Why I defend the Hasidic Community

Frieda, for me, you introduce me to the Hasidic world. You just lay it open with judgement BUT some woman on the street ripped you to shreds for filming (I wish she had stayed in her home with her curtains drawn); this angered me— she was in a public place and you were sharing & teaching! You have opened up my little world as Christian convert within Christianity. There has been a deepening of my own faith and there are some pieces missing. They are whispered in Christianity but shouted in Judaism. And…..next week I am going to my neighbourhood synagogue for my first time. Found a special book for their children’s library. Thank you for teaching me how to dress & manners to visit.

You are compareing them, but truthly l never thought about one way or anther. I thought you experienced t hat life and made a decision. I never questioned.😢😂😂x❤j🎉

( Yr. 2024) It's not that you 'defend' the Hasidic community, it's that you present their way of life with a lot of warmth, even love... so that is confusing, as to why you left, if that's how you feel.
Also, you're still a newbie and the secular world can be a little dazzling to someone who's essentially been sheltered all her/his life. But all is not as it seems, as they say "all that glitters is not gold"... and the more something glitters (i.e. is exciting), you can be assured danger lurks closely.
On another note, you'd be surprised how much power Chassidim wield. Also Judaism as a whole is extremely affected by this movement... and it's been gathering more power not less as time moves on--- which affects us all regardless of our personal values.

❤❤❤

The reality is that the secular world, actual secular with not church affiliation, is actively anti-religious to the point of pure bigotry and ignorance. They take, for example, with Roman Catholics, the abuses of pedophile priests as emblematic of the whole religion, which its not. For every pedo these are 5 heroic priests and nuns giving their lives to help the poor and to providing spiritual sustenance. The same if true of every religion...Like all things human its a mix....Some of the most religiously fanatic haters i have ever met are leftist secular activists.

Wow you said Shmuck ! You must be Jewish!

U got the message . Please grow.

Why hasidic Jew do not go to army . Israeli goes.why. 😅 I do not know. With out Israel how come Jew exist . I think hasidic Jew should go to army.

I ❤ Frieda Vizel’s Channel. It is so informative and relatable.

Hasidic community is suprising me as well,in positive way. It looks different world and it is but still I can pick-up similarities with us from your culture.

Excellent video. Clearly the left is more dangerous than Hasidim. Hasidim don't pose as open and tolerant. The left however purports to be enlightened but wants to stay in its insular echo chamber. They are averse to challenge, serious discussion & debate. If you dare to disagree with their stance you are cancelled.

BRING IN THE MEXICANS!

My head hurts now. May I express a simpler stance, without going into the weeds?

I think of the Hasidic lifestyle, as a form of a sukkah. A sukkah; as it was first intent to be...go camping for a week, out in the wilderness, in the desert. Get back to the basics. Clean those cobwebs out of your brain. Let nature give your Neshama; a mikveh. Not just a netilat yadayim, but a full Tevilah.

At least, that's what it should be for you personally... Just my thoughts...

The way I think about it, we're all over-evolved and desperately seeking meaning and a place in a world that is ever moving faster. Maybe it's a bit like dark energy, things are being driven apart faster than light. In such a confusing space, I won't criticize the philosophies that people develop to find their meaning, as long as they're not making everyone else's lives bad. As a way to find meaning, Chassidic community is as good as any other. In some ways better, and in some ways worse, just like the rest of ours.

You’re very special and a soul that Hashem needs because you’re an individual.

There are people like you; I’m similar, but wished I weren’t so critical of my own. So many people fall away in the most worst of ways and become immoral that it screams reform.

Reform needs to be seen via the Torah lens but there aren’t many Gedolim nowadays that really understand nor want to dig into human psychology and how to cater to humans that have brains.

A virus can be triggered and a brain can be triggered by multiple events. When a person like you has deep questions but is constantly rebuffed and told to NEVER ask or think about it, it can be so emotionally triggering that it disturbs your equilibrium. Many of your friends (or former), don’t think as deeply and their minds are at peace.

I’ll tell you something interesting: A friend of mine explained how my deep thinking and the novelty of it, is extremely powerful but like a sword with two edges. It can invite critical thinking - and like you (Frieda), becomes a catalyst to wanting to change things but at the same time, nothing is whole and fully acceptable anymore. It can’t just “be”…

I can assume that I’m much older than you and despite ring bothered all my life about restrictions and rules (yes, I looked at many as radical or non thinking people), which didn’t help my emotional nature either. But going through difficulty and allowing my brain to think, I’m attaching and detaching like a spring, as needed.

I don’t need to change my dressing, because I don’t have a problem with it and it’s not important enough for me to fight it. I can be friendly and love in private and in public, yet feel uncomfortable with the shallowness I see.

The shallowness does BOTH mirror a shallow Torah c”v. I really see a need for authoritarian Judaism and a non authoritarian Judaism, at the same time; synchronous…

Torah does demand to have leaders but the leaders need to understand their followers. In my historical education, it’s obvious that a rebbe had a way to connect to his followers in the yesteryear way better than they can today.

There are many reasons for that, but are they justified or helping the situation?

Anyway, I think people need to learn to understand when a person needs to say yes, and when to say no. A father that buckles to pressure from rabbinic authorities to not support his otd child, for example, is doing lots of harm to his child, and ultimately himself.

Judaism needs to be authentic. You follow your parents due to joy of doing the mitzvah. If a person has no joy when lighting Shabbos candles, I see it as a parenting problem. We most likely have much differences, but much more in common. Good luck and have a wonderful life. 😊

Yes! Continue to defend the Hasidic Community; their rules and regulations may seem severe to us, but it is their faith!
They have a right to practice their faith as do I have a right to practice mine - or not!

The Jewish population is 5% in the world!
Let them be! They are good people.



- or not...

we used easy one liners to dismiss others....you said it! that's our modern world, no?

something else. my autistic older brother spent the last 20 years of his life , until covid took him, in a small group home in boro park run by a frum non profit. they were the most kind and loving ppl, for the first time in his adult life he had a home....even my anti-frum sister acknowledged, "this is the best of frum jews." that dedication to the helping the weak and the sick...and i never in my life saw my brother smile, its as if he physically could not do it. he could laugh, but not smile...i got a photo of him after he died with his arm around a young male volunteer, with a big open smile. even now my eyes tear remembering that photo...

I am glad you do! Its ultimately about respect...

Thanks for sharing, I appreciate all you show us and educate us. I love studying culture too!

I know this was an old post but it was very good, we do need to examine ourselves, our motives, our hearts. Hate is scary and it is fueled by ignorance. Thank you for sharing this post. May you have peace my friend.

We are all connected … even to the Hasidic community. During Covid, there was a huge economic impact to health care resources. People were dying and were turned back because there was no space. Keeping the numbers of infection low was key to attending people who needed to be cared for. The cost of treating these people, many who were underinsured is also an economic burden not to mention the number of lives that could be saved if fewer people were infected. Social distancing was key to containing this. I can speak to this because the data is clear.
We also lost doctors and nurses who wore masks and other protective gear because they had to treat many infected patients. One tiny mistake in putting on the gear could cost you your life. Kids carry all sorts of viruses home. They may not have gotten sick but they were carriers of Covid. Yes it’s true they suffered from a lack of socialization but they will recover their education. The economic impact was great too. But we would be in recovery now if not for our current political policies.

I appreciate the nuance you’re able to convey ❤

Continue to work toward educating and bringing information to the secular world. This is a necessary and important thing because it opens closed doors for a look inside a grossly misunderstood religion. We can see the ideas, customs and beliefs that are important to the Hasidic community. When we have understanding, there is much less likelihood of bias and animosity.

I think you're doing a wonderful job teaching us about hasidic lives. Your love towards the community is obvious.

I watched many of tout vidéos before I saw this one. I am the Daughter of an immigrant family. The eau you discribe the eau of you feel reminds me a lot of the way I feel because the values if m'y family clash with the values if where we live. I feel toi!

You sound more libertarian than liberal.

Hi Frieda.
Can't you be ultra orthodox/chassidish and be educated, enjoy technology and see the world all while respecting your own religion and other peoples??
What is it about the community you cone from that seems to convince ppl you can't have both?
Because not all Chassidish communities are like that.
Where i live in the UK we seem to be managing pretty well sitting on the fence.I can dress completely tzniusdik while using technology, being an educated person and working and traveling how and where i want.
What am i missing please???? A big Mac??

I am now 81 years old. I have always been fascinated by other cultures, but the Hasidic community has been perplexing because of its insularity, fixed attitude’s, remoteness and unusual dress. I have enjoyed many of your episodes, especially those with Pearl. What a lovely woman! Except that her language is different, her faith reflects that of the Catholic community in which I was raised. Your presentations are wonderfully enlightening and have opened up a strange world, to me, and made it much more understandable. People’s negative attitudes reflect tremendous ignorance. Your introductions to that world will surely help break that ignorance down bit by bit. Please don’t be discouraged. You are doing a great and worthwhile job!

Frieda, I am secular, and want to make sure I understand what you have said here about how the Hasidic community handled the Covid crisis. You mentioned not wearing masks and distancing. This was a difficult time for the whole world, but science advised/dictated there were measures we all can take to protect ourselves and others. Not just the Hasidic community, but there were people protesting wearing a masks, not believing its value, or science. This attitude, perhaps magnified by the media, has brought attention to not only the Hasidic community, but to all Jews, and stirred up, in my opinion, more antisemitism. Would you please clarify if possible.

People have a right to live according to their own values.

I don't think that you criticize as much as you critique. It is a learning experience (for me) when I watch your videos.

You are So right ! Chapeau bas to every hassidic person for being so good , for protecting their culture . Today loose so much t todayin every aspect . Hassidism is still here and strong and faithful

Love to learn from you. Love your explanations. Love to think of all the choices in people's lives. Thank you for sharing.

You are such an inspiration and amazing to listen to. You are so brilliant, caring, and open minded. I have been following you for a bit and just love your content and what you so graciously share!

The why of someone left is important to understand.

You are so beautiful Frieda

Jews are genius 🇮🇱

We love the Jews 🇮🇱🇮🇱

God bless the Jews 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱

I’m an outsider Christian looking in with much love and respect for all cultures different from my own. I am watching this video probably 2years later. I hear the fear in your voice from the trauma of Covid 19 . This fear wasn’t just in your community but plagued the world. We all had to learn how to listen and learn from each other I order to survive. We wouldn’t trust each other and we’re all suspect of one another. 2 years later we still are bickering over vaccines and such. I hope you and your loved ones and the Hasidic community despite whether you are vaccinated or not survived. I see beauty in the Hasidic community as I do in other communities that live differently than I do. I think that is one of the reasons God created us all so unique. Thank YOU for being brave enough to respectfully cover this community with love so that biased and uninformed individuals will be able to possibly educate themselves one day and stop the fear of others.

Your videos are really interesting but I find it very sad that these people are following man made laws of various rabbis rather than the Torah and Tanach.
They have no peace with God, no awareness of their need for forgiveness.
They are not trusting in Yeshua HaMaschiach for salvation. Without Him, there is no way to be reconciled to God!
I am a Gentile. Your Messiah is my Saviour. He is the only way to God for Jews and Gentiles. May you know Him for yourself.

I have watched several of your most recent videos, including the ones interviewing Pearl. There is no perfect culture and no perfect “world”. The very world you considered utopia has, as you saw, the very same problems that inspired you to leave the Hasidim. We saw the secular government(s) behave in the same way as the Hasidic leaders: full complete control and authority over those under them whether it was necessary or not, with no questioning or disobedience allowed, etc. I think the huge question needs to be about God. I am a Christian who came out of a cult church, with some of he same qualities the Hasidim have, such as authoritarianism and control. I had to go back to basics, as in, “Do I believe in God?” And “is the Bible from God to us?” Then I built all my new and old beliefs that I kept, based on the answers to those two questions.

You know there are many forms of Judaism and synagogue groups. They all follow the Torah, but some follow systems of Rabbinical laws and rules added onto what the Torah requires, based on “Rabbi-interpretation” of how to follow and obey what the Torah says.

You sound in this video slightly disillusioned with the world you chose to enter when you left the Hasidim. Maybe there is a “best of both worlds” you haven’t thought of? I think Pearl might be right, in that believing in God and pursuing living by what is in the Torah, gives peace and contentment. Maybe you just don’t want all the rabbinical add-ons? But maybe you have thought of all that already. I appreciate so much that you are kind and respectful to everyone. I love learning about this community. Keep up the good work.

Wow this video shows a lot of interesting emotions. Good luck

Interesting point and very well expressed/thank you from Sweden!

I’m so interested by your videos. I’m curious where in Yiddishkeit you weren’t able to ask questions. To me that is such a major part of learning. I agree with Perel…if you can connect to real Torah teachers I think you would really be amazed at your heritage 💕