"Why I joined the Hasidic community" | The story of Sara Braun

Shpanier Arbet / Jewish garment art with Elena Solomon: In this video post, I explore a very interesting part of Hasidic clothing: the silver decorative strip found on the men's prayer shawls. I talk to Elena Solomon, who, together with Lilly Homer is writing an encyclopedia entry on the special craft... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

40 min listen

Izzy Posen and Frieda Vizel live zoom conversation on Post-Haredi life, identity and relations: I had the great pleasure of doing a live zoom conversation with fellow former-Hasid [OTD] and professional thinker Izzy Posen. Izzy is a prolific personality on Twitter, where he is eager to encourage nuanced, honest dialog among us ex-Haredim as well... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

77 min listen

Interview with Nelly Grussgott on post-war Williamsburg, Brooklyn: This video is part of a research project to document the way Hasidim came to America after the war and turned Williamsburg into an insular religious enclave. Nelly Grussgott was born in 1930 in Berlin. In 1940, she and her mother fled nazi Germany... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

57 min listen

In conversation with Gerry Albarelli, former Hasidic boys' English teacher: Gerry Albarelli wrote one of the most unique books on the contemporary Hasidic community. It's on the subject of his experience as a secular studies teacher in the Satmar Hasidic boys' school. His book tells the story of how Gerry, as an outsider,... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

58 min listen

In Conversation with Nathaniel Deutsch, Co-author of 'A Fortress in Brooklyn': I had the pleasure to talk to Nathaniel Deutsch about his new book on Hasidic Williamsburg. Nathaniel Deutsch is a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he holds the Baumgarten Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies. He is... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

83 min listen

Hasidic Boys' Education Controversy | In Conversation with Eli Spitzer: Eli Spitzer is a headmaster of a Hasidic boys' school and a columnist for Mosiac Magazine. In this long-form interview, we talk about the Hasidic boys' controversy, which was recently covered extensively in the New York Times. The issue relates to the... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

83 min listen

A special visit to Williamsburg with writer and former resident Phillip Lopate: Williamsburg, Brooklyn has a rich immigrant history. Before the South Side became the Hasidic enclave that it is today, it was a much more eclectic immigrant neighborhood. Among its former residents is the writer Phillip Lopate, who grew up in what's... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

69 min listen

Do Ex-Hasidim Get Shunned? | In Conversation with Zalman Newfield: You might have wondered: do Hasidic Jews get shunned if they leave the faith? Does their family sit "shiva" for them -- meaning, does their Hasidic family consider them as if they are dead, and perform the rituals of mourning? In this long-form... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

103 min listen

In Conversation with Steve Milligan, My Youtube Channel's Editor: If you are new - welcome to my channel! ▶▶ Please subscribe and like! ➡Leave a comment with your thoughts! ❤ This conversation for my long-form series is with my video editor Steve Milligan. We had a good time chatting about the behind-the-scenes,... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

59 min listen

Interview with Harry Weiss, former Williamsburg resident: I'm delighted to be posting another video conversation with a Jewish Williamsburg "old-timer", this one with Harry/Chaim Weiss. Harry Weiss was born September 24, 1949, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, and he lived there until 1960. Harry's... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

71 min listen

In Conversation with Steven Nolt on Amish Society: In this long-form (podcast-style) interview, I talk to Steve Nolt about Amish life. So many people compare Hasidim to the Amish, and I've known so little about the Amish. This conversation brought so many differences into sharp contrast and left me... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

113 min listen

In Conversation on "Heretic in the House" with Naomi Seidman: This is a long-form zoom conversation with Naomi Seidman, host of the wonderful "Heretic in the House" podcast. You can find the podcast here: https://www.hartman.org.il/program/heretic-in-the-house/ by Hasidic Judaism Explored

82 min listen

Yossi Desser Musical Guest Discussion & Live Performance of YomTov Ehrlich, Belz, more: For the YouTube version click here: https://youtu.be/_uxPKgA6hVU You might have heard a bit about the Hasidic Jewish music scene from my previous videos or from browsing YouTube. It’s a wonderful world, and... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

87 min listen

An Orthodox Female Comedian | In Conversation with Leah Forster: Leah Forster spent many years delighting Orthodox female audiences with her comedy. It is hard to overstate her success: she produced CDs, musicals, a ton of live acts, and was a household name among all Hasidic women. She was not only very funny and... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

75 min listen

Hasidim, Ex-Hasidim and Dogs | In Conversation with Naomi Seidman: Most Hasidim don't have pets. Many of us who leave the Hasidic community, like myself and Naomi Seidman, adopt animals and come to love - deeply! - our furry friends. In this long-form conversation, I talk to Naomi about why we grew up without pets,... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

62 min listen

"Why I joined the Hasidic community" | The story of Sara Braun: In this long-form conversation, I talk to Sara about her life journey, from secular Holland to NYC, where she became deeply involved in religious life. She was drawn to the insular Hasidic sects like Satmar, became close friends with families in... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

88 min listen

The Famous PEARL Answers Your Questions: QUESTIONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaqonzHozVM&t=70s What do you think of all the questions we got? On Women and Motherhood in Satmar Hasidism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaqonzHozVM&t=120s || Are women LOOKED DOWN in Judaism?... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

38 min listen

What Hasidic Boys Learn | In Conversation with Moshe Krakowski: Moshe Krakowski American Haredi education and culture, focusing on the relationship between communal worldview, identity, and education. He also works on curriculum, cognition, and inquiry learning in Jewish educational settings. He has written... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

92 min listen

More Q&A with the Hasidic Housewife PEARL: QUESTIONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05SsdMGqkg&t=93s || How can someone visit the Hasidic community respectfully? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V05SsdMGqkg&t=137s || What do you think of cursing? Hard Questions... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

39 min listen

The History of Hasidism | In Conversation with David Biale on "Hasidism, A New History": The book "Hasidism, A New History" is a five-pound tome, but it's an excellent tome. It tells the amazing story of the formation of the Hasidic movement in a way that I found gripping. It is a thoroughly scholarly book, representing the works of eight... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

67 min listen

Eli Benedict on Life in Israel Since the Gruesome Attacks: Last week, I traveled to Israel to meet with Eli Benedict for a tour of his Hasidic hometown in Bnei Brak, Israel. Our time together was wonderful. And then the vicious, shocking attacks came, just after I got home. In this spontaneous interview, I... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

68 min listen

The Truth About Hasidic Jews and the Internet | A Documentary: This is the story of the Hasidic Jews and the internet. In this documentary, I chart the dramatic saga of how different people in the Hasidic community first reacted to the internet, and how the community slowly coalesced on a solution for dealing... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

35 min listen

Rules for Hasidic Girls Issued by Satmar School, Part 1: What are the rules of expectation for Satmar Hasidic girls? In my most recent documentary on Hasidim and the internet, I showed a few pages of the Satmar Girl's school rulebook. This is the rulebook that contains a great many rules that the school... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

43 min listen

The Secret Stories of Hidden Heretics | In Conversation with Ayala Fader: 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... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

73 min listen

"My Childhood as a Hasidic Boy" | In Conversation with Izzy Posen: For the video version of this conversation,https://youtu.be/SeZL920Eae8 *UPDATE:* After we filmed this segment, as I was about to share it, Izzy's young mother passed away in a tragic car accident. I am so heartbroken for Izzy and his terrible loss.... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

73 min listen

Top Hasidic Music Videos - 16 Selections: Here's the link to the youtube video version: https://youtu.be/9GcRIbVEt8c?si=2TmJgN8QtvUvVa6y by Hasidic Judaism Explored

29 min listen

Why do Hasidic Women SHAVE their heads?: You might have heard that Hasidic women shave their heads. You might also have heard that when someone leaves the faith, their family shuns them. I asked the lovely Pearl, a Satmar Hasidic woman, to speak about these topics. Pearl practices the... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

45 min listen

Am I disrespectful?: 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:... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

25 min listen

"The Get" A Personal Essay: This is a personal essay I wrote many years ago, shortly after leaving the Hasidic community. It's about my experience during the Get ceremony. A Get is a religious divorce and the ceremony involves several ancient traditions. A little while ago,... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

9 min listen

Two Dates and a Wedding - Hasidic Matchmaking Customs: This is a very, very special episode of a never before seen, very candid conversation about the marriage customs of the insular Jewish Hasidic Jews of the Satmar sect. Pearl is a Satmar Hasidic woman who has been married for fifty-six years. Her... by Hasidic Judaism Explored

48 min listen

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"Why I joined the Hasidic community" | The story of Sara Braun

"Why I joined the Hasidic community" | The story of Sara Braun

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