Hi there. I am a licensed tour guide specializing in Hasidic Brooklyn. As of this writing in 2020, I have been doing tours for over six years. I take my visitors on Lee and Bedford and Thirteenth Avenue, I teach, learn, meet people from all over the world, get sunburned and freeze-bitten and soaked through to the bone, eat too much goulash, make great memories.
What makes my tours unique is that I know the Hasidic community intimately. I come from the insular Satmar outpost Kiryas Joel. I was raised, married and became a mother in the community. I later left Hasidism with my son (you can hear about my experience here.) I return to the neighborhood often to visit family, celebrate holidays and scout for the best rugelach.
I try to always be respectful, empathetic, fair. I constantly challenge what I know by learning more, researching, documenting, nerding-out, and posting collections of material to this blog.
Besides giving tours I sometimes consult on various creative and academic projects. Most recently, I consulted for the play The Wanderers, – Ann Ziegler’s breathtaking play at the Old Globe. I also write and doodle a bit; some of my cartoons and essays are here.
