Hasidic Judaism National Geographic Documentary

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 7:51 pm

this documentary is from last year. someone else will be releasing a new documentary regarding the city of airmont, a place for hasidic dropouts. the name of that documentary is currently titled A Shtetl of Our Own and will be released in May. Be on the lookout for it--I have seen it and it the best documentary I've seen about chasidic/ex-chasidic people in general.

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:01 pm

sourstix wrote:

STATISTICS SHOW THAT JUDAISM IS THE ONE RELIGION THAT MAKES MOST SENSE. ALL THESE PP RETURN EVENTUALLY. JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

I disagree. plenty of people are leaving and they will not be coming back. the communities are becoming more restrictive in general (ie segregated parks etc) which causes people to rebel. these days, its easier than ever to successfully leave so why should anyone come back to such restricted lifestyles? it just doesnt make sense.

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:12 pm

sourstix wrote:

STATISTICS SHOW THAT JUDAISM IS THE ONE RELIGION THAT MAKES MOST SENSE. ALL THESE PP RETURN EVENTUALLY. JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

statistically judaism makes zero sense. most jews are not religious because of an intellectual decision but rather emotional and communal reasons.

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:25 pm

mom2 wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4gcUvt-uNXQ

yup, this is what I was referring to--I guess they didnt take it off in the end. thanks for sharing!

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:27 pm

amother wrote:

sourstix wrote:

STATISTICS SHOW THAT JUDAISM IS THE ONE RELIGION THAT MAKES MOST SENSE. ALL THESE PP RETURN EVENTUALLY. JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

statistically judaism makes zero sense. most jews are not religious because of an intellectual decision but rather emotional and communal reasons.

there is no evidence to support that. each person has their own reason for not being religious and plenty of people do make the decision not to be religious based solely on intellectual reason.

imasinger

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:41 pm

amother wrote:

sourstix wrote:

STATISTICS SHOW THAT JUDAISM IS THE ONE RELIGION THAT MAKES MOST SENSE. ALL THESE PP RETURN EVENTUALLY. JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FIND THEIR WAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY?

statistically judaism makes zero sense. most jews are not religious because of an intellectual decision but rather emotional and communal reasons.

there is no evidence to support that. each person has their own reason for not being religious and plenty of people do make the decision not to be religious based solely on intellectual reason.

I think you misunderstood the second poster's point. She was saying that Judaism is an emotional and communal choice rather than an intellectual one.

I believe that both the choice to be religious and the choice not to be often have both emotional and intellectual components.

amother

Sun, Apr 14 2013, 8:49 pm

What people in Airmont are saying, they are not leaving Judaism. They simply need a more relaxed form of Yiddishkeit while keeping the communal togetherness based on torah values albeit on each person's own decision of adherence...
I, personally, feel that keeping within the guidelines you were brought up brings more stability to the family unit. Although, I agree, that some people do not fit in and need a place to go...without becoming a total dropout of Yiddishkeit and Torah.

wereafamily

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 12:09 am

National Geographic I expected better from you, 6 interviewers, 4 frum from birth and two that left the Chasidic lifestyle... Common they should of interviewed more chasidic people!

I loved the part were Twersky talks about his slippers and towel, a sign of freedom Smile

Lol

amother

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 8:06 am

Maybe it's just me, but I feel this documentary and the ones similar to it tend to generalize and make it to seem like being Chassidic is being orthodox/frum--they don't really make a distinction between that chassidisim is a branch of religious Judasim. How many people who don't know better think that being chassidish is being Jewish and when they find out you're Jewish, say "but u don't look Chassidish!". On another point I also find these tend to focus more on Chabad, probably because they are more willing to let a camera in (not bashing just stating) which why I am not making a big deal that I have never see an all-encompassing documentary about being Jewish--including yeshivish, sfardi, modern orthodox, etc. I do watch these documentaries but more as a spectator sport--I tend to roll my eyes and hope that people watching them don't think all Jewish people are like this (not in a bad way) and then have to get in a awkward conversation by some well meaning, interested person about if I got married at sixteen, had 10 children, have relations through a hole in the sheet, and shave my head--I used every stereotype I could think of Smile

happybeingamom

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 8:46 am

mom2 wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4gcUvt-uNXQ

Thank you, I loved this documentary, showing these young adults choosing to remain frum but with a different derech.

It is so refreshing to see this instead of I am running to the bars and eating pork.

amother

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 9:00 am

amother wrote:

Were you raised in New Square or KJ or a similar place? I don't think anybody who wasn't raised in such a place can speak about people who left it.

Inspire

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 1:46 pm

The belly button piercing, revealing clothing and hi-five with the man in the store speak volumes about this lady's "derech" --this is rebellion--how can she embrace such pritzus, then claim to follow Torah? Also, this film is very one sided, it does not show the tremendous chesed and hachnosis orchim that KJ is known for.

amother

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 1:50 pm

Inspire wrote:

How is it pritzus or rebellion?? I know modern orthodox people who do the same thing and they are considered to be frum.

Maya

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 2:06 pm

wereafamily wrote:

Lol

I agree. I would have liked to see more of the "real" Chassidim, the type that live in Williamsburg and KJ and are perfectly content with their lifestyle. Also, this was so generic and sort of stereotypical. There should have been more interviews on the intellectual aspects of Hasidism, and less of the shallow "we wear a wig blah blah blah..."

Honestly, I didn't expect anything better once I learned who the interviewees were. I mean, really? If Gd didn't strike you down when you lit a cigarette on Shabbos, then you take that as actual proof that He doesn't exist?

Maya

Mon, Apr 15 2013, 2:11 pm

Inspire wrote:

Why does everyone always come back to the chessed done in these communities? No amount of chessed can make up for all the other crimes against humankind that are committed there.