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Op-Ed: The Beauty (and the Beast) of Chasidus

After watching ‘The Substance of Hasidic Style,’ a viral YouTube video on the uniforms and lifestyles of Brooklyn’s Chasidic Jews, Harry Maryles, writing for the Jewish Press, touches upon the beauty of the world of Chassidus, as well as some of its less-than-flattering aspects:

I must admit that the video below about Chasidic life is very inspiring. As an article in the Forward notes, this video was not produced by any of the outreach groups like Chabad or Aish HaTorah. It was produced by two women who are not even Orthodox. One of them, Elisa Goodkind, describes herself as “a Reform and rebellious Jew”. I guess it must be rebellious for a Reform Jew to portray Orthodoxy in such sympathetic terms.

The 16 minute video interviews various Chasidim, including but not limited to Chabad (Lubavitch), which is by itself unusual. Most videos like this are almost exclusively Chabad. That’s because the nature of Chabad it to reach out to fellow Jews. As such they are always eager to ‘get the word out’ by co-operating with any documentarian that comes their way, as did Oprah Winfrey in one of her shows.

Chabad is quite good at it. I give them a lot of credit for presenting a very positive image of observant Judaism. Here again they did not disappoint. But this is the first time I’ve seen a documentary where Chasidim other than Chabad were so prominently featured. Most non-Chabad Chasidim rarely grant access to the outside world. We therefore rarely get a peek at what goes on inside their world. And they too did a good job of portraying their values and their way of life.

The fact is that many of the values and beliefs described by the interviewees are not all that dissimilar than the rest of observant Jewry. Explaining a concept like modesty in dress is done quite well.  Although modesty standards are not alike for all segments of Orthodoxy, the basis for them is the same.

Even the subject of marital relations is discussed quite candidly and in my opinion quite beautifully.

Just to highlight one part of this video, there was a description of Chasidic dating habits by both Chabad and the non Chabad Chasidm.  Lubavitchers go out on dates alone to see if they like each other. If they do, they usually get engaged, typically after about 6 to 8 dates. In this sense they are no different than the rest of Orthodox Jewry – from the right wing Yeshiva student to the Modern Orthodox Jew.

Chabad is the exception to the rule among Chasidim. In most Chasidic communities, the parents ‘date’. This means that the parents, who usually know their children quite well, will find compatible members of the opposite gender for their children via a Shadchan (matchmaker), relative, or through a very good networking system in their community.

The potential couple then usually meet in the home of the young female prospect’s parents. As explained in the video by one such Chasid, they will typically sit across a table and talk to each other for an hour or two. Perhaps there is a second or third meeting. Then they decide if they are compatible. If they agree, a wedding date is set and they do not see each other until the day of their wedding.

This is just one aspect of a very good presentation. My guess is that none of the Chasidim that were interviewed were Satmar. I say this because most Satmar Chasidim speak English as a second language with a heavy Yiddish accent. The Chasidim in this video speak English like any educated American who was born in this country. If you weren’t looking at them, you wouldn’t know you were talking to a Chasid.

The over-all impression of the Chasdic world in this video is very sympathetic. In fact the Ms. Goodkind said the following about her experience making this video:

Elisa Goodkind writes that the time she and her team spent among Hasidim in the Catskills was “a 12-hour odyssey that would change us forever.”

“[N]ot only did I begin to identify with some of my own life values, but I found a new group of the coolest people I had met in a long time, who were about to become my new great friends…

Goodkind rightly praises the strong communities built by Hasidim, who are “committed to helping their neighbors and free of a preoccupation with sensational, pop culture.” I fully agree that Hasidic communities – and Orthodox communities more generally – offer American society an important alternative model for how to build community and lead a meaningful life.

“The big families, the sense of belonging to an extended community, and the reverence for the female body, mind and soul, were among the eye-opening and thought-provoking revelations…”

I would therefore say that this video made a very positive impression – a Kiddush HaShem even. I wish it could all end there. But as we all know there is a very dark side to the Chasidic world. The Forward article (written by a direct descendant of Chasidus founder -the Baal Shem Tov and who describes herself as Modern Orthodox) mentions one such problem: the modesty patrols in Chasidic enclaves like Skvere and Satmar.

Need I remind everyone about these communities treat victims of abuse and their abusers? Or how they treat people who veer from some of their customs? Like the fellow in Skvere who tried to set up a Minyan for a sick friend against the Rebbe’s rule requiring everyone to attend only the main Skvere Shul. He was harassed and finally torched by the Rebbe’s Hoiz Bachur (young personal valet).

And then there was how Satmar treated serial child abuser Nechemya Weberman and his victim. A courageous soul testified against him. He was convicted and put in jail for virtually the rest of his life. The Satmar leadership vilifies her to this day and considers the convicted serial abuser a victim of her false accusations.

And let us not forget about the Toldos Aharon Chasidim in Israel who seem to never miss an opportunity to make a Chilul HaShem. Whether it is their extremist elements harassing an little girls on their way to school; throwing stones, or bleach or even acid  at innocent passersby in Meah Sheairm who do not dress according to their modesty standards; or torching a clothing stores that sell non ‘modesty certified’ clothing. Yes they are the extremists even within Toldos Aharon. But they are tolerated if not officially sanctioned by the greater community and their rabbinic leaders because they are fighting for values they all support.

And then there is the problem of Chabad Messianism, which has in recent years quieted down. But it has not disappeared. I have no clue what is in their hearts currently about this. It is rarely mentioned any more in public. But I suspect that in their heart of hearts – nothing has changed.

The poverty situation among some sects of Chasidim has not gone away either. In fact it has probably increased. Add to this their insular ways… their negative attitude about higher education… their total vilification and rejection of the internet (as was made clear in that Internet Asifa a couple of years ago) and many other problems that exist – and it makes them not quite as attractive as the video suggests.

Of course a lot of this depends on the kind of Chasidus one belongs to. There are many types and they are not all the same.

If one looks at the positive side, there is a lot to admire and even identify with. But one must never lose sight of the problems. They are serious. And they need to be properly dealt with. Once they are, then what will remain is the very beautiful picture that this video paints.

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19 Comments

  • New generation

    The new generation of young non – Chabad chasidim were born and raised here in America (duh!..). So, the European accent of their Bubbes, Zaides, is more removed.

  • Harriet

    All I have to say that this is beautiful not enough words to express how beautiful religious is but being in a cult is not healthy

  • Chicagoan

    The author is a known trouble maker in Chicago. He’s effectually persona non grata in Bnei Ruven, the main Chabad shul, whose membership he constantly spars with about everything from zmanim to Meshichism. It’s no surprise that he used this video as an excuse to attack chasidim in general, and Chabad in particular, by appearing to genuinely compliment their noteworthy characteristics – feh! If you’ve lived in Chicago any length of time you know he’s not worth engaging in any type of rational discussion because he simply hates anyone that threatens his warped view of Yiddishkeit.

    • Harry Maryles

      Fist I want to exress my appreciation for featuring my JP artilce on your website.

      To respond the Chicagoan who says that I am persona non grata at Bnei Ruven, the main Chabad Shul in Chicago,

      I can only guess that Chicagoan is not aware that I am the Shaliach Tzibur there every single weekday morning at their 6:00 AM Shachris Minyan. …(except Sunday where there is no 6:00 AM Minayn)

      I also learn Daf Yomi in the Bnei Ruven Daf Yomi Shiur,.. as well as Daven Maariv theri during the winter months.

      Perosnna non Grata? Really?

      I have no hard feelings toward my fellow Chicagoan and wish him well. I grant him complete Mechila for his attack. But he should have checked these things out before asserting them as facts.

  • Chilul Hashem..

    This video is a chilul hashem. If someone wants to represent Lubavitch, why don’t they interview people who actually live up to the standards of Lubavitch?

  • the author

    is a mecharcher riv. digging up issuers. but, it ws interesting to note, that lubavitchers read magazines, etc. something which is ossur totally

  • YMSP

    More of modern orthodoxy and their papers war against frum (non-“modern-orthodox) Jews. This is sickening. If someone were to point out all of the bad things any one Swede were to do, we’d all live in fear and hatred of the quiet Swiss. This is anti-Semitism (anti-frum-agitation) at its worst, which seems to be all that modern-orthodoxy is interested in (that and destroying family values/presenting militant feminist hype which hurts women more than men as Torah). Chabad has no philosophical connection to modern-orthodoxy and it’s about time that those in the field realize it.

    • YMSP

      As to the video, didn’t watch it. It has to be a lot more well meaning than the modern-“orthodox” (which the Rebbe called “neieh-conservative) smear piece which is the article.

  • cheder girl

    YMSP, under what circumstances did the Rebbe call Modern Orthodoxy “neieh-Conservative”? When was this, and to whom (and of whom) was he speaking? Any sourcing?

  • Akiva

    Apparently, to be “Chabad”, all you have to
    Do is wear a
    Kapota, daven shachris at 2pm, and spend shabbos throwing up.