Hasidic Judaism Explored

A 26-year-old collector opens his personal library to reveal the dramatic, human stories hidden inside antique Jewish Talmuds.In this video, Samuel Marks takes us through his personal collection of Talmuds from different eras, using each volume to tell a larger story about how the Talmud was printed, censored, altered, and preserved under extraordinary historical pressure. Samuel is a self-taught collector whose engagement with Jewish texts grew out of immersive learning in Hasidic spaces, particularly within the Satmar community in Williamsburg.Raised in a secular Jewish family in Boston, Samuel later reconnected deeply with Jewish learning and history. He is currently a student at the University of Michigan Law School and is not a professional academic, historian, or dealer. His knowledge comes from close study of primary texts, printing history, and the material culture of postwar Hasidic life in America.This Talmud tour explores not only rare editions, but the human, political, and emotional forces that shaped them. Among the stories discussed:• How expensive and technically complex it once was to print the Talmud, including the challenges of typesetting its dense, layered layout• How Jewish owners signed their Talmuds, turning them into personal historical documents• The dramatic saga of Christian censorship, which led to missing passages, partially removed pages, and forced insertions of Christian propaganda• Copyright disputes that shaped competing editions and caused the text to evolve differently across printings• The forgery of the so-called lost Yerushalmi Talmuds• The story of a young girl named Ella who helped typeset a Talmud and signed her name inside, noting that she was looking for a husband• Talmuds printed in the Shanghai Ghetto during World War II• Talmuds produced in displaced persons camps in Germany immediately after the war, often on discarded or reused paper• Which tractates were printed most, when, and why, including postwar demand for laws dealing with loss of a spouse and the special status of Bechorot• How printing errors entered the Talmud, were copied forward, and later identified and addressed• Why Talmuds ended up so oversizedFor more on Samuel's background as a collector, watch our first interview:https://youtu.be/qjtlgrLe92wYou can also find a related playlist where I read a 1977 Yiddish book that Samuel scanned for me:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhW2QoO54yczFq9JWHjYsS9xMpgmK7GiSThank you to the Youtube channel members for supporting this work and helping make these in-depth projects possible.Find me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toursbyfrieda/Website: friedavizel.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this conversation: https://youtu.be/qjtlgrLe92wMeet Samuel Marks, a young collector whose passion for rare Judaica brings overlooked corners of postwar Hasidic history vividly to life.In this first interview, we get to know Samuel through the objects he studies, preserves, and loves. Raised in a secular Jewish family and now a law student, Samuel has built a remarkable collection of Judaica, with a particular focus on postwar Hasidic materials. His collection includes rare texts and objects related to the Satmar Rebbe - Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, postwar intra-Hasidic disputes, broadsides, early American Hasidic publications, prewar Talmuds, and clothing from before the war.Because Samuel is currently a student and only has a limited portion of his collection with him, this conversation offers a taste rather than a full survey. Among the items he shares is an old Hasidic hat, which he uses to compare earlier styles with contemporary Hasidic fashion, showing how tradition both holds and shifts over time.We also discuss a unique Yiddish book from 1977 that Samuel found inexpensively and later scanned in high resolution to preserve it for posterity. One striking page depicts a television labeled “not allowed,” a small but revealing snapshot of a moment before the internet, when communal anxieties centered on large, stationary media rather than the constant, portable screens of today.Through these objects and stories, we come to understand Samuel's eye as a collector, the joy he takes in rare finds, and the quiet urgency he feels to rescue fragile materials from being forgotten.In the following segment, Samuel walks us through his favorite collection of antique Talmuds and explains which editions he deliberately refuses to collect. You can watch that discussion here:https://youtu.be/jt_AwGwu-_4Find me here:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toursbyfrieda/Website: friedavizel.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video of this interview: Melissa Weisz grew up in Hasidic, Yiddish-speaking Boro Park and left the fold well before the OTD phenomenon became famous. I believe she left the fold before me, and I'm of the old timers now! I have been waiting for the opportunity to share her story with my viewers. Here, we finally get Melissa's story live. Please come if you would like to see this live and ask questions. It will also be available for view later. Follow Melissa on her socials! https://www.instagram.com/melissaweisz/ https://www.melissaweisz.com/about Here's a trailer to this interview: https://youtube.com/shorts/oiWlef1AHVk?feature=shareMelissa Weisz grew up in Hasidic, Yiddish-speaking Boro Park and left the fold well before the OTD phenomenon became famous. I believe she left the fold before me, and I'm of the old timers now! I have been waiting for the opportunity to share her story with my viewers. Here, we finally get Melissa's story live. Please come if you would like to see this live and ask questions. It will also be available for view later.Follow Melissa on her socials! https://www.instagram.com/melissaweisz/ https://www.melissaweisz.com/about Here's a trailer to this interview: https://youtube.com/shorts/oiWlef1AHVk?feature=shareBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/bk6Q2RIN_mE"You're not shutting me up." - Jewish comedy icon Judy Gold, 2026Judy Gold is a lot of things. She's an icon, she's a comic, a writer, a gay woman who was at the forefront of fighting for LGBT rights. But one of the things that is her foremost descriptor is: Jewish. She was never a comic who was also Jewish. But always a Jewish comic. Her comedy is deeply Jewish. Yet since October 7, this has made her work surprisingly difficult. She gets heckled on stage and has lost a lot of the allies she stood side by side with in the fight for marriage equality and her left-leaning politics (including a fierce dislike of Trump). She has continued to be foremost a Jewish comedian anyway. Her style is deeply Jewish, with lots of neurotic mom jokes, a role her own Jewish mother loved to play. "How did we do?" Mom would ask Judy after a show. It was a "we" for mom. It's all so Jewish.In this engaging conversation, I talk to Judy about her values, work, life story, and more.Check out Judy Gold's website here:https://judygold.com/Upcoming show dates here:https://judygold.com/#timely Judy's book here:https://amzn.to/462LdwqJudy on Instagram:  / jewdygold  Some parts of the discussion:-Judy Gold emphasizes the significance of humor in Jewish culture as a means of survival.Comedy serves as a tool for storytelling and coping with adversity.-The landscape of comedy has changed, with audiences becoming more sensitive to certain topics.-Judy's identity as a Jewish comedian is central to her work and personal life.-She believes in the importance of being unabashedly Jewish in her comedy.-The challenges of being a Jewish comedian have intensified in recent times.-Family dynamics play a crucial role in shaping a comedian's material and perspective.-Judy's early experiences in comedy were influenced by iconic Jewish female comedians.-Representation in comedy is vital for both the performer and the audience.-Judy advocates for open dialogue and understanding in the face of political and social issues.Sound Bites"I am a proud Jew.""You're not shutting me up.""It's important to talk about it."Follow me on socialsInstagram:   / friedavizel  Website: friedavizel.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Link to video version of this episode:In this episode, I'm joined by historian Glenn Dynner, who was my professor years ago and played a pivotal role in getting me started as a tour guide. Our conversation focuses on Polish Jewish history, Hasidism, and how Jewish life in Poland developed under pressure, change, and violence.Before we begin, here are Glenn's books, which come up throughout the interview:The Light of Learning: Hasidism in Poland on the Eve of the Holocaust / https://amzn.to/3LNJYduYankel's Tavern: Jews, Liquor, and Life in the Kingdom of Poland /https://amzn.to/4qogrpMMen of Silk: The Hasidic Conquest of Polish Jewish Society / https://amzn.to/3ZdZJ0jWe talk about Polish Jewish society as a lived world rather than a static prelude to the Holocaust. Topics include the development of Hasidism, the social and economic role of tavernkeeping, responses to antisemitism, and how violence shaped religious and cultural life. We also discuss women in Hasidic communities, underground Torah study during the Holocaust, and the networks that helped preserve religious leadership and scholarship.The conversation also touches on Glenn's research trajectory, how historians approach Polish Jewish history, and why earlier frameworks sometimes fall short when trying to understand how these communities functioned over time.As with all of my interviews, an audio-only version of this conversation is available on the podcast platform of your choosing.Thanks for watching and listening.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/QuMAGZuI5J0Frieda and  @_yiddishkeit  discuss the seder with a mix of amazing haggadah illustrations and childhood memories. CHAPTERS 0:00 intro2:51 illustrated haggadah 5:49 the opening rituals of the seder 10:33 the steps of the seder14:14 the symbolism of the matzah, maror, wine 16:37 instructions in Yiddish 21:04 the story of the Exodus 23:41 David's childhood Haggadahs 25:12 the literal-ness of the Sarajevo Haggadah 30:36 Bird's Head Haggadah 34:04 Washington Haggadah 37:15 The white Kittel 38:20 messianic images 42:53 the four sons throughout history 51:26 Hasidic depiction of The Exodus 53:17 closing rituals of the seder58:29 David's film about the haggadahBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video link to this trip down memory lane: https://youtu.be/S3c7Px2jMRoHasidic Jews go hard for Passover. The goal is not to come into any contact with bread. But this has turned into a full half-year operation for some, like my family. Here I talk about my childhood memories in Kiryas Joel, preparing for Passover. The methodical cleaning, then opening the Passover kitchen, then cooking everything from scratch for the holiday. It was a lot! My favorite part was definitely the cooking, the moment everything was done, and the fresh, hot, half-raw, piping bread after it was all over!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/XLDwhIRumwUThis is comedy.Baily is the character of the famous Jewish comedian Leah Forster.I love Baily. She is very kind to me and will help me find a husband soon. She also very willingly shares about her Hasidic life. She's now extremely busy preparing for passover. Hasidic Jews go all out cleaning, cooking, shopping for Passover. To make things easier, Baily went glutton free for a whole year. She has a lot of ideas of how to cut corners and make things easier while she juggles her busy household. She also has very particular ideas about what marriage should be about, and her approach to Passover is not conventional either.All of this is comedy. For a more serious take on Passover, I have done a video where I reflect on my Passover memories. Check that out here:https://youtu.be/S3c7Px2jMRoFor more from Baily, see my 3 other interviews with Leah Forster here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhW2QoO54ycwOheypSNe9u6-MgzdEXO2ABecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Link to video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/kP_NgV7y_CsWhat happens when modern medicine meets a tight-knit Hasidic world?In this long-form conversation, Frieda Vizel speaks with Dr. Lynne Quittell, a pediatric pulmonologist with more than 40 years of experience and decades of close work with Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish families. Dr. Quittell has practiced at world-renowned institutions, including Children's Hospital of New York and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and brings rare insight into how medical care unfolds inside insular religious communities.Much of the discussion centers on Dr. Quittell's experience treating Hasidic patients and navigating the cultural realities that shape medical decisions. She reflects on what she deeply appreciated about the community, including its extraordinary sense of responsibility, mutual aid, and care for vulnerable children. At the same time, she speaks honestly about the challenges: stigma around genetic disease, tensions between medical transparency and communal norms, and the frustrations physicians face when science collides with deeply held cultural expectations. Dr. Quittell emphasizes that effective care requires humility, cultural literacy, and respect for patient autonomy rather than coercion.The conversation covers cystic fibrosis (CF), Dr. Quittell's medical specialty and an area where she has seen enormous change over the course of her career. She explains how advances in treatment have dramatically improved life expectancy and quality of life for patients, while also exploring the social and emotional dimensions of living with CF. Particular attention is given to dating, marriage, fertility, and family planning, especially within Orthodox communities where childbearing is central to adult life. Dr. Quittell discusses the reality that most men with CF are infertile, the complexities surrounding IVF, and the heavy emotional burden young people carry when deciding whether and how to disclose a life-threatening illness.Throughout the interview, Dr. Quittell reflects on long-term relationships with patients and families, some spanning decades, and the emotional weight of caring for children with chronic illness. She shares how community support often functions as a form of medicine itself, while also acknowledging the toll such work takes on physicians. The discussion concludes with reflections on end-of-life decision-making, evolving physician-patient dynamics, and the ethical responsibility to meet patients where they are.Referenced in this interview:Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus on end-of-life decision-makinghttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DTfxxSyDfzc/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Interview with pediatrician Dr. Howard Rosmanhttps://youtu.be/TkUS0jzJci4?si=5DYx-4FTzSCBeXyPSound Bites:“Community is its own medicine.”“Most men with CF are infertile.”“It taught me to be really accepting.”Keywords:Hasidic community, Orthodox Judaism, pediatric pulmonology, cystic fibrosis, genetic disease, cultural sensitivity, chronic illness, infertility, IVF, medical ethics, community support, physician-patient relationshipNotable takeaways:-Cultural norms heavily influence medical decisions-The Hasidic community often provides extraordinary support for vulnerable children-Life expectancy for CF patients is now in the mid-50s-Dating and disclosure are major challenges for people living with CF-Long-term physician-patient relationships create deep emotional bondsFollow Frieda Vizel:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizelTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/FriedaVizelWebsite: friedavizel.comAn audio-only version of this interview is available on podcast platforms.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode:https://youtu.be/Biqnh3CZIFoI have so many thoughts and feelings about illness and being ex-Hasidic. About losing community support, about how my mother is fighting for her health, about returning to be at her bedside and wanting to be there but also fearing the ptsd of some rituals. This video cropped out of my high holiday season time spent with my mother. Many thanks to my editor Steve Milligan for the beautiful edit.https://www.instagram.com/shootitsteve/ Many thanks to the wonderful Youtuber Yiddishkeit for helping so much with this video. Follow him  @_yiddishkeit Thanks to all the kind and diligent medical professionals​Thanks to Chesed 24/7, Satmar Bikur Cholim, and all the other wonderful Jewish charity organizations. Thanks to my family, for arranging everything and the loveThe period that my mother was in the hospital was the most unbelievably surreal and draining. It felt like one long, terrifying dream. I'm so grateful to everyone whose kindness touched us during that time.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this conversation: https://youtu.be/n8g9RwmGwF8Dan is a Jewish interpreter who immigrated from the Soviet Union. He believes his Soviet past taught him important lessons about recognizing when society takes a wrong turn. He reached out to me to share his story, and I invited him for an in-depth interview. We discussed his Soviet upbringing, his life journey, and his experiences as a Jewish interpreter. Dan has thoughtful criticisms of contemporary human rights organizations (alongside genuine appreciation for their work) and feels it's important to share his unique perspective.If you would like to get in touch with Dan, you can reach him here:pr.pleischner@gmail.comThis video focuses specifically on our discussion about Dan's work as a Jewish interpreter. You can watch our complete interview here:From a Soviet upbringing to Jewish identity | Dan's storyhttps://youtu.be/Nmw9jZM2aYUBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/Nmw9jZM2aYUThe story of a Jew who grew up in the Soviet Union and learned little about his Judaism but some other hard lessons that would shape his life.Dan is a high-level interpreter and a thoughtful, intelligent man. He reached out to me after noticing how different his experience as a Soviet Jew was from mine. I grew up deeply engaged with my Jewishness, while he grew up almost entirely disconnected from it. Our conversation convinced me that Dan's story needed to be documented and shared, so I invited him onto my podcast. What I heard was remarkable: the horrors his family endured, the gripping archival material he inherited documenting his grandparents' ordeals, and his unique perspective from working inside contemporary human rights organizations and other governmental bodies. Dan believes the progressive mission, which he sees as well-intentioned, is nonetheless misguided and heading toward dangerous territory. He also reflects candidly on the antisemitism he's encountered in his work as a translator in a world increasingly hostile to Israel.If you would like to get in touch with Dan, you can write to him at: pr.pleischner@gmail.comWant more on Soviet Jewry?My interview with Anna Shternshishttps://youtu.be/hKN0_75EuqEMy interview with Igor Golyakhttps://youtu.be/E5_n3p3Oto0Leave a comment with your thoughts!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/4MPf67ftXMEJacob Kornbluh is a Hasidic reporter covering the Mamdani beat at a moment when Zohran Mamdani has become a lightning rod in Jewish communities. For many, Mamdani represents fear, anger, political anxiety, and deep uncertainty about where New York is headed. And in the middle of that storm is Kornbluh.Recently featured in The New York Times, Kornbluh occupies a complicated position. He reports on power while belonging to a community that often feels scrutinized by power. During COVID, some Hasidic critics accused him of “reporting on” the community to city officials. That tension hasn't disappeared. If anything, it's intensified.I went into this interview not knowing what to expect. As a Hasidic man speaking with me, and about issues that feel raw and personal. This conversation surprised me and left me with an invite to travel across the world to a wedding. You never know!You can follow Jacob Kornbluh here:

Video link to this full Pearl repost: https://youtu.be/Uo5mf0_1izYBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Link to video version of this conversation: https://youtu.be/2iPiYwftPygIn this interview, I speak with Miriam Vidal about her childhood growing up as a Jehovah's Witness, and her eventual decision to leave the faith.As a Hasidic child growing up in Kiryas Joel, there was a strange building behind my house that we simply called “the church.” Every Saturday, rows of cars would pull up, and we kids would stand by the gate, watching and waving. Only years later, after I had left my own religious community, did I learn that this building was actually a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall.Miriam was one of the people attending services there.In this conversation, Miriam shares what it was like to grow up inside the Jehovah's Witness community: the rules, the rhythms of daily life, the sense of belonging, and the limitations placed on childhood, education, and social life. We talk about her memories of the Kingdom Hall in Kiryas Joel, the wider culture of Jehovah's Witnesses, and what it meant; emotionally and psychologicall... to leave such a structured religious world.This interview is also about what comes after leaving: identity, belief, grief, freedom, and the slow work of figuring out who you are when the framework you grew up in falls away.As someone deeply interested in religious subcultures, exit narratives, and the sociology of faith, this conversation felt especially meaningful.... almost like closing a loop that began when I was a child in my Shabbos dress, waving at strangers I didn't yet understand.Topics we cover include:-Growing up as a Jehovah's Witness-Family life, schooling, holidays, and missionizing-The Kingdom Hall in Kiryas Joel and Miriam's memories of it-Community, ritual, and belonging-Leaving a high-control religious environment-The emotional and psychological impact of exiting-Spiritual life and identity after leaving-Reflections on religion, culture, and comparison with other faith communitiesWant more?Watch my video about the Jehovah's Witness Church in Kiryas Joelhttps://youtu.be/naUJMITJ5sYWatch my interview with Martha Ross, who left the Amish:https://youtu.be/teadpfXWCO4My own recounting of what it's like to grow up in Kiryas Joelhttps://youtu.be/uHu_17N9GdEThe story of Anna Shternshis:https://youtu.be/hKN0_75EuqEStay tuned for more stories of subcultures and religious groups.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version: https://youtu.be/MyGxlBywfAcBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/css7bPGITTEThis video is le'ilui nishmas (dedicated to the souls) of the dear people lost at Bondi Beach, and dedicated to their loving families in mourning. May the families find moments of light in these unbearably hard days. My heart is with them.In this conversation, I speak with Sydney resident Rabbi Yosef Eichenblatt, who shares his oral history of the Chanukah 2025 attack in Sydney, an event his family lived through and one in which his daughter's life was miraculously saved.Rabbi Eichenblatt speaks not only about fear and shock, but about what came after. He recalls the night following the attack, sitting at home with his family, shaken and uncertain, and consciously turning toward faith rather than retreat. Drawing deeply on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he describes an approach rooted in responsibility, hope, and the idea of being a messenger to spread light, especially after darkness.This is a testimony shaped by loss and danger, but also by profound optimism, a belief that light is not passive and that faith asks something active of us, even in the most fragile moments.Rabbi Yosef Eichenblatt on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/mindfulrabbi/Video from the day of the attack:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSR06KeEg2i/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version here: https://youtu.be/F9xzvdkMXMILet me read to you some Yiddish from 1977 and unpack the values and worldview of the Hasidic young girls through the moral lessons presented in this book. See how they were introduced to social values of obedience, kindness, respect to the elders, safety, trust in each other, modesty, and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/RK7_--5f0TcWhat happens when intimacy is expected before it's understood?The Wedding Night is a striking and deeply intimate documentary by Orthodox filmmaker Rachel Elitzur. It explores a rarely discussed reality inside ultra-Orthodox Jewish life: couples who marry after only a handful of supervised dates, then face the expectation of consummating their marriage on the wedding night.The film grows out of Elitzur's own traumatic wedding-night experience, which led her to seek out others with similar stories. Many participants felt unable to appear on camera, so their voices are heard anonymously, paired with carefully staged reenactments performed by actors. A very unusual method of storytelling. In the shorter version published in the New York Times in December 2025, the actors were totally removed.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/naUJMITJ5sYThe article is here: https://friedavizel.com/2014/06/06/a-church-in-kiryas-joelBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/ClAU6WJfj8UOne of my earliest video and, in my view, an important one to repost at this time. Forgive the repost. Lots of new content coming soon.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version here: https://youtu.be/ZlWRN4jo-CA As someone who grew up in Kiryas Joel and left the fold, I have a lot to say on this Hasidic village. There's good and bad. There are issues, and yes there are valid criticisms on its relationship to the welfare system, although this doesn't take away from the facts: that this is a community where the vast majority of men are gainfully employed and work incredibly hard. The stereotypes of this community as "welfare queens" whose men study torah and don't work is so damaging and not true.  @TylerOliveira 's recent video will so deeply reinforce these misconceptions. I've done a video where I went through the phone book and showed the extensive numbers of businesses Hasidim are into. It's so sad that his platform will create so much misrepresentation.This is my first take reaction to his video. Please forgive my early morning rants and rambles. I am watching it raw with you. I find it quite upsetting and ignorant. I hope my deep feelings that this community is complicated, imperfect, should be criticized but is also often misrepresented comes through. This is long - well Tyler's video is long.Please watch some of my other videos, especially my video on how Hasidim earn a living.https://youtu.be/UXXOGYqbK5oWhat it was like for me to grow up in Kiryas Joelhttps://youtu.be/uHu_17N9GdEMy interview with Fradel Newman, lifetime resident of Kiryas Joelhttps://youtu.be/HoTzWaF7dU8Interview with civil rights lawyer Michael Sussman, who can really speak for some of the dark sidehttps://youtu.be/jcz0xmkm10sBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/qUDGHnwTUPwFollow along with the pdf of the story here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JCIYkr489nAvNDZQapUJ9UzTdmeCpt-8/view?usp=sharing Let me read to you some Yiddish from 1977 and unpack the values and worldview of the Hasidic young girls through the moral lessons presented in this book. See how they were introduced to social values of obedience, kindness, respect to the elders, safety, trust in each other, modesty, and more. Please let me know what you think I missed.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/jcz0xmkm10sThe Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel's early days in the 1970s and 80s were anything but quiet. They were marked by infighting, lawsuits, dissidents, and a legal battle so consequential it's still taught in American law schools today.In this interview, I speak with lawyer Michael Sussman, the man who came to represent some of Kiryas Joel's most outspoken internal critics during its formative years. Though he was neither Hasidic nor Orthodox, Sussman became deeply entangled in the village's internal struggles—so much so that, to many of us growing up there, his name became part of the folklore. There was even a dissident synagogue nicknamed the Sussman Shul.This conversation explores the early legal wars that shaped Kiryas Joel: battles over governance, power, dissent, and most famously, the creation of a public school for children with special needs. That case—Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Grumet—went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and sits at the uneasy intersection of religious freedom and the separation of church and state.I also approach this story personally. Kiryas Joel is where I grew up and spent 25 formative years of my life. I married at 18, became a mother to my son Seth shortly after, and absorbed these conflicts as background noise to childhood—names, sides, “politics” that hovered at the edges of daily life. As an adult, I've returned to this history with new questions and a deeper curiosity about how insular religious subcultures navigate American law.This interview is part of a broader attempt to document the oral histories of Kiryas Joel's early years. I have made repeated efforts to reach figures from the other side of these disputes to record their recollections as well, but so far without success. That invitation remains open.If you want to go deeper into this story, here are essential resources:Book — American Shtetlhttps://amzn.to/49Lmz5zDocumentary — City of Joelhttps://amzn.to/4soIDKCArchival footage collected by dissident Joseph Waldman:https://www.youtube.com/@thekingofaronWebsite for Michael Sussman:https://www.sussman.law/This is a story about Kiryas Joel, but it's also a story about America: about pluralism, law, dissent, and the price of making space for radically different ways of life under one constitutional roof.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/koTlTNYXoxIThis video is the extended sit-down conversation from my visit with the Bukharyan Jewish community in Forest Hills, Queens. In this segment, Abe Fuzaylov and his mother-in-law Mazal slow things down and tell their stories—about family, memory, food, and what it means to carry a Central Asian Jewish heritage into New York.Bukharyan Jews once lived for centuries in relative isolation in Central Asia. Today, very few remain there, but the culture is alive and evolving in new places. New York is one of them.In the broader visit, I toured the neighborhood with Abe from @BukharianBites, visited the restaurant Nadezhda in Queens, and cooked a Chanukah treat called Hushquiliq with Mazal. This video focuses on the conversation itself—the personal history behind the food.

Video version here:https://youtu.be/1j7yKcjT4K8Follow Avrum's wonderful podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@avrumrosensweigshowFollow Frieda on Youtube here:https://www.youtube.com/friedavizelbrooklynBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/bY7w9icDKgULeah Forster is, as they say in the Hasidic community, “one in a million.” She's funny, she sings, she's creative, and she's been on a spiritual journey for years. She's an out lesbian woman from the Hasidic community who is now in no box, under no one's label. She has one daughter. Over the last year, her daughter has been battling a terrible tumor.Leah agreed to sit down with me to talk about her experience. In true Leah fashion, the conversation didn't go where I expected, and we had a long, winding talk about all sorts of things, including illness, suffering, and faith. But many other things as well. My takeaway was that it's often hard to talk about difficult things while they are happening. I pray for Leah's daughter's complete recovery, as well as for my mother's. My mother has been doing so much better, and I thank you all so much for the prayers. Please pray for Leah's daughter's continued recovery. Please check out more of Leah!She has a new book out: https://amzn.to/4pEJYuGFind her on Instagram (she's back!): https://www.instagram.com/leahforster/My previous interview with Leah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQgG_Pzxazg&tMy first interview with Leah: https://youtu.be/92nDFiyfVU8 I love talking to comedians, and I've interviewed quite a few others, including Danielle Jacobs, Riki Rose, Modi Rosenfeld, Antonia Lassar, and of course, Leah! Please check them out here: https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLhW2QoO54ycxK9b4GLY9oGn38tXRPT0vQ/videosThanks so much to all of you for brightening and lightening dark days.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video link: https://youtube.com/live/OjxrGU4AjbcBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link: https://youtube.com/live/8IEgx00P7OEA livestream about the NYT op doc about the Wedding Night for Orthodox Jewish couples. Watch the opdoc here:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/opinion/ultra-orthodox-jewish-wedding-night.htmlBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Link to video of this interview: https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24A candid discussion about Orthodox Judaism and its views on abortion, infertility and loss of unborn life.This discussion is Part 2 of a two-part interview. WATCH PART 1 HERE: https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4In this episode, we explore reproductive halacha: Jewish legal thought on abortion, infertility, contraception, gender identity, sexual norms, and the wider landscape of ethical questions around them. The aim is a thoughtful, free-flowing conversation that makes room for nuance, real history, and lived experience. Rabbi Katz grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg and later left Hasidism while remaining within the Orthodox world. He has served as Senior Rabbi of the Prospect Heights Shul and is currently Chair of the Talmud Department at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Throughout his career, he has engaged with what he calls “cutting-edge issues” inside halachic discourse — including gender, sexual abuse, and other areas of communal tension. Many viewers also know his mother, Gita Katz, the sharp, unforgettable Hasidic woman featured in several of my videos. Rabbi Katz is her eldest, once considered a standout student in the Williamsburg community before charting his own path. Today he brings a rare mix of insider knowledge, rigorous training, and a willingness to tackle difficult conversations publicly. He also maintains an active presence on Facebook, where he moderates discussions that often get very heated.Rabbi Katz's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ysoscher.katzIf this conversation resonates, you may also enjoy these related interviews:Related Videos: Part 1 with Rabbi Katz https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4 -My earlier interview with Rabbi Katz on the Satmar Rebbe: https://youtu.be/8oVcC5z24c4The book I mentioned is 'I am Forbidden' by Anouk Markovits: https://amzn.to/49lfr09A Hasidic woman's views on women's issues — my interview with Pearl (and yes… Pearl is Gita's close friend!) https://youtu.be/IaqonzHozVMA note of thanks: Many thanks to all of you who are able to support this channel. If you do end-of-year giving, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the cost of producing these videos. Many episodes cost far more to edit than YouTube pays in ad revenue, and the channel only continues because of the generosity of its viewers. Donate here: https://shorturl.at/WqXnLBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4A conversation on Orthodox Judaism and reproductive lawsToday I'm sitting down once again with Rabbi Ysoscher Katz, a guest many of you have asked to hear more from. Our earlier conversation about the Satmar Rebbe sparked such strong reactions that people stopped me on the street to talk about it. It became a real conversation starter — and this new interview opens the door to another set of complex, meaningful topics.This discussion is Part 1 of a two-part interview. Part 2 is now released for channel members and will soon be released for all. https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24In this episode, we explore reproductive halacha: Jewish legal thought on abortion, infertility, contraception, gender identity, sexual norms, and the wider landscape of ethical questions around them. The aim is a thoughtful, free-flowing conversation that makes room for nuance, real history, and lived experience.Rabbi Katz grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg and later left Hasidism while remaining within the Orthodox world. He has served as Senior Rabbi of the Prospect Heights Shul and is currently Chair of the Talmud Department at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Throughout his career, he has engaged with what he calls “cutting-edge issues” inside halachic discourse — including gender, sexual abuse, and other areas of communal tension.Many viewers also know his mother, Gita Katz, the sharp, unforgettable Hasidic woman featured in several of my videos. Rabbi Katz is her eldest, once considered a standout student in the Williamsburg community before charting his own path. Today he brings a rare mix of insider knowledge, rigorous training, and a willingness to tackle difficult conversations publicly. He also maintains an active presence on Facebook, where he moderates discussions that often get very heated.Rabbi Katz's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ysoscher.katzIf this conversation resonates, you may also enjoy these related interviews:Related Videos:Part 2 with Rabbi Katz (early release for channel members; coming soon to all viewers): https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24My earlier interview with Rabbi Katz on the Satmar Rebbe: https://youtu.be/8oVcC5z24c4My interview with Rabbi Katz's mother, Gita Katz (about her life): https://youtu.be/2saQ0LEwZXQA Hasidic woman's views on women's issues — my interview with Pearl (and yes… Pearl is Gita's close friend!) https://youtu.be/IaqonzHozVMA note of thanks:Many thanks to all of you who are able to support this channel. If you do end-of-year giving, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the cost of producing these videos. Many episodes cost far more to edit than YouTube pays in ad revenue, and the channel only continues because of the generosity of its viewers.Donate here:https://shorturl.at/WqXnLBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/1y8ejrX4JosIn this episode, I talk with Miriam Udel, who teaches Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University. Miriam has done something quite wonderful—she's brought to life a wide range of Yiddish children's stories, translating them into English and making them accessible again. These stories, written before and after the Holocaust, capture the worlds Jews once imagined for their children—worlds that were playful, moral, rebellious, sometimes heartbreakingly earnest.We talk about how children's literature works as a cultural time capsule: how it reflects the values and anxieties of its moment, and how it teaches kids who they are supposed to be. It's a conversation about language, identity, and the quieter ways a culture passes itself on.Miriam Udel is the Judith London Evans Director of the Tam Institute of Jewish Studies and Associate Professor of German Studies at Emory University. She holds an AB and PhD from Harvard, and was ordained at Yeshivat Maharat in 2019 as part of its first Executive Ordination cohort.

Today's episode is a repost of my most personal video as I take a bit of time to recover from the months of my mother's illness.Link to video version of this post: https://youtu.be/GvLO9Vhid44?si=MdFJVuZnUvXPcudPI was 25 when my husband divorced me. I was so attached to him, yet so firm in my belief that it was also time to let him go. After he left our marital home, he asked me to quickly proceed with the get. A get is a religious divorce; a ceremony with many rituals.After I got home from the Get, I was very heartbroken. I sat down and wrote about my experience, talking to my husband directly, who had not spoken really to me during the entire ceremony. I needed to speak, to be heard, to have a perspective, to feel human. I was a single mother, young and alone, quite voiceless. I just sat at the computer and sobbed and wrote, and sobbed and wrote. I felt better afterward.I never for a moment regretted the divorce or reconsidered my leaving the Hasidic community. I think it was the path that was right for me. But I also don't think my journey is over. I don't know where this winding road will lead yet.I've raised my son on my own since the Get; happily, and with immense financial struggles. I moved on from the marriage, from the Get, from the intense youthful love. I healed, loved fiercely again, let go again, lived, and most of all, tried to stay true to myself while prioritizing my role as a mother. Now I'm ready for a new page.I look back at the long arc of life, and I'm grateful for the times I allowed myself to live with the hurt in order to live with what was my truth.Thanks for listening to my reading of The Get.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version: https://youtu.be/1Vzxhb9kFOkRiki Rose grew up in the Hasidic community of Williamsburg, and in this video, she comes back for a visit. It's a return that's equal parts stressful, triggering, exciting, heartwarming, funny, joyous—and yes, delicious. We eat, we laugh, we talk honestly about what it means to come back after leaving, and we even ask the awkward questions (like: are we okay walking these streets in pants?).It's a wide-ranging, soulful, and playful conversation with the brilliant singer Riki Rose.Follow Riki Rose:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@riki_roseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/riki_rose/Website: https://rikirose.com/Watch more of Frieda and Riki:Full playlist of the Frieda & Riki collection: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhW2QoO54ycwpngXudOzA5as9MfS4Ss6ARiki shares her life story: https://youtu.be/jiE9cTn6Yi0?si=6kcd3WUinlc7WrVzA performance by Riki and her sister Mimi: https://youtube.com/shorts/-pZYDWdbvRIFollow me:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friedavizelInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/Website: https://friedavizel.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/IfWm5mlQRwgWhen Jewish worshippers were attacked in the UK during Yom Kippur, it struck a nerve far beyond the synagogue walls. In this wide-ranging conversation, Izzy Posen and I explore the roots and realities of antisemitism in Britain today.Is immigration really to blame? How does Zionism complicate public attitudes toward Jews? And how has British antisemitism evolved—from old Christian tropes to new political ones?We also get deeply personal.Izzy, now two months away from his wedding, reflects on his own transformation—from a Hasidic yeshiva student to a secular thinker and translator. He shares a haunting poem he wrote after being reunited with his estranged family at his mother's funeral, where he met his youngest sibling for the first time:It could've been at a picnic in the park.It was at the funeral.It could've been at a festive family dinner.It was in the house of mourning.It could've been at a family celebration.It was in the cemetery.It could've been with her at our head.It was at her coffin.It could've been sooner.It was too late.We talk politics, identity, affirmative action, the different faces of antisemitism experienced by religious and secular Jews, and how one man continues to seek meaning through language and love.Watch my previous interviews with Izzy:On his Hasidic upbringing and education: https://youtu.be/SeZL920Eae8Our live conversation: https://youtu.be/JpFVZj83wCwFollow Izzy's work:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@izzyposen2092Blog: https://journeyerblog.wordpress.com/2023/09/05/the-family-reunion/Twitter: https://x.com/PosenIzzyIzzy also does beautiful Yiddish translation—he's available for hire.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this segment: https://youtu.be/87TYqw7aKbIStep into a world where sleight of hand meets Hasidic life. In this episode, I sit down with Dovy, a young magician from the Bobov community who has built a career performing in gender-segregated, kosher spaces. Our conversation opens a window into how Hasidic youth, without traditional pathways like college or conventional careers, find creative ways to carve out livelihoods within their own community.With Dovy, the story goes even deeper: is magic considered kosher entertainment—or dangerously close to the “dark arts”? What happens when a Hasidic man performs for women, and how does he navigate those boundaries? Between thought-provoking questions and a few dazzling tricks, this interview brings both laughter and insight into the ways tradition and innovation collide in Hasidic life. ✨ Find Dovy online:YouTube: youtube.com/@dovythemagicianInstagram: instagram.com/dovythemagicianMiniatures: Dovy's Miniatures

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/IdA3uHWGEtgIn today's video, I'm honored to share with you the remarkable story of Nelly Grussgott. This footage was originally filmed on August 12, 2020—long before I had a YouTube channel. It was part of a project by filmmaker Pearl Gluck, conducted for a documentary she was making with scholar Naomi Seidman about the Bais Yaakov girls' school movement. Naomi invited me to assist with the interview, and I was there in the room when it was recorded.From the moment I met Nelly, I was completely taken by her. Her life story is one of immense pain and breathtaking resilience—a testimony to survival, transformation, and spirit. Just days after the interview, Nelly made Aliya—she moved to Israel—at the age of 90. We stayed in touch, and I even interviewed her again via Zoom for this channel. But this original interview, which has always felt so precious to me, was never publicly shared until now. With the blessing of Pearl and Naomi, I've edited it down and am releasing it here to preserve her memory and her voice for posterity.As of today, Nelly Grussgott is 95 years old—bless her soul, may she live to 120.Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Nelly witnessed Kristallnacht as a young child. Her early childhood was comfortable—charmed, even—growing up as an only child in a pampered, middle-class Orthodox Jewish home. Her parents were not German-born: her mother, from Czechoslovakia, moved to Berlin at 24 and became successful in the rags/textile business. Her father was Hungarian, and both were deeply religious. Due to the hostility towards Orthodox Jews in Berlin, they adapted to a modern Orthodox lifestyle.In 1937, Nelly's father went to the United States to secure affidavits to bring his family to safety. He succeeded—but history intervened cruelly. While her father was still away, Nelly and her mother were forced out of their home and into an overcrowded apartment with five other Jewish families. One night, Nazi soldiers raided the apartment and took the men at gunpoint. Days later, ashes were returned to their wives in the mail.In a desperate move, Nelly's father returned to Europe in 1938—traveling to Belgium to reunite the family. It proved to be a devastating mistake. Nelly and her mother, Czechoslovakian citizens, were able to emigrate to the U.S. at the very last moment, getting papers as I understand it in late 1939 but actually coming "in the last hour" in Frebruary 1940. But because her father was Hungarian, and the Hungarian quota was closed, he remained trapped in Europe. His letters continued for several years, growing more despondent until, in 1942, they stopped entirely.In 1995, the Red Cross confirmed the fate the family had long feared: Nelly's father was deported to Majdanek, then to Sobibor in March 1943, where he was murdered, along with many relatives.Nelly's mother eventually remarried in America, joining with a Satmar Hasid who had also survived great loss. She thrived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—especially enjoying her later years on Lee Avenue, surrounded by familiar faces and warm greetings. Nelly herself chose a different path, remaining Orthodox but not Hasidic, and went on to raise a mainstream Orthodox family.I'm deeply grateful to finally bring this interview to light. May Nelly's story reach far and wide—and may we never forget.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Link to video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/QWLnKjrpcuAJoin me for a fascinating conversation with documentary filmmaker Paula Eiselt, the Emmy-nominated, Peabody- and DuPont-Columbia award-winning director behind 93 Queen, Aftershock, and Under God.In this interview, we dive into her groundbreaking film 93 Queen, which tells the story of Hasidic women in Boro Park who founded their own all-female EMS service. In a community where Hatzalah, the all-male emergency response team, is seen as the crown jewel, this move sparked intense debate and resistance. Paula's film goes far beyond the surface narrative of women breaking barriers—it offers an intimate, nuanced portrait of Hasidic women's lives, struggles, and determination.We also talk about Paula's creative journey, her upcoming film We Met at Grossinger's (premiering in late 2025), and what it means to tell stories that sit at the intersection of tradition, change, and human complexity.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/WSYIhDbY0VYIn this conversation, I speak with Rabbi Mayer Schiller, a Hasidic Jew based in Monsey, New York, known for his deep knowledge of the Hasidic community and his rare combination of freethinking, humanist, and unflinchingly critical views. We touched on big themes like Zionism, sectarian divides, and other hot-button topics.Outro Music selected by Rabbi Schiller Agudah Achas (feat. Yoel Blum)https://youtu.be/u6TuUxzx8ek?si=GKkJDKlpgD1t5cWoIt's the verse ״ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם from the High Holiday prayers. It's translated as "And they all formed one union to do your will with a whole heart." Very apt to my conversation with Rabbi Mayer Schiller!Join this channel to get early access to videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD2OaOinKRQMK4dclGOw4QA/join

Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/OhEuezMqyaEIn this video, I sit down with Mattel, a young YouTuber from the Hasidic community whose passion for languages is truly inspiring. Mattel creates content in many lesser-known tongues, especially Jewish languages, with a unique focus on Hasidic Yiddish. She travels the world on her own, learns constantly, and generously shares that journey with her audience. On her channel, she has opened up with deep honesty—including a moving video in Yiddish about her brother's suicide that touched me profoundly. Her work and her journey are only just beginning, and it's an honor to highlight a new voice carrying Jewish languages into the future.

Link to video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/Uj5wHch-kx4MOVIES WE DISCUSS IN THIS VIDEO:Yentl – https://amzn.to/3HmMZPQFiddler on the Roof – https://amzn.to/4lhQbKoWalk of Shame – https://amzn.to/3UPS0n4Hester Street – https://amzn.to/3JdvMJ7Crossing Delancey – https://amzn.to/4mzRvcASophie's Choice – https://amzn.to/3JdvRfTAvalon – https://amzn.to/3HmNpFUA Serious Man – https://amzn.to/4fto21LHoly Rollers – https://amzn.to/45nuSRFJoin me for a lively, insightful conversation with David Akerman from the channel  @_yiddishkeit   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_yiddishkeit/) as we dive deep into Jewish representation in film—from iconic classics to quirky cult favorites. We talk themes, stereotypes, hidden gems, and the ways Jewish life is brought to the screen.Whether you grew up on Fiddler, cried at Sophie's Choice, laughed at Crossing Delancey, or were fascinated by A Serious Man, this is a conversation for film lovers, cultural explorers, and anyone curious about the Jewish stories cinema tells.RELATED VIDEOS ON MY CHANNEL:Unorthodox – https://youtu.be/v-VWUgQBTvQ93 Queen – https://youtu.be/QWLnKjrpcuACity of Joel – https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUIFour Seasons Lodge – https://youtu.be/1J6pNHymChECONNECT WITH ME:Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@friedavizelWebsite – https://friedavizel.com

Video link to this conversation: https://youtu.be/1zQ1rSDUUVEA Balcony in Kazimierz: A Candid Conversation on Jews, Poland, and Post-Holocaust MemoryIn this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, I sit with Naomi Seidman on the balcony of our apartment rental in Kazimierz—the historic Jewish district of Kraków, Poland—for an unscripted conversation about Jewish memory, return, and identity.Together, we reflect on what it means for Jews to come back to Poland after the Holocaust. Are we tourists or pilgrims? Survivors by inheritance or outsiders looking in? How do we process the tension between grief, history, and belonging? What responsibilities—if any—come with being second- or third-generation descendants of Holocaust survivors?Some of the most moving moments of this video were actually recorded off-camera with a hot mic—raw, vulnerable, and unfiltered. We decided to share them because they speak to the kind of honest, searching conversations I believe matter most.

Video link: https://youtu.be/5JUhkH71qUcHow Hasidic Women Dress: A Conversation with Pearl from WilliamsburgWhat does modest clothing mean in the Hasidic world—and how is it taught from such a young age?In this video, I sit down with Pearl, a Hasidic woman from Williamsburg who has been dressing in this tradition for over 70 years. We talk about how Hasidic girls begin learning the rules of modesty at age 3, what kinds of clothing are considered appropriate, and how fashion trends are received within the community.We also discuss:– The difference between weekday and Shabbos outfits– How community standards evolve (or don't)– Why new clothing styles can become controversial– And what it's like to follow these customs over a lifetimeThis is a rare glimpse into the everyday experience of Hasidic women's fashion and the ideas behind it—all from someone who's lived it for decades.#HasidicWomen #HasidicFashion #WilliamsburgBrooklyn #JewishTraditions #OrthodoxJudaism #ModestFashion #PearlFromWilliamsburgMusic credit:1. Song: Planet Nine Music by:   / infraction  Provided by:https://bit.ly/YouTubeEMW ⚫2. Song: ChillComposer: Sakura HzWebsite: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6x1zYZR6PXhEmDY89G4rzgLicense: Creative Commons (BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com3. Music track: floral by massobeatsSource: https://freetouse.com/musicFree To Use Music for Videos4. Music track: Magnificent by PufinoSource: https://freetouse.com/musicNo Copyright Music (Free Download)5. Music track: rose water by massobeatsSource: https://freetouse.com/musicFree To Use Music for Videos

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/aAHE9YNnxf8What was it like to grow up in 1960s Boro Park as the daughter of survivors—and as a girl who wanted to run? In this candid and unfiltered conversation, scholar Naomi Seidman opens up about her Orthodox Jewish upbringing, her discomfort with the gender roles she was expected to fulfill, and her deep desire to escape. We talk about her path to becoming a PhD, how her parents responded, and the haunting legacy of her father's own doctorate from the University of Warsaw—earned just as war was about to erupt. A deeply personal, often funny, and unforgettable reflection on memory, identity, and rebellion.

Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/UZTQRkr-rIsLong before social media became what it is today, the internet met Rebbetzin Rivka Leah Zelwig—a charmingly extreme ultra-Orthodox rebbetzin who covered her mouth when she laughed and dispensed earnest advice with impeccable comedic timing. But who was behind this early viral sensation?In this deeply personal interview, I sit down with Danielle Jacobs, the brilliant performer behind the character, for a conversation that moved me to tears more than once. Danielle opens up about her traumatic and unstable childhood in a home steeped in religious extremism, her lifelong connection to faith and spirituality, her natural gifts for dance and performance, and the painful limitations placed on talented women in the Orthodox world.This is a raw, beautiful conversation with a woman whose story is as powerful as her presence.

Link to video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/IRTvj1_4_14In this interview, Naftuli Moster reflects on his years as the face of a controversial campaign to reform secular education in Hasidic boys' yeshivas. As the founder of YAFFED (Young Advocates for Fair Education), Moster positioned himself as a critic of the yeshiva system in which he was raised, arguing that Hasidic schools fail to meet basic educational standards required by state law.Over the years, he became a polarizing figure — praised by some for challenging religious insularity, and criticized by others as antagonistic to the community he came from. To many within the Hasidic world, he came to represent an external pressure campaign that misunderstood or misrepresented their values and way of life. In 2022, Moster resigned from YAFFED, and in this candid conversation, he speaks openly about why he chose to step away. Was it burnout, a shift in priorities, or something deeper about the limits of advocacy? We explore his personal journey, how he views his impact now, and what he's turned to since leaving the public spotlight. 

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/XYPuTNOry3UWhen I was Hasidic, dieting and brisk walking were part of life—but the gym? Muscle-building? Weight training? That was unheard of. Today, a new movement is emerging from within the Hasidic world: a growing culture of strength training, gym routines, and fitness—all adapted to fit the unique rhythms and values of Hasidic life.In this interview, I talk with Shmilly Feldman (@chasidish_lifter), a young and energetic Hasidic man at the forefront of this trend. We explore how Hasidic workout culture is evolving—with its own twists: gender separation, modesty, and the challenge of balancing fitness with a calendar full of celebratory (and food-heavy) holidays.Shmilly shares his personal story of growing up in the Satmar school system with no gym class and how he became a self-taught weight trainer. He reflects on the limitations of the Hasidic boys' secular education, the drive to self-educate, and what that means for his generation.It's a candid and thoughtful look at the cultural quirks of lifting in a shtreimel world.

Video version of this posting: https://youtu.be/uHu_17N9GdEI grew up in a very special place: the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel. It was beautiful and painful all at once. I don't always talk about my own experience in this channel, because I was always careful not to make this channel about me per se but about a larger anthropological project. But today I'm taking a bit of a detour to a personal narrative by reading to you an essay I wrote about what it's like to grow up in Kiryas Joel. I hope you may find in this a careful expression of my many complicated and warm emotions towards my childhood world.You can read the original essay on my blog here: https://friedavizel.com/2022/02/23/what-it-is-like-to-grow-up-in-kiryas-joel/~For more content on Kiryas Joel, check out my watch party of a drive through Kiryas Joel: https://youtu.be/baiYc_9ZDt8?si=BWDRwZy1B_OesyUs~And my interview with the filmmaker Jesse Sweet about a documentary on Kiryas Joel: https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUI?si=J7lnv6zHv3V4WhS2~A very personal trip from NYC up to the green mountainous region, including a stop on Satmar Drive where I grew up. https://youtu.be/-JzYNs1HfLY?si=4zfcYW5H_8D7W4B9~I also have an even more personal essay (would you believe it?) adapted to video here: https://youtu.be/LpW30oZh9rY?si=tQGdirASdT43RVnZ

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/NXpO0THnx3gA woman who believes that Jews are prohibited by the Torah to fight, to have an army and nation, shares her theology. --- Since I did my first video with Pearl nearly three years ago, my friendship with her has deepened and become richer. Still, we have always had deep ideological differences. I am no longer Hasidic and I reject some of the beliefs of my upbringing. Pearl is a deeply believing Hasidic woman who not only lives a joyous life in the heart of her world, but in a way, she is also a vanguard of the views of the post-Holocaust generation. Her passion for anti-Zionism is, I believe, partly animated by her sense that this view is being lost among the younger generation in her community. I think this motivated her to make this interview about how faith relates to the Holocaust. During the interview, I was fairly certain I would not air it—partly because I felt an urge to protect Pearl, and partly because I felt an urge to protect Zionism. After some consideration, I came to believe that neither of these impulses was the right one. I'm grateful to live in a free society where we can disagree and not shy away from difficult discussions, even if someone might try to weaponize them. And so, with that in mind, I decided to share the interview.

Video format of this interview: https://youtu.be/lzVUnyxpcEEThe most beautiful media content created about the Hasidic community is, arguably, the Israeli hit TV show Shtisel. It was co-created by Yehonatan Indursky, who grew up Haredi in Jerusalem, left the community, and is now in some sort of place of return. He calls it "living on the border," the most interesting place to be. You might have read about him in a profile in The New York Times. I was so glad he agreed to talk to me for this interview—he was charming, forthcoming, fun, and deep. I felt his outlook and place in the world matched much of my own, and it was so nice to talk to a kindred spirit of sorts. It was also amazing to hear about his work, his views, his love for poetry, and his outlook on life. A man truly beyond borders.➡️ Check out Shtisel the TV show on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CTLJB7HN/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r➡️ Check out Kugel the TV show on Izzy: https://www.streamisrael.tv/kugel➡️ Yehonatan's website: https://www.yehonatanindursky.com/➡️ Yehonatan in the NYT in the spring 2025: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/magazine/yehonatan-indursky-shtisel-kugel-orthodox.html➡️ Yehonatan's wife Instagram I follow and enjoy called Hassidish: https://www.instagram.com/hassidish/You can find a transcript of this video here: https://friedavizel.com/2025/05/02/transcript-of-the-interview-with-the-creator-of-shtisel-yehonatan-indursky/

Link to video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/teadpfXWCO4Martha Ross grew up Old Order Amish in Middlefield Ohio, left it, and now does YouTube videos about it on the channel  @AmishTransformed  . Please check out her fundraiser for her husband's much needed dental work here: https://gofund.me/d49b3276