Update on this blogSeptember 19, 2023Events, On the tours, VlogI have been active on Youtube, and my blog is on the back burner.
My Hasidic EducationJune 10, 2023Education, Gender, Kiryas Joel, VlogResources and past posts on the topic of my Hasidic schooling
My Interview with Sara Braun, who joined the Hasidic communityApril 3, 2023Gender, Outsiders-Looking-In, Rabbis, VlogThis is an interview I did for my youtube channel...
Pearl on head shaving and her son who leftFebruary 15, 2023Gender, OTD, UnorthodoxA very special conversation continued.
Pearl shares her Hasidic marriage experienceJanuary 15, 2023Gender, Marriage, VlogMatchmakers, chaperoned 'beshows,' and so much more.
Chanukah night in WilliamsburgDecember 25, 2022Education, Holidays, VlogIn my newest video, I’ll take you into Williamsburg during...
My final high holiday video: the Satmar BagleitenNovember 21, 2022Gender, Holidays, Rabbis, VlogEpisode 6 wraps up the holidays and ushers in the winter
This Election Day, Hasidim are voting on educationNovember 7, 2022Education, Events, Rabbis, Street postersNY has a big gubernatorial race
Williamsburg on the eve of Sukkos; a lively market and moreOctober 16, 2022Food, Holidays, VlogVideo 3 in my high holiday series
A look at Williamsburg’s kapores (chicken ritual) sceneOctober 8, 2022Holidays, Vlog, WilliamsburgVideo 2 in my high holiday series
Video series: High Holidays in the streets of Jewish BrooklynOctober 5, 2022Food, Holidays, VlogJoin me for the lively street scenes
The Hasidic Economy: an overviewSeptember 28, 2022Economy, VlogBeyond the myths; a more complex story.
Thoughts on the NYT exposé on Hasidic educationSeptember 13, 2022Education, Events, Gender, Outsiders-Looking-InCan the government force change?
The Hasidic shtern; a special art styleSeptember 6, 2022Artifacts, Gender, VlogA very different kind of Jewish star
Announcing a very special walking tour: The unexpected story of Jewish WilliamsburgAugust 30, 2022Buildings, Events, On the toursRegister now for this special event
My video with Pearl, Part 2August 28, 2022Education, Gender, Rabbis, VlogOn the role of woman, insularity, Satmar rebbe, and more.
Video: Tour of Pearl’s Hasidic homeJuly 28, 2022Artifacts, VlogPearl is a Hasidic woman who has lived in Williamsburg...
Street poster: “Satmar’s economy is thriving”July 21, 2022Economy, Education, Gender, Street postersThe paradox of a community without college education
Street poster: working girls and selling kidneysJuly 17, 2022Economy, Education, Gender, Street postersBoth are equally bad.
Thanks for a brilliant post-covid returnJuly 4, 2022On the toursAfter 2 years of covid closures, a fantastic spring!
I attended one of Williamsburg’s many “mighty carnivals!”June 19, 2022Artifacts, Education, Street postersWe got unsalted popcorn for fifty cents!
50 years ago in Williamsburg – Nathan Benn’s photographyJune 15, 2022History, On the tours, Rabbis, WilliamsburgShot for the National Geographic in 1972 & 1973
New article about my tours in the Brooklyn Daily EagleJune 8, 2022On the tours, Other'Tours give a window into the closed world of the Williamsburg Hasidim'
In conversation with Gerry Albarelli, former Hasidic boys’ English teacherJune 7, 2022Education, VlogA former Hasidic boys' English teacher on his experience
Afterword and Goodbye to the MemoirMay 30, 2022MemoirFinal installment of the memoir series for patrons
A walk through Williamsburg with Phillip LopateMay 18, 2022Buildings, History, Vlog, WilliamsburgThe celebrated writer grew up in Williamsburg
Book review: Artifacts of Orthodox Jewish ChildhoodsMay 11, 2022Artifacts, Bookshelf, Clothing, Education, Gender, OTDa special book, with an essay from my blog!
Purim 2022 in Hasidic WilliamsburgApril 28, 2022Artifacts, Clothing, Gender, VlogCostumes, music, drinking - quite the festival!
How to open a box of matzohs, the proper wayApril 19, 2022Artifacts, VlogA classic children's game with a Passover twist
Looking back at “Corona-times” memesApril 13, 2022Artifacts, Covid19The memes of those early lockdown days...
Street poster: Convert Ukrainian refugees to Hasidism?April 8, 2022Artifacts, Events, Street postersThe Hasidic community has deep historic roots in Ukraine. The...
Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum’s fierce anti-lockdown speechApril 6, 2022Artifacts, Covid19, RabbisA March 2020 speech against shutting down the community.
Video of my zoom conversation with Izzy PosenApril 2, 2022Education, OTD, VlogFor my conversation series, this was live with an audience.
Transcript of a Hasidic groom’s wedding lessonMarch 27, 2022Education, Gender, MarriageThe birds, the bees, and many many compliments
Frieda Vizel and Izzy Posen talk: OTD-Haredi relationsMarch 23, 2022Education, Events, Gender, OTD, OtherAn upcoming Zoom event
My top picks of Hasidic pastriesMarch 22, 2022Food, On the tours, Vlog, WilliamsburgTasting and recommending - delicious stuff!
Building series: A new interactive map-tour of Brooklyn’s Bais Yaakov historyMarch 20, 2022Buildings, History, WilliamsburgAn interactive tour of the birth of Bais Yaakov in America
Hasidic tech collegeMarch 14, 2022Artifacts, Economy, Education, Gender, Street postersSo modern, the model wears an Apple watch
Street poster: smash-your-smartphone festivalMarch 9, 2022Artifacts, TechnologyBring drills, hammers and bottles of wine.
Street poster: laws of neighborsMarch 6, 2022Artifacts, Economy, Street posters, WilliamsburgIs it ever okay to report a Hasidic neighbor to the authorities?
Remember: “more coverage is better!”March 3, 2022Artifacts, Clothing, GenderA guide to women's headgear...created by whom?
What it is like to grow up in Kiryas JoelFebruary 23, 2022Kiryas Joel, My EssaysRevisiting a reflection on Kiryas Joel
What is kosher technology?February 17, 2022Artifacts, Censorship, Technology, VlogA video exploring kosher tech.
I’m a licensed tour guide (again)February 15, 2022My Essays, On the toursReflections on a second round at licensing
More anti-smartphone collector’s cardsFebruary 10, 2022Artifacts, Censorship, TechnologyCards with masks, guilt trips and Abbey Road
Interview with Harry Weiss, former Williamsburg residentFebruary 2, 2022History, Vlog, WilliamsburgAnother video in my conversation series
If there is a chart, it’s science!January 30, 2022Artifacts, Street posters, TechnologyEven Hasidic zealots have info-graphics
Unboxing the children’s gift set ‘Shabbes’dig’January 27, 2022Artifacts, Education, Technology, VlogA video post examining a Hasidic musical/artistic product
“Jellies for dads,” or an ad for pot?January 23, 2022Artifacts, Economy, Food, GenderMore in the saga of pot in the Hasidic community
Anatomy of the Hasidic Yiddish newspaperJanuary 20, 2022Artifacts, Censorship, Economy, Juxtopositions, Rabbis, VlogUnpacking how news is censored and relayed in the Hasidic papers.
With Elena Solomon: on shpanyer arbet, a special part of Hasidic garment artJanuary 12, 2022Artifacts, Clothing, Gender, On the tours, Vlog, WilliamsburgA look at the art on men's atarah
Williamsburg is stuck in the 1950s, part 2January 7, 2022Clothing, Food, Gender, History, WilliamsburgWomen’s clothing are extremely influenced by mid-century western styles
Looking at old Bais Yaakov Williamsburg yearbooks with Naomi SeidmanJanuary 5, 2022Education, Gender, History, Vlog, WilliamsburgToday I am sharing a YouTube conversation with Naomi Seidman,...
Marijuana use among the Hasidim in BrooklynJanuary 2, 2022Artifacts, Gender, Marriage, Street postersContextualizing a street poster.
The Hasidic local economyDecember 29, 2021Economy, Education, On the tours, Vlog, WilliamsburgFilmed in Williamsburg. How Hasidim earn a living; part of the story.
How to have a great relationshipDecember 19, 2021Artifacts, Marriage, VlogA pamphlet with quaint bit of relationship advice
Tour of menorah lighting in Hasidic WilliamsburgDecember 15, 2021Vlog, WilliamsburgA beautiful cold night with many candles adoring windows...
Survey in Der Yid Daily: are you afraid of omicron?December 12, 2021Artifacts, Covid19, Juxtopositions11.8% report being worried
Street poster: an alarm that rings if you pull out a smartphoneDecember 10, 2021Street posters, TechnologyNotice warns of a new technology that embarrasses smartphone users
In conversation with Nathaniel Deutsch, co-author of ‘A Fortress in Brooklyn’December 8, 2021Bookshelf, History, Vlog, WilliamsburgI had the great pleasure to talk in a zoom...
The forbidden women’s music academyDecember 4, 2021Censorship, Gender, Rabbis, VlogA new saga in Williamsburg's gender and piety landscape
Kvitlach: a Chanukah card gameNovember 30, 2021Artifacts, Juxtopositions, VlogA gambling card game that's a staple in the Chanukah playhouse
Recipe: sweet cheese latkes for ChanukahNovember 28, 2021Artifacts, FoodLike pancakes, but much richer
Street poster: Uber without a smartphoneNovember 18, 2021Artifacts, Street posters, TechnologyIf you follow my work, you might know that I’m...
Kids’ cards: the absolute worst matchmakerNovember 16, 2021Artifacts, EconomyThere is a series of Hasidic collectors’ cards called “Taryag,”...
Street poster: anti-vaccine messagingNovember 10, 2021Artifacts, Covid19, Street postersOn my tours, you don’t need a mask or a...
Why it’s hard to analyze city data for Williamsburg HasidimNovember 9, 2021Covid19, On the tours, WilliamsburgOn covid numbers, vaccine data and more...
The immodest marathon returns to the enclave of pietyNovember 5, 2021On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-In, Street posters, WilliamsburgRunners refer to it as the quiet mile.
Building series: Eastern District High SchoolNovember 3, 2021Buildings, On the tours, Unorthodox, WilliamsburgSome famous people were educated in this building, including Deborah Feldman
Special cleaning-lady dress without pocketsOctober 28, 2021Artifacts, Clothing, Economy, GenderApparently, over six thousand of these “dresses” have been sold....
Kids’ collectors’ cards: gefilte fish animeOctober 24, 2021Artifacts, Economy, GenderCollectible cards, as in, the kind of sets like baseball...
Fashions of the shtreimelOctober 22, 2021Artifacts, Clothing, GenderThe shtreimel is the Hasidic hat that married men wear...
Irreverent Yiddish song: ‘I Want To Be A Rebbe’October 17, 2021Artifacts, Gender, Rabbis Here is a song that I love because...
Williamsburg is stuck in the 1950s, part 1October 11, 2021History, WilliamsburgAs I’ve spent years exploring the story of Williamsburg, I’ve...
Update on my experience as a Covid-era tour guideSeptember 24, 2021Covid19, On the tours, Vlog, WilliamsburgFor 2021, I have been able to operate at 15-20%
Building series: Hasidic architecture and family-size balconiesSeptember 17, 2021Buildings, Economy, On the tours, WilliamsburgOne of the many interesting things in Hasidic Williamsburg is...
Emergency party!September 15, 2021Artifacts, Street postersHave you ever been invited to an emergency party? The...
Interview with Gerald FriedmanSeptember 11, 2021Buildings, History, On the tours, Vlog, WilliamsburgA conversation with a diner at Gottlieb's deli, former WB resident Gerald Friedman
Honey cookie recipeSeptember 5, 2021Artifacts, FoodIt’s the season of the Jewish new year again, so...
The KosherinatorSeptember 3, 2021Cartoons, Censorship, Food, JuxtopositionsA cartoon lesson in how Hasidim modernize.
Returning from the afterlife to battle the turbanAugust 29, 2021Artifacts, Clothing, GenderThe above document is an extraordinary case of superstition that...
Book posting: ‘Off the Derech, Leaving Orthodox Judaism’August 25, 2021Bookshelf, My EssaysThis post will not really be a book review, because...
Street Poster: buildings for “gentiles of the lowest sort”August 19, 2021Artifacts, Economy, Street posters, WilliamsburgHow Hasidim afford to live in Williamsburg
State-of-the-art tech: kosher phone vending machineAugust 16, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, On the tours, TechnologyFlip phones get fancier yet.
Censoring lady position availableAugust 8, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, EconomyBlack crayon and ubiquitous censorship
Street poster: blaming illness on immodestyAugust 2, 2021Artifacts, Clothing, Covid19, Gender, My Essays, On the tours, Street postersAnalysis of how faiths link tragedy to what people wear or don't wear.
Hasidic underground during lockdownJuly 29, 2021Artifacts, Covid19, Street postersMethods of subversion.
Building series: Mel Brook’s childhood home on LeeApril 21, 2021Buildings, On the tours, WilliamsburgAn iconic comedian once lived on 111 Lee Avenue
Book review: ‘Worlds Apart’ by Sudy RosengartenApril 6, 2021Bookshelf, Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSome notes from a small book of memories of early Williamsburg days
The Return of the Tours!April 4, 2021Covid19, On the tours*STICKY* Announcing limited tour schedule for 2021
NBC’s show ‘Nurses’ does Hasidic JewsFebruary 25, 2021Outsiders-Looking-InHollywood can’t help thinking up a bunch of cliches
Candy Land and Monopoly, Hasidic versionsFebruary 23, 2021Artifacts, JuxtopositionsHasidic versions of board game classics
New essay in Tablet Magazine on conformityFebruary 9, 2021Covid19, Juxtopositions, My EssaysLink in post
Year-in-review: Hasidim had similar Covid outcomes despite openingJanuary 28, 2021Covid19While rejecting distancing and masks, the outcomes are still on par with the rest of NYC.
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #6: gamesJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, Education, Gender, Juxtopositions, VlogNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #5: audio/visualJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, Education, GenderNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #4: Hasidic internetJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, Education, Gender, TechnologyNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #3: news, leaflets and magsJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Censorship, Education, GenderNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #2: children’s booksJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Bookshelf, Censorship, Education, Gender, JuxtopositionsNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
An overview of Hasidic entertainment #1: novels for grownupsJanuary 22, 2021Artifacts, Bookshelf, Censorship, Education, GenderNovels, kids books, newspapers, toys and games
Sharing a glimpse into the city during CovidNovember 9, 2020Buildings, Covid19, Street postersA walk in Boro Park
Analyzing the fall 2020 COVID-19 situation in the Hasidic communityOctober 20, 2020Covid19A video post
A new October essay in the ForwardOctober 2, 2020Covid19"Don’t call Hasidim anti-science. They kept COVID at bay all summer."
Covid test? only if you’re 100% healthy!October 1, 2020Artifacts, Covid19, Street postersOutsmarting the numbers
A shutdown of the NY Hasidic community?September 28, 2020Covid19, Outsiders-Looking-InThe Hasidic community is urging its members to mask up—but perhaps not for the reasons you'd expect
Censoring the Bible and GodSeptember 24, 2020Artifacts, Censorship, Education, Gender, JuxtopositionsWhen even God doesn't make the cut
Hasidic schoolwork—censored!September 14, 2020Artifacts, Censorship, EducationCan you guess what's been omitted from these passages?
Hasidic Satmar creative writingSeptember 2, 2020Artifacts, Education, Gender, My EssaysOn discovering an old notebook
Building series: the Church that shrankAugust 26, 2020Buildings, History, WilliamsburgThe story of one church's transformation
A Williamsburg architecture brush-upAugust 21, 2020Buildings, History, WilliamsburgFinding Treasures in an Online Photo Database from the 1940s
It’s the foxy seasonJuly 29, 2020Artifacts, Food, JuxtopositionsFoxies, Doopers, Chupps--What's in a name?
Masks and modest clothingJuly 24, 2020Artifacts, Clothing, Covid19, Gender, Juxtopositions, Street postersIf you had been brought up in the Hasidic community, would you have left?
Announcement: reopening plans!June 16, 2020Covid19, On the toursI am hoping to run tours again, starting July 14
Building series: the odd-looking police boothJune 4, 2020Buildings, Covid19, Gender, WilliamsburgAbandoned police booth an artifact of a different Williamsburg
The pandemic and persecution complex: a new Forward articleMay 27, 2020Covid19, HistoryA new article on the persecution complex and COVID-19
What’s a kosher phone? Part 2May 18, 2020Artifacts, Juxtopositions, Street posters, TechnologyA deeper dive into the world of kosher phones
Presenting: Ultra-Unorthodox, an illustrated storyMay 16, 2020Cartoons, Covid19, UnorthodoxBased on a story that’s based on a true story
Shopping–A memoir excerptMay 11, 2020My EssaysAn excerpt from a memoir I started in 2015, made specially available for my upper-level Patreon supporters
How badly hit were Hasidim by the first wave of Covid?May 3, 2020Covid19A look at the early weeks and a talk with the funeral director
New essay in Forward on the difficulty of making it after leavingApril 29, 2020My Essays, Outsiders-Looking-In, UnorthodoxNew article available at the Forward
New–subscribe to the mailing listApril 22, 2020On the toursGet new blog posts sent directly to your inbox
I’m in a dystopia againApril 18, 2020Covid19, Juxtopositions, My EssaysEchos of a groupthink past in our "new normal"
Why I believe it’s important to criticize shows like UnorthodoxApril 5, 2020My Essays, Outsiders-Looking-In, UnorthodoxOur stories told by creators with no skin in the game?
New article in the Forward on UnorthodoxMarch 31, 2020Outsiders-Looking-In, UnorthodoxA new article in Forward
(sorta) live-tweeting watching UnorthodoxMarch 28, 2020Outsiders-Looking-In, UnorthodoxWatching Netflix's Unorthodox and taking it to task for everything.
Book review: ‘Unorthodox’ by Deborah FeldmanMarch 26, 2020Bookshelf, UnorthodoxRevisiting Feldman's memoir in light of the new Netflix miniseries
Hasidic kids learn an incoherent world historyMarch 18, 2020Artifacts, Education, HistoryInto the world of coloring books and car phones
COVID-19 tour updates & informationMarch 13, 2020Covid19, On the toursHow tours will be affected by New York's state of emergency
Book review: ‘On Division’ by Goldie GoldbloomMarch 11, 2020Bookshelf, Gender, Outsiders-Looking-InLack of nuance and research paint a flat, inaccurate picture of Hasidim
Why you should visit the Hasidic community in FebruaryFebruary 7, 2020Artifacts, JuxtopositionsFruits and nuts rejoice
Is the Hasidic community a cult?January 29, 2020Juxtopositions, Outsiders-Looking-InWhen wedding debates wax philosophical
Reflections on the Jersey City attackDecember 15, 2019Outsiders-Looking-InThe rise of hate crimes against Hasidim
Book review: ‘Becoming Eve’ by Abby SteinDecember 11, 2019Bookshelf, Gender, Outsiders-Looking-InThoughts on the newest ex-Hasidic memoir
The Titanic: here vs. thereDecember 6, 2019Artifacts, Censorship, Gender, Juxtopositions, Street postersHow different societies make meaning of historic events
The bus tours and insensitive touristsSeptember 7, 2019On the tours, WilliamsburgThe NY Post wrote about the hordes of tourists that spill into Williamsburg
My Hasidic report card versus My son’s public school versionJune 27, 2019Artifacts, Education, JuxtopositionsSchool's out. It's time to look at report cards...
From the Hasidic economy to the global economy, with Footsteps in the middleJune 20, 2019EconomyThe organization that is supposed to serve as lifeline serves largely itself
The evil-eye and lead poisoningJune 17, 2019Artifacts, EconomyRecord high levels of lead meets the ritual of pouring lead.
Tour-guide diary: a scary Hasidic man causes troubleJune 7, 2019Gender, My Essays, On the toursNot everyone is welcoming.
What makes Shtisel so accurate?June 3, 2019Outsiders-Looking-InIt's not just because the costumes are perfect...
Building series: Satmar’s eyesore on 540 Bedford AvenueMay 27, 2019Buildings, Rabbis, WilliamsburgIt's now one of NYC's longest standing incomplete projects
RESOURCES ON HASIDISMMay 24, 2019Artifacts, Bookshelf, Education, On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-InA summary of resources on Hasidic life
A naked playboy model in Hasidic WilliamsburgMay 24, 2019Gender, On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-InOpportunism pretending to be feminism. What else is new?
A kids’ card collection: anti-smartphone editionMay 15, 2019Artifacts, Censorship, TechnologyThe pictures on these anti-smartphone cards are something else.
Measles, anti-vaxxers, and the Hasidic communityMay 10, 2019Gender, VlogAnswers to a whole bunch of questions I keep getting about the measles outbreak in the Hasidic community.
Still trying to make sense of the Hasidic anti-vaxxersApril 11, 2019Education, GenderWhile the few anti-vaxxers are extremely frustrating, the problem seems to be that herd has already been infected.
I found this pro-vaccine Hasidic bookApril 3, 2019ArtifactsIt's the official, authoritative Hasidic position on vaccines.
So much lazy journalism around the measles outbreakMarch 30, 2019Outsiders-Looking-InIt's not correct to say that Hasidim are against vaccines. But that's the impression you get from the media.
New Torah ceremony in WilliamsburgJanuary 31, 2019Artifacts, On the toursAn Inauguration of a Torah Ceremony on the street after our tour.
Street poster: airline miles donationJanuary 29, 2019Street posters, TechnologyStreet poster 2019: airline miles as a charity donation
The people who police others have templatesJanuary 23, 2019Artifacts, Censorship, Clothing, Education, Gender, My Essays, Street postersA template for sending friends, neighbors, relatives anonymous "notices" about modesty infractions.
Sewing classes; Satmar girl’s schoolJanuary 10, 2019Artifacts, Clothing, Education, GenderThe Sewing courses in a Kiryas Joel girl's school.
Street posters: fighting back to preserve Hasidic educationJanuary 6, 2019Artifacts, Education, Street postersStreet posters 2019: an invitation to a major anti-technology event (for men only)
I don’t own many $60 book: ‘Historical Atlas of Hasidism’January 4, 2019Bookshelf, History, RabbisA new fantastic atlas of Hasidic history by Marcin Wodzinski
A new podcast and Flaum’s DeliDecember 30, 2018Food, History, WilliamsburgA new podcast on Jewish history has a pilot episode about food. The Jewish "Appetizers" specifically!
Kosher cameras, mp3s, gameboys, ipods, etc.December 27, 2018Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyThe Hasidic community does not reject technology but rather adopts it with modifications.
Street posters: more wars on phones.December 25, 2018Censorship, Economy, Street posters, TechnologyStreet signs warning of the dangers of flip phones
Chanukah 2018 in Hasidic WilliamsburgDecember 17, 2018Artifacts, Food, On the tours, WilliamsburgThis was or first ever food tour on Chanukah and we had a wonderful time!
Street posters fall 2018: the draft in IsraelDecember 15, 2018Street postersStreet posters 2018: a protest against the draft in Israel makes an analogy to the holocaust.
Apocryphal stories about TrumpNovember 9, 2018On the toursA very nice Hasidic gentleman who works at one of...
What’s a kosher phone?November 8, 2018Artifacts, Censorship, Juxtopositions, TechnologyKosher phones is one of many ways Hasidim navigate their complex relationship with technology.
How the Hasidic Community votesNovember 6, 2018Artifacts, Economy, Education, Street postersThe best way to describe how the Hasidic community votes is to say they vote like a union; leveraging their numbers for tangible returns.
Fodor’s list of unique tours in New York CityOctober 6, 2018On the toursAs a tour guide, I’ve learned about some of the most fantastic tours in New York City.
Street posters: a study session on genetic ethicsSeptember 27, 2018Artifacts, Street posters, TechnologyUsing dna to determine the supremacy of a fruit.
Kavanaugh allegations and Hasidic censorshipSeptember 22, 2018Artifacts, Censorship, JuxtopositionsLast Friday, I stopped into a deli and bought a copy of the Hasidic Yiddish paper.
Do Hasidim smoke?August 26, 2018Gender, History, RabbisAmong Satmar Hasidic Jews, women never smoke. It’s really unheard of. But quite common for men, even though it’s officially frowned upon.
Why Hasidic boys’ educational standards are not enforcedAugust 23, 2018Education, GenderIt’s really a question of: if the NYC Department of Education cares, what can they do?
How the Hasidic community deals with the internetAugust 21, 2018Artifacts, Censorship, Juxtopositions, Street posters, TechnologyThe story of internet among Hasidim is interesting. It crept up on us slowly, almost unnoticed.
Street posters in Hasidic Williamsburg: on secular educationAugust 14, 2018Artifacts, Education, Street postersIt’s always interesting to watch the rotation of street posters in the streets of Hasidic Williamsburg.
Non-Hasidic renters in the NeighborhoodAugust 3, 2018Censorship, Economy, WilliamsburgCan you rent a place in the Hasidic neighborhood?
Orthodox politics: on TrumpAugust 3, 2018ArtifactsA reader asked: Do Orthodox Jews support Trump? Answer: Many...
Book review: ‘Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge’ by Eli HechtJuly 29, 2018BookshelfSummary: Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge, a memoir written by Rabbi...
Hasidic tours for German touristsJune 8, 2018On the toursA reader asked: What’s it like for Jews to work...
Violent cidelock cuttingApril 16, 2018Clothing, HistoryHere is an answer from history:[1] Paraphrased and copied (with some abbreviations) from a paper by Glenn Dynner (who was my teacher at SLC).
Essay in Tablet Magazine on Hasidic educationApril 16, 2018Economy, Education“Shulem Deen wrote in the The New York Times “Why...
Mysteries of the newlywed couple’s roomApril 12, 2018Artifacts, Gender, MarriageIt's a private moment for a kiss.
My Resistance, Mrs. FeinmanApril 11, 2018My EssaysOn trying to write while being haunted by old ghosts.
How to style sidecurls (payos)March 22, 2018Clothing, GenderThis is how I did up side-curls nice and neat.
Hasidic Jews and the AmishMarch 18, 2018Clothing, Juxtopositions, On the toursI gave a tour of Hasidic Williamsburg to a group of Mennonites, which are similar to Amish but maybe in some ways less insular.
Hasidic handshakes at the White HouseMarch 18, 2018Gender, Marriage, My EssaysYes. Okay, it wasn’t my hand he wasn’t shaking; it was that of the first lady of the United States.
Hasidic marital purity lawsMarch 15, 2018Artifacts, Gender, MarriageWhat are the Hasidic rules of menstrual separation?
Hasidic men’s fashion: the shtreimelMarch 1, 2018Artifacts, ClothingA reader asked: What is that furry, circular hat that...
When men don’t hold doorsFebruary 3, 2018Gender, On the toursA reader asked: Is it wrong of me to feel...
The role of Hasidic womenSeptember 25, 2017Gender, MarriageA reader asked: Are most Hasidic women satisfied with their...
Book review: ‘All Who Go Do Not Return’ by Shulem DeenSeptember 22, 2017BookshelfAs someone who has left the Hasidic community and continues...
Premarital genetic testing in insular communitiesAugust 7, 2017Gender, MarriageA reader asked: How do insular communities ensure that marriages...
No college: shopkeepers and entrepreneursAugust 7, 2017Economy, EducationA reader asked: How are Hasidic Jews so wealthy? They...
Street poster July 2017: throw away your smartphoneJuly 8, 2017Artifacts, Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyThis belongs to the genre of “internet warnings”, among the...
Street posters July 2017July 8, 2017Artifacts, Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyThis belongs to the genre of ways in which the...
Life of large familiesMay 8, 2017Gender, MarriageA reader asked: How do Hasidim raise so many kids?...
Street posters – re smartphonesMay 8, 2017Artifacts, Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyThis belongs to the genre of ways in which the...
This smartphone war is directed especially at womenMarch 29, 2017Artifacts, Censorship, Gender, Street posters, Technology“There is no excuse for a woman to have a smartphone”
A tour of Hasidic Williamsburg 35 years ago ($6.50!)March 29, 2017History, On the tours, WilliamsburgSociologist George Kranzler did it first.
Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum’s New York Times obituary/1979March 22, 2017RabbisRead Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum's New York Times Obituary/1979
A thread on imamother: “How does Satmar feel about Frieda Vizel’s tours?”March 21, 2017On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-InThere is an interesting conversation on the frum internet forum...
Williamsburg wasn’t always a haven for Jews…March 4, 2017HistoryCan you imagine a Williamsburg without a Jewish congregation? Here’s...
Building series: the House of the Prince of Peace once in WilliamsburgMarch 4, 2017Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Site of the Christian Mission / Jews for Jesus...
Gender segregation rules in the Hasidic workplaceJanuary 9, 2017Censorship, Economy, Education, GenderA reader asked: Are there any particular rules I need...
Is the Hasidic community poor?January 7, 2017Economy, EducationA reader asked: Why are Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg, Brooklyn...
Hasidic women’s swimwearJuly 7, 2016Artifacts, Clothing, GenderA reader asked: What do Hasidic women wear to swim,...
NYC ad campaign: needles ain’t needlessJune 19, 2016Artifacts, Outsiders-Looking-InA Chickenpox outbreak among Hasidic children of Williamsburg had the...
Bike registration driveJune 17, 2016Artifacts, Street postersBike registrations are annually organized for Williamsburg Hassidic children by...
“Bagleiten,” a Satmar traditionJune 16, 2016RabbisThis bagleiten video is from June 30, 2016, in Williamsburg,...
Routine announcement to tenants in YiddishJune 16, 2016Artifacts, Buildingsh/t Williamsburg News on Twitter
Whassup on Whatsapp?June 16, 2016Artifacts, Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyA screenshot taken from a Whatsapp group titled in Yiddish...
Shavuos 2016: neighborhood notesJune 8, 2016RabbisAre you planning on passing by Hasidic Williamsburg on this...
The Jewish Federation’s look at WilliamsburgDecember 24, 2014Economy, EducationThe Jewish Federation of North America released a poverty study...
Hasidim in media: ‘Talk Yiddish to Me’November 6, 2014Artifacts, ClothingAmong my circles, we often discuss the inaccurate portrayals of...
Book review: ‘Teacha, Stories from a Yeshiva’September 9, 2014Bookshelf, Education, Outsiders-Looking-InOne of my favorite books that describe contemporary Hasidic life...
Book review: ‘The Marrying of Chani Kaufman’ by Eve HarrisSeptember 9, 2014Bookshelf, Outsiders-Looking-InThe Marrying of Chani Kaufman is a novel that compiles...
“Free Palestine” in WilliamsburgAugust 24, 2014Censorship, Street postershis picture, of a plaque on Hewes Street in Williamsburg...
Wall poster: warning against selling homes to outsidersAugust 24, 2014Artifacts, Economy, Street postersFrom July 2014 This poster is so illustrative of how...
An interview with Philip Fishman; author of ‘A Sukkah is Burning’August 4, 2014Bookshelf, History, WilliamsburgMany Jews remember Williamsburg before its Hasidic transformation; when centrist...
How my childhood was like the RockettesJuly 31, 2014Cartoons, My EssaysI often compare my Hasidic childhood in Kiryas Joel to...
The future of the historic Hanover Club/Vien’s School?July 30, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgWhen a friend of mine was in Williamsburg late one...
“Williamsburg!” The iconic song by Yomtov EhrlichJuly 23, 2014Artifacts, HistoryYom Tov Ehrlich was probably one of the most important...
Building series: Clymer Street shul, and the last star of davidJuly 22, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgThe Clymer Street Synagogue is the site for the last Star of David in Williamsburg
A Wedding officiated by R. Teitelaum and R. FeinsteinJuly 10, 2014History, RabbisA 1954 wedding announcement in the Brooklyn Eagle made note...
Ladies’ Bikur Cholim – volunteering for the needyJuly 6, 2014Artifacts, GenderThe other day, I passed the Ladies Bikur Cholim and...
How to pronounce “Hasidic”July 6, 2014Outsiders-Looking-InI just came across this line in an email correspondence:...
Anecdote from a localJuly 6, 2014On the toursI’m always interested in the communication between the self-isolated Hasidic...
BREAKING: Congress Passes New Bathtub LawJuly 3, 2014CartoonsThe Senate unanimously signed a bill today making it a...
Building series: It used to be a theater 2: Vien SynagogueJune 27, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Vien Synagogue/ formerly Wilson Theater Location: 27 Lee Avenue,...
Wall poster June 2014 – against WhatsappJune 27, 2014Artifacts, Censorship, Street posters, TechnologyThis poster warns people to get off WhatsApp. Relevant Text...
New collection: wall postersJune 26, 2014Street postersSome collectors amass interesting collections of stamps or antiques, this...
Assault and impropriety on Lee AvenueJune 24, 2014History, WilliamsburgA very dramatic story went down on a Friday Night...
Tips on tippingJune 23, 2014Artifacts, Economy, JuxtopositionsHere’s how incredibly different Hasidic NYC is from most of...
Book review: ‘Fundamentalism, Perspectives on a Contested History’June 22, 2014BookshelfEditors: Simon A. Wood and David Harrington Watt Fundamentalism; Perspectives...
How the streets in Williamsburg got their names…June 18, 2014History, WilliamsburgTaylor, Wilson, Clymer... you guessed it, the signatories of the US Declaration of Independence.
Building series: Leonard and Phillip Lopate’s homeJune 15, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Childhood Home of radio host Leonard Lopate Location: 151...
Hasidic EMS treating Jehovah’s WitnessJune 12, 2014Kiryas JoelSince I wrote about the church in Kiryas Joel yesterday,...
Kipelach versus rugelachJune 12, 2014Artifacts, Food, WilliamsburgI always ask my groups what the above pastries are....
A 1992 photo collection of Hasidic WilliamsburgJune 10, 2014History, WilliamsburgPhotos by Melodie McDaniel photography. I’m not sure what to...
Building series: inside the Hanover mansion / Vien’s schoolJune 9, 2014Buildings, Education, History, WilliamsburgI wrote about the Hanover Mansion that’s now the Vien’s...
Dead eyes or cultural blindness?June 8, 2014On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-InPsychologist Marty Klein and visiting tourist of Williamsburg (he did...
Building series: it used to be a theater 1 – Klausenberg SynagogueJune 7, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Klausenburg Synagogue Location: 131 Lee Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211...
A Jehovah’s Witness Church in Kiryas JoelJune 6, 2014Kiryas JoelThis is a very interesting story of a Jehovah’s Witnesses...
Dairy pastries in WilliamsburgJune 3, 2014Artifacts, Food, On the tours, WilliamsburgAs tonight is Shavuos, the Jewish holiday that is celebrated...
Building series: anti-zionism and the Klausenberg buildingJune 1, 2014Buildings, WilliamsburgThe case of the disappearing Stars of David
Hasidim in media: ‘Fading Gigolo’June 1, 2014Outsiders-Looking-In, UnorthodoxHollywood has an interesting relationship with Hasidim. To date, the...
Artistic illustration of Hasidim and HipstersMay 30, 2014WilliamsburgPhoto: Free Williamsburg magazine This is from the Free...
Book review: ‘Brooklyn’s Williamsburgh’ by Brian MerlisMay 28, 2014BookshelfThe book Brooklyn’s Williamsburgh by Brian Merlis goes for a...
A list of Hasidic female headgear, with illustrationsMay 27, 2014Artifacts, Clothing, GenderHasidic women customarily wear a head covering after they get...
Building series: Vien’s Girls’ school building; the Williamsburg storyMay 26, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Former Hanover Club / Former Young Israel / girls...
Building series: the Wonder Bread factory—now the Skverer YeshivaMay 25, 2014Buildings, History, WilliamsburgSite: Formerly bread factory / now Skver yeshiva Location: 97...
Anecdote from a visitor who wouldn’t be a shabbes goyMay 25, 2014On the tours, Outsiders-Looking-InA visitor in Williamsburg told me this great story: I...
How the Williamsburg Bridge changed WilliamsburgMay 23, 2014History, WilliamsburgWhen the Williamsburg Bridge was built in 1903, Jewish immigrants...
Building series: missionary Jews in WilliamsburgMay 23, 2014Buildings, HistoryA century ago a Christian Mission to the Jews stood...
A High School essay by Deborah FeldmanMay 23, 2014Education, History, UnorthodoxThis really interesting first-person account of Hasidic Williamsburg was written...
On the Fink SummitMay 13, 2014Cartoons, My EssaysFriends have been asking me about the meeting I attended...
On Hasidic WilliamsburgMay 11, 2014Cartoons, On the toursA shirt I made in photoshop. It says “When in...
Messing around in my bedroomApril 16, 2014CartoonsHere’s something different and very personal. It’s a cartoon in...
After the Double LifeApril 6, 2013Cartoons, My EssaysNora Ephron describes the single’s life most aptly. “I thought...
On Unorthodox -The Year AfterFebruary 20, 2013Cartoons, UnorthodoxIt was a day of love. Cupids twittered through the...
On Taliban WomenFebruary 4, 2013Cartoons, GenderTaliban women are in vogue among extremists. What are Taliban...
True StoryDecember 7, 2012CartoonsThis "True Story" is the result of about twenty hours of work and some very misguided ideas about my artistic capabilities.
December Caption ContestDecember 3, 2012CartoonsHi Everyone — With the Weberman trial and the Rabbi...
On the Kiruv BusinessNovember 26, 2012CartoonsFor those who don’t know, kiruv clowns are those proselytizers...
On the leap of faithNovember 16, 2012CartoonsSometimes, in conversation with friends I admire and learn from,...
The Penn State ChusidNovember 13, 2012CartoonsGuest commentary by Frimet Goldberger: Nechemya Weberman is back in...
October Caption Contest WinnerNovember 10, 2012CartoonsCommentary by Shulem Deen, editor of Unpious: When I first...
October Caption ContestOctober 15, 2012CartoonsCommentary: October caption contest is here! I’m excited to have...
September Caption Contest WinnerOctober 7, 2012CartoonsWith many apologies for the delay in announcing the winner...
On women shaving all their hairOctober 2, 2012Artifacts, Cartoons, Gender, My EssaysHow can you cartoon about shaving? You have to. Because...
On ChazzonusSeptember 24, 2012Cartoons, My EssaysWhen I did my undergraduate college degree, a one-year process...
On The New YearSeptember 16, 2012CartoonsDearest friends, readers, lurkers, critics, sinners, saints, fellow humans, Wishing...
On Frummy Ex-HasidimSeptember 9, 2012CartoonsImagine if Ex-Hasidim had a shul! It would be desecration...
September Caption Contest! Win $25!September 3, 2012CartoonsIt’s the time of month, guys, for the caption contest....
August Caption Contest WinnerSeptember 2, 2012CartoonsCommentary by guest judge Mississippi Fred MacDowell from On the...
On Economic Woes – cartoon postAugust 22, 2012CartoonsThis is my solution to the economic crisis: boosting consumer...
On invading SpaceAugust 16, 2012CartoonsMind you, not only long-eared Martians need space. Venusians too...
On Pop CultureAugust 13, 2012CartoonsTwo recent frightening mass shootings in public places. Brings up...
On Hasidic GrowthAugust 6, 2012CartoonsThe average Hasidic family, according to Wikipedia, has 8 children....
August Caption Contest! Win $25!August 3, 2012CartoonsAugust Caption Contest with Guest Judge! I am excited to...
July Caption Contest WinnerAugust 1, 2012CartoonsDearest Friends and Witty Captioners and Flying Bochurim, And now...
On HappinessJuly 17, 2012Cartoons, My Essays“And they lived unhappily ever after”. So ends the famous...
On MonroeJuly 12, 2012Cartoons, Kiryas JoelThis cartoon was inspired by something I read on Monroe....
On the InternetJuly 10, 2012CartoonsTurning off the internet, THAT they say, should fix everything...
Behind the Rabbi’s ScenesJuly 9, 2012CartoonsWhat really goes on behind the scenes in Hasidic leadership...
On Being HotJune 28, 2012Cartoons, Clothing, Gender, Outsiders-Looking-InSo it’s summer! Oh, sunny, lovely, sweaty summer. The time...
On NiddahJune 26, 2012CartoonsYou may have heard about the Orthodox couple whose baby was delivered by a truck driver
June Caption Contest Winner!June 24, 2012CartoonsDear readers, lurkers and awesome people who leave comments, The...
On Arranged MarriageMay 31, 2012Artifacts, Cartoons, MarriageIt’s wonderful that the young Hasidic boy or girl is...
On Hasidic WomenMay 25, 2012Artifacts, Cartoons, Gender, UnorthodoxRecently, Hasidic women became the subject of much-heated debate after...
On Cheese-and-Dairy partiesMay 25, 2012CartoonsWho could turn down cheese yodels and milk-chocolate balls and...
On the Internet Asifa and its EdictsMay 21, 2012CartoonsResolved: Orthodox Jews (and Jewesses too!) are only allowed to...
And the winner is…May 18, 2012CartoonsHello again, readers and contributors! After much mysterious deliberation in...
Caption Contest! Win $25!May 3, 2012CartoonsHello dear readers and commenters and lurkers! There are many...
On Stealing the AfikomanApril 10, 2012CartoonsStealing much more than the Afikoman from great uncle Sam…...
The joke beyond the bathhouseMay 30, 2011Artifacts, Gender, Juxtopositions, My EssaysI once stole a big laminated poster from the mikva....