איבער אידן בכלל - קר"י בפרט

כ'האב אביסל גע'גוגל'ט איבער קר"י, האב איך געטראפען די פאוסט וואס איינער האט ארויפגעלייגט איבער קר"י
מן הסתם האט יענע האט אביסל פין די הלכה בידוע..אבער דאך איז עס גוט פאר א דערמאנוג אז מיר חסיד'שע אידן דארפען בעסער וואטשען ווי אזוי מען פירט זיך אויף, ווייל מען טיילט אויף אונז אלץ א גרופ, אפילו אויב נאר איינער טיט עפעס נישט גיט, מיינט עס אידן בכלל, וועגן דעם דארף מען זיין נזהר כסדר, נישט צי מאכען קיין חילול השם

Here's the deal.

The Hasidim are a group unto themselves, with a very unusual culture that doesn't take into account the culture of everyone else. This is a problem when it comes to relations outside the community. While some people, and as I've said, myself, have had problems going into Kiryas Joel, there are other issues too. The primary issue is that unless they need to interact with you, they won't. You won't exist. On a plane full of Hasidim we were grounded for 2 hours because they would not sit down and fasten their seatbelts. The captain had to call for police and have them standing in the doorway and threaten to remove anyone who stood-up. When we landed a little girl got out of her seat and started running up and down the aisle while nobody tried to stop her. The plane touched the runway and she was thrown up in the air like a bean bag and then slammed down the aisle, hitting the back wall. Then the Hasidim tried to blame the stewardess who now had to call an ambulance. I left the plane with the stewardess in tears. In stores they'll walk down 2 or 3 abreast in the aisle and then yell at you to move your cart so they can go by. At the local hospitals they won't stay in waiting areas. Security has to be called to keep family outside treatment areas, even surgical suites. In driving they tend to grab the left lane and honk and swerve expecting you to get out of the way. It's like anyone who isn't one of them is treated as either a means to an end or a nuisance. The outside world exists to be exploited and taken advantage of.

This may be a hold-over from the years in Europe and I must state straight out that my interaction with the younger Hasidic men and women has been generally very different in that it has been usually very positive. There is not the automatic feeling of animosity and superiority. Some are still distant, but many are not and I hope this attitude will prevail as time goes on.

Kiryas Joel comes-up in converstation from time to time and of all the people I know, the Jews who live outside the Hasidim and are of other denominations are the most bitter. Time and again I've heard how the Hasidim have damaged the image of Jews in the community. I live in what is now an upscale, well-educated community with many professional Jewish families and every time KJ arises in conversation there's a lot of head-shaking and sadness. Most people in Orange county know by now that KJ doesn't represent all Jews but the anti-Semites use KJ time and again as an example for their pathetic propaganda and not all people in Orange county are educated enough to distinguish between the JK community and other Jewish denominations.

If you're not a member of the Satmar Hasidim I don't know how well you will be able to interact with the culture. Nearly all speak Yiddish amongst each other though they speak English too. You'll need a lot of patience and an open mind. I suspect, however, that if you're accepted by the community you'll have insight into a fascinating world very different from the world we live in. My plane trip may have been awful but what I did notice was constant interaction and I've seen this in other places too. The amount of conversation and talking among the Hasidim is incredible. It's nearly constant and to me that indicates a very tight-knit group that looks out for each other and cares about its members to a great degree. The group dynamic is intense but also reassuring and comforting I think.

Anyway, that's my take on the Kiryas Joel situation. If anything, it will be a fascinating job and you may gain some insight into a unique culture.

תוקן על ידי השר_מקוצי ב- 06/05/2008 22:16:45