| In my experiences hanging around Jewish people | | | | And I didn't find a Satmar House in my phone |
| who were Chabad and Modern Orthodox folk, I | | | | book...but I did find the number for Satmar Meat |
| had often heard them mention some group called | | | | and Poultry...and called it! |
| Satmar. | | | | (wide eyed, excited) "Hi. My name is David. I am |
| From the conversations this is all the information I | | | | looking to have a host home experience with a |
| had gleaned: | | | | Satmar family in Williamsburg. Do you know who I |
| 1. They were mean, gruff people, mainly based | | | | might contact to make such an arrangement?" |
| out of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. | | | | Short, awkward silence. |
| 2. For whatever reason, they were Jews who | | | | (bad English, heavy Yiddish accent) "Uh, we don't |
| opposed the state of Israel. | | | | really do that kind of stuff in Satmar... Uh, I don't |
| 3. They were Chassidim, like Chabad. But for | | | | live in Williamsburg. I live in Boro Park... (pause) But |
| some reason the two did not play nicely with one | | | | you could come to me for Shabbos (Yiddish for |
| another. | | | | the Sabbath)if you would like." |
| 4. They were bad. | | | | So I went! |
| What follows is a great example of what happens | | | | And I had one of the most amazing experiences |
| when an intense curiosity and a very opened mind | | | | of my life. |
| mesh together with quite a healthy amount of | | | | This family was so amazing to me. Small children |
| naivete. | | | | approached me when I walked into their home |
| The only reason I am who I am today is due to | | | | offering me food and drinks. They insisted I stay |
| my training I got from the home front, parents | | | | over Saturday night as well, even after the |
| who trained me to be open-minded. Part of being | | | | Sabbath was over, saying it was unsafe to travel |
| open-minded for me meant never judging | | | | back to Staten Island in the middle of the night. |
| something based purely on what other people | | | | The synagogue was filled with some of the most |
| said. I must see everything for myself. | | | | intense and passionate praying I have ever |
| So if I were to accept all these negative reports | | | | experienced. And members of the synagogue |
| about this Satmar group, it would have to be in | | | | instantly surrounded me to introduce themselves |
| conjunction with personal experience. | | | | and say hello. |
| But how could I do that? How in the world would | | | | I am not a Satmar Jew. But every time I think of |
| I infiltrate in order to find out what I needed to | | | | them this story comes to mind, and I have a |
| find out? | | | | warm feeling inside. |
| I started with the tools at my disposal. My | | | | Several years later I was reading a book about |
| evidence: Chabad was Chassidic, and Satmar was | | | | Chassidic Jews. It said about the Satmar |
| Chassidic. So I made educated guesses on various | | | | Chassidim that they are somewhat difficult to |
| similarities I would assume they have. | | | | interact with when you are an outsider, when you |
| Chabad has houses all throughout the country | | | | are looking at them from a distance. This probably |
| called Chabbad Houses, with people living in them | | | | explains how my Chabad and other friends felt |
| who are more than willing to open their homes up | | | | about them. |
| to anyone who just picks up the phone and calls. | | | | The book also said that the Satmar Chassidim are |
| "Satmar must be the same!" I thought. So I | | | | beyond amazing to their own. |
| picked up the phone book and started my hunt. | | | | That day I was one of them. I didn't look or act |
| I was looking for phrases like "Satmar House" or | | | | like one of them, but the moment I crossed the |
| the Herew "Beit Satmar", with no luck. | | | | street, so to speak, and stepped foot into their |
| Little did I know that these houses were a unique | | | | world in a friendly manner, they treated me as |
| feature of Chabad, and the concept is actually | | | | one of their own. They treated me like precious |
| thoroughly antithetical to who Satmar Chassidim | | | | gold. |
| are. They have no interest in living in remote | | | | Never judge something you haven't seen with |
| places or running outreach programs at | | | | your own eyes and experienced yourself! Open |
| universities. They have large, exclusive | | | | your mind. You never know what incredible things |
| communities. End of story. | | | | might just creep in! |
| But I didn't know that. | | | | |