This past weekend I took my first trip to New York City with my friend Dee!
(Dee and I getting ready to ride the train somewhere)
We stayed with one of her friends at a Brooklyn Brownstone and snow was everywhere!
Despite the frigid temps, frozen toes/fingers, Slipping a few times and walking a gazillion miles I had an amazing time!
(My cold face)
Of course we did the touristy stuff like visit Manhattan, shopped until we dropped in Soho, took the train around town...
but the most interesting thing I saw in New York were the Hasidic Jews.
For some strange reason I've always had an obsession Amish people and when I saw the Hasidic community in Brooklyn I was amazed at the similarities. Call it ignorance but I could not keep my eyes off of them. Growing up in the the Northwest and then moving to New Orleans I've really never been around a lot of Jewish people and seeing them was a little like seeing a celebrity. I wanted to know how they live, what they eat, do they speak English? To some, these questions may sound dumb so as soon as I got home I Googled them! I came across some some amazing interviews where Oprah went into the homes of this hidden culture and talked to the women, men and children.
(Watch Hasidic family life)
(Watch Hasidic women and sex)
(Watch interracial marriage in Hasidic community)
I love how this culture takes the focus off material/superficial things and puts it on family and a spiritual connection with God. As weird as they may look or dress I feel that everyone can take away a little from this culture and how they celebrate family. I hope one day I can do my own interviews with the Hasidic people and maybe even try to live like them for period of time!
