I recently spent a day visiting various Shuls in Monsey, including Belz, Satmar, Toldos Aharon, and Viznitz. Here’s a little bit about my experience visiting these Shuls, as well as some reflections.  Belz  My first stop of the day was the Belz Shul, located in – what seems to me to be – the heart of Chassidic Monsey. I’d been to the large Belz Beis Medrash in Jerusalem many times, but wanted to see what the Chassidus was like in America.  The main Shul in Monsey was under construction but they had a makeshift Shul that was essentially a tent. It was a hot summer day and the ten ..read more

Dvar Torah #1: We Don’t Rejoice at Our Enemy’s Downfall A Dvar Torah based on the ideas of Rabbi Yaakov Haber. Chazal say that Mordechai was expelled from the Sanhedrin. How could this be? After all, didn’t Mordechai save the Jews in Persia from certain destruction? Wasn’t Mordechai considered a Tzaddik?  Answers Chazal: Mordechai paraded through the streets of Shushan with royal clothing, being led by Haman. Chazal infer from the language of the Megilla that Mordechai enjoyed the humiliation of his enemy. And one who derives honor from the downfall of an enemy cannot serve on the Sanhedr ..read more

This list is by no means comprehensive, nor is it in any particular order. Here are some of the Hasidic influencers making a difference today. Shlomo Gaisin & Zachariah Goldschmiedt The lead singers of Zusha, Shlomo and Zachariah have changed Jewish music forever.  R’ Eitan & Shlomo Katz R’ Eitan and R’ Shlomo Katz were pioneers in the neo-Hasidic music scene and continue to make a major impact on Jewish music.  R’ Moshe Weinberger  R’ Weinberger is the Rabbi of Aish Kodesh in Woodmere and an influential speaker.    Shloime Zionce Shloime is a writer, spea ..read more

I recently had the privilege of doing a written interview with Naftali Engel, the Founder of The Rebbe’s Choice. We talk Chassidus, food, and life.   Tell me about your background and where you grew up. I grew up in Kew Gardens Hills, which is a small neighborhood in Queens, NY. It is a really nice mix of Jews from all walks of life and I am really glad I grew up in a community that is very accepting and warm. I went to Yeshiva Tiferes Moshe for Elementary School and Mesivta Ateres Yaakov in Cedarhurst for High School. How did you become interested in Chassidus? My family comes from ..read more

Why Do Hasidic Jews Wear Hats?  Most Orthodox Jewish men will cover their heads with either a hat or yarmulke. However, Hasidic Jews generally wear both a yarmulke and a hat. Why do they do this? As a sign that they fear God. As the gemara (Talmud) says: “Cover your head in order that the fear of heaven may be upon you.”  Why do Hasidic Jews wear a hat in addition to the yarmulke? For a few reasons. 1) There’s a stringency to wear two head-coverings during prayer. 2) It’s a tradition that started centuries ago. 3) To differentiate themselves from secular society. 4) Hasidic hats have ..read more

Here are 25+ Chassidic Minhagim: Skver: Eating onion kugel on Shabbos. Skver: Saying all of Tehillim every Shabbos. Boyan: Never using a Shabbos elevator. Breslov: Going to Uman on Rosh Hashana. Belz: Kneidel dance on Achron Shel Pesach. Viznitz: Eating fish on Pesach. Viznitz: Never eating fish with a fork. Viznits: Not eating Sherayim on a plate. Chabad: Saying all of Tehillim on Shabbos Mevarchim. Chabad: Spit during Aleinu. Chabad: Eat in the Sukkah all of Shemini Atzeres. Chabad: Tying Tefillin with an Ashkenazi knot on the Shel Yad but winding outwards according to sfard custom. Chabad ..read more

Shloime, my grandfather, rarely—if ever—spoke about the Holocaust until the 1980s. After that, he’d answer questions or tell a story here and there. It wasn’t until 2014 that Papa, as my siblings and I call him, did an interview where he’d tell his entire story, from his childhood in the Czechoslovakian town of Hukliva to starting a family and building a business in America. And how lucky we are. It could not have been easy for him. He talked about the hardest years of his life, times of unimaginable hardship, grief, and suffering. Yet he did it—an interview that lasted over eight hours—becaus ..read more

As a kid, I was fascinated by Hasidim but lived in a place with almost none. I turned to TV and the internet to learn more. If you’re interested in doing the same, here are some shows, documentaries, and movies to check out.  1. A Stranger Among Us This was one of my absolute favorite movies as a kid. An undercover cop enters a Hasidic community to try and solve a murder case. The costumes were so-so, but the film does a good job of presenting the warmth of a Hasidic home. Warning: This movie feels very 90s!   2. Unorthodox This show is on Netflix, and it deserves a mention. But ..read more

Samuel Heilman’s “Who Will Lead Us?” is one of my favorite academic books on leadership in the Hasidic world. He goes through succession controversies in various sects, including Chabad, Munkacs, Bobov, Satmar, and Boyan. Here are my takeaways from the book. 1. There’s a myth that a Rebbe’s oldest son automatically takes the “throne” after his passing. In reality, succession can be messy, and Hasidim vote with their feet—sometimes even challenging the previous Rebbe’s written will.  2. A Rebbe’s wife, known as the Dowager Rebbetzin, can wield significant power and influence in a Hasidic c ..read more

This is a written interview I did with Meir Bronstein, a Boyaner Chossid who grew up in Peru. His story is captivating, powerful, and insightful. (Note: Some of the answers have been edited for clarity.) Tell me about your background, where you grew up, and how you became religious.  I was born in Peru, in a Masorti house. My father is a Rabbi, and he is very academic. So it’s not surprising that in the house, we had academic books about Judaism, history, Hasidism, and other topics. I grew up reading Martin Buber’s books, including “Tales of Hasidic masters,” which has four parts. These s ..read more