A long time ago, more than ten years ago, I got into collecting Hasidic Yiddish language nuances. Unique words to Hasidic Yiddish, expressions, stories, etc. I put it all on a very rickety blog to make sure it doesn’t get lost. Which was a good idea because it would have gotten lost. Here’s the blog: http://chasyiddish.blogspot.com/ But I just had a look at it hoping to find something in particular, and realized the blog is sort of broken. Some pages don’t open. It is very old, in tech years, after all. It would be a real shame if the whole blog were to one day disappear altogether, so as a ba ..read more

The kindle recipe from the wonderful Clymer Terrace cookbook:   Here’s a little video about the kindle: Kindle for #foodfriday #shorts (youtube.com ..read more

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Here is a link of the tweet: https://x.com/HQSatmar/status/1732044496706363891?s   A screengrab of the tweet ..read more

Hello, This blog has been a labor of love. I have a large collection of posts that I spent hours researching, writing, and sharing, often receiving fewer than a handful of views per post. I have many more posts in my drafts, half done but still waiting to be finished one day! Nowadays, however, I have thankfully had my hands full, and I’ve been unable to keep up with this blog. My “Hasidic Research” efforts are entirely directed toward my YouTube channel, which has been a wonderful, miraculous, and so meaningful project, as it has gained much more traction than this blog. I used to post here e ..read more

I recently shared a YouTube video about my schoolwork in a Hasidic all-girls school in Kiryas Joel, where I grew up. Hasidic education is a frequently asked about and frequently discussed topic, so I wanted to compile the posts I’ve made on the topic here, for you to peruse. This post details the subjects my son learned in public school versus those I learned in Hasidic school, and even shows some of my schoolwork. My Hasidic report card versus My son’s public school version This post also borrows from the infamous maroon binders to demonstrate the censorship present in our schoolwork. You ..read more

This week, the NYT ran a major exposé on its front page, top of the fold, Sunday edition. In it, it revealed that while Hasidic boys get barely any secular education, the schools receive funding for various government programs. Thousands of infuriated readers responded by leaving comments on the Times online, accusing the community of stealing their tax-paying dollars to fund what they consider to be child abuse. I read all the comments and found the debate quite interesting, if not predictable. Here is my perspective on this saga. As a result of this article, and articles like this, millions ..read more

This is the first of a few episodes I will be sharing over the next few weeks. It’ll be a casual amble through Hasidic Williamsburg during the high holiday season. There are a lot of very colorful sites in the neighborhood during this time of year. The first video is on the streets before the Jewish New Year, and I’m sharing it with you all today. I’m also wishing you all a sweet year, and for those who fast on Yom Kippur, an easy fast. Check back on my channel for more videos during the high holidays. Related: Honey cookie recipe On Sukkos Purim 2022 in Hasidic Williamsburg Building series ..read more

Let me introduce you to the shtern! A different kind of Jewish star! In this video, I tell you all about the special paper art called shtern. The word shtern is Yiddish for star, and the art is a kind of cutting technique that comes out to a star. In the video I explain its religious application, my own experience with shterns, and most of all, I show you how to make a shtern. My very talented video editor created a beautiful tutorial for you – maybe you can make your own shtern some day! There’s just one thing missing from the video: the origin story of the shtern. I have no idea where this ..read more

Here is the irony: Hasidic men receive almost no secular education. And yet — a recent poster displayed all over the neighborhood read: “Satmar’s economy is thriving.” Is it thriving? Or are people living in abject poverty, with extremely high NYC housing costs and large families? That’s the debate. I once wrote an essay for Tablet Magazine, arguing that Hasidim find ways to earn a living despite not getting a secular education, and I was absolutely crucified on Facebook. There is no doubt in my mind that some of the attacks were justified anger at me for not supporting the cause to reform Ha ..read more