not everyone who has doubts or different beliefs leaves. Some stay. And in this interview, I explore the stories of what we'll call here "the double lifers". The people who stay, despite rejecting the Orthodox Jewish core theological tenets.
Why do they stay? What's it like to live a double life? What are the moral quandaries of leaving or living a double life? Is it moral to have an affair after an arranged marriage? My wonderful guest delves into so many fascinating topics.
Ayala Fader is Professor of Anthropology at Fordham University. She is the author of the book 'Hidden Heretics, Jewish Doubt in the Digital Age', which tells the stories of a group of hidden heretics, how they lost faith and how they navigated life in the community in their new ways of understanding the world. The book also explores the impact of the internet on Hasidic Judaism, a topic which as the viewers of this channel will know, has fascinated me greatly and been the subject of several of my videos, including my major documentary on how an insular society deals with the internet Ayala also wrote the award-winning book Mitzvah Girls Bringing Up the Next Generation of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn.
You can get Ayala Fader's books here. -
Video link: https://youtu.be/TkUS0jzJci4?si=QJJ8X5PKB_KKFNrq
This is a conversation with Dr. Howard Rosman, the longtime pediatrician serving the Williamsburg Hasidic community. When I first heard about him from his granddaughter, I spoke to some people in the community to ask them what they knew of him, and it was soon clear that he was a beloved icon in this community.
My aim in this interview was to learn how this very devout community approaches modern medicine. Do they vaccinate? Do they take all medicine - what about kosher concerns? What about genetics? There was so much to talk about. The only reason the interview wasn't longer was because we had enormous technical issues which despite my best ability, we could not solve, and Dr. Rosman had a really muffled audio reception.
I want to clarify that my aim in this interview is not to debate approaches to health and medicine. While I understand that there are now very contentious and heartfelt views on the topic, and I believe the debate is legitimate, this is not the place for that debate. My goal here was simply to hear the insights from a community doctor about the population he served. I would appreciate it if you could consider this when you leave a comment. - Vis mere
