Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski z”l was a Hasidic rabbi, psychiatrist and mental health and substance abuse expert who authored over sixty books and made a lasting impact on the wider world. He died January 31, 2021, at age 90. He was one of the first born-and-bred Hasidic Jews to attend medical school, at a time when […]

I perch my son on the counter. I spritz some mousse onto his peyos, and holding it, deftly twist it into a perfect curl.  It’s his first day of cheder (pre-school), and I’m so emotional.  I insert a crisp bill into the tzedakah box, and with tears sparkling on my lashes I pray. “Please, Hashem help […]

We see Hasidic women in Hollywood all the time, but far too often they are negative and over the top fictional portrayals. Many real-life Hasidic women, especially in more insular sects like Satmar, have no idea what Hollywood is. But then there are women like Bylu Wertheimer. Wertheimer first attended and then taught in Satmar girls’ schools before […]

While we have previously discussed why Orthodox Jewish men wear yarmulkes (kippahs), and why many also wear hats, not all hats and yarmulkes look the same, and the differences in appearance can be puzzling to outsiders (and frankly even to Orthodox Jews in other groups!) Please use our handy visual guide to understanding Orthodox Jewish […]

While Akiva Shtisel may technically not be Hasidic (as Yerushalmim look the part, but have different customs than Hasidim) and Zalmen Glauber is not angst-ridden like the fictionalized TV character, seeing a traditionally-dressed Jewish man from a close-knit community creating art that captivates the outside world, naturally reminds any Shtisel fan of the show’s protagonist. […]

I don’t get up-in-arms about cultural appropriation. I think sometimes a style from another culture can be worn by someone because they truly admire it. I also know that dressing up as a Hasidic Jew does not have the same negative history that blackface does for African Americans. And yet, when it is done, it […]