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For the video link, where we have embedded translations, see this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/IKWcSiy4e08 Mrs. Lefkowitz has spent her life disabled. And what a life she lived! At just 11 months old, in Israel, she contracted polio. It left her completely disabled. She couldn't swallow, she couldn't move, she couldn't speak. She was raised by a deeply faithful Jerusalemite family, and her life story is full of "unexplainable miracles." After doctors gave up on her, her mother dragged her to the tomb of the sage Reb Shimon, where, after an incredibly arduous journey, she lay for two days until she hoisted herself up to her knees. From there, a series of spiritual and medicinal miracles led to her regaining much, although not all, of her mobility. What I love about her story is that it's full of joy and optimism, even while she lived with so many more limitations than her peers. She managed to raise 13 children and tens of grandchildren. She has a message for the young, and it's about hoisting yourself up to see the good. Our interview was in Yiddish, with her family around her, and I added English subtitles. I believe this is my first long-form interview in Yiddish. I asked the Lefkowitz children how I could thank them for the home tour and the interview with both Mr. and Mrs. Lefkowitz, and they told me that the couple has a dream of driving to Florida in an RV in their retirement years. It would require an RV that is totally handicap-accessible! If you'd like to thank Mrs. Lefkowitz for sharing, feel free to contribute to their RV dream project. May we all be repaid with joy despite life's challenges! https://abcharity.org/campaign.php?id=8836 Thank you so much to all of you who are channel members. It helps so, so, so much. A video like this involves costs for travel, videography, and editing, and I do it more than anything because I believe in collecting and sharing these stories. Your financial support helps relieve some of the stress of making these videos with relatively high overhead. Please stay tuned for an interview with Mr. Lefkowitz and, most importantly, a house tour of their amazing home. We are editing those now. This takes more work than usual because it's in Yiddish and requires translating hours of Yiddish! I love this project and am especially thankful to those of you who help with it. ❤️ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/cBcXWpz0joA What do you do when you are lucky to find love, but the price of that love is losing your family? Gittel Schwartz's story is at the crossroads of happiness and heartbreak. As a young child, she lost her father and her large religious family was destabalized, deeply grieving, often confusing. In adulthood, she drifted over to Florida, where she met a man with whom she shared a passion for art, poetry, books. The problem? He was not Jewish. In this interview, Gittel shares her experiences and the choices she made, the price she paid. When you hear Gittel's story, how do you feel? I am drawn to her story for the questions they raise for you. Do you see a right or wrong in this situation? To follow Gittel and learn about her work, please check out her instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/gittele/ Other videos that might interest you: -What I did when my son left the fold: https://youtu.be/vf_LDz3vD_A -Melissa Weisz's story: https://youtu.be/mW6PTwWUVAU -Fradel Newman's story: https://youtu.be/HoTzWaF7dU8 -Brachi and Avi's story: https://youtu.be/LV99eySK-24 Thanks for the channel members who make this work possible, and all of you who leave comments or just watch! ♥️ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Twenty years ago today, I created a pseudonym for myself: Shpitzle Shtrimpkind. A 21-year-old Hasidic mother of a little baby boy, hiding furiously behind my alias. My first post was an attempt to defend my community. Within a month or two, I experienced a profound internal shift I couldn't stop or undo. It led me on a road of so much heartache, discovery, curiosity, friendship, loss, love, joy, and sorrow. If I had known then what I know now, I don't know that I would have ever created Shpitzel Shtrimpkind. But it happened. Life happens, whether we have courage for it or not. And I'm grateful for the chance to live life. Living life means getting hurt, falling low, and rebuilding. And it's been all that plus hell, but I'm grateful every day for the light, the hope, the kindness and of course - the audience that made me. Thanks for being here.  Thank you to all of you who have made it possible to turn a lifetime passion into something that can help me live! Your financial support means so much. Video link: https://youtu.be/hwbU_R_b82c Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/9BwmSQ0Vwsk Imagine a world where there are only women! That's the world of the filmmaker Malky Weingarten. Malky makes movies for Orthodox Jewish women and girls. This means no romance, no men on set, very kosher plotlines. What does it take to create these movies, and what motivates Malky? By her own admission, her target audience is tiny! And yet, she keeps going. She is passionate and brings artistic, creative, and fun energy to Orthodox Jewish life. Check out Malky's website at Malky's Media where you can rent the movies: https://www.malkysmedia.com/ Check out Malky's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malkys_media/ For more on this topic, see: *My interview with Jessica Roda on Orthodox women's world of media: https://youtu.be/blLciT0egb4 *My interview with Orthodox Jewish content creator Raizy Fried: https://youtu.be/oycLsS4ulyg *Shpanier Arbet with Elena Solomon: https://youtu.be/2ZozNgfPTNU *The story of the performer for women, Danielle Jacobs: https://youtu.be/UZTQRkr-rIs Thanks to all the channel members for making this work possible!! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/Bt0V4N9lGfc Hasidic groups are led by Rebbes. I come from the Satmar sect, and our rebbe was Moses Teitelbaum. What happened when he passed? The community erupted in a fight over who would take over, and Satmar split in two. There are now two Rebbes, Reb Aaron and Reb Zalmen Leib. Satmar is just one sect. There are other huge sects with intense succession stories. In this episode, I speak to the scholar Samuel Heilman who spent 50 years studying Orthodox Jews. He wrote the book "Who Will Lead Us?: The Story of Five Hasidic Dynasties in America" and in this interview, he shares some of these succession stories. We especially talk about Bobov and Munkatch.  Books by Samuel Heilman: Who Will Lead Us?: The Story of Five Hasidic Dynasties in America https://amzn.to/4wKeJRW The Rebbe: The Life and Afterlife of Menachem Mendel Schneerson https://amzn.to/4zz0SAL Hasidism: A New History https://amzn.to/4qvPAsJ Defenders of the Faith: Inside the World of Orthodox Jewry https://amzn.to/4gShQSf Other videos that might interest you: An extremely short, animated primer on Hasidic sects https://youtu.be/j26jMM6iYYI A longer history on Hasidic sects: https://youtu.be/ywWcEMPALlM Interview with the great late scholar David Biale https://youtu.be/ACAWSDr_zH8 An interview with my professor Glenn Dynner https://youtu.be/6_HyuP4HAi4 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/guXQwZ9h_5U Dr Archelle from the podcast "Speak Up for Your Health" interviews youtuber Frieda Vizel about her experience growing up in the Hasidic community and experiencing the community's attitudes towards health. Find Dr. Archelle on her webside: https://www.archellemd.com/ Follow Archelle's podcast Speak Up for Your Health: https://www.archellemd.com/speakupforyourhealth Dr. Archelle's book: https://amzn.to/4ydzmr0 For more on Frieda and health, here are some relevant videos: Reflections on my mother's illness: https://youtu.be/vCljrs_AgJQ In this episode, I talk about my experience with the religious element of stillbirth: https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4 Interview with Dr. Lynne Quittel: https://youtu.be/kP_NgV7y_Cs Interview with Dr. Rosman: https://youtu.be/TkUS0jzJci4 As always, please leave a comment with your thoughts! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/LK2b0mAYKqA I'm tired of big youtubers conflating all Hasidic groups as one.  They are so different. The community in Crown Heights is really different from the communities in Williamsburg. I visited both Brooklyn neighborhoods in order to show you how they are different. Credit: *Videography* - Cristian Delvalle / https://www.instagram.com/cristiandelvallecaicedo/ Max  *Edit-*  Steve Milligan / https://www.instagram.com/shootitsteve/ Lee Kupac / https://www.instagram.com/alice.kpc & https://readymag.website/u3245558506/6471652/ 0:00 Getting kicked out of Williamsburg 1:09 Introduction to Hasidic groups 3:00 1. Insularity versus outreach 7:58 2. Women's spaces and feminism 11:46 3. Clothing differences 14:10 4. A sense of themselves in relation to others 15:50 5. Population size 16:55 6. The neighborhood look 17:48 7. "The rebbe" 18:50 8. Fights and feuds 20:46 9. Israel and zionism 21:33 10. Neighborhood aesthetics 22:22 11. Yiddish, Hebrew, French, English, etc. 22:52 12. Conflict between Chabad and Satmar 24:55 13. FOOD! 25:38 BONUS: Marathon and parade Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/NtFI3NL4dFE?si=zOhqSNq6aijFxcc4 In September 2026, the Satmar community experienced a major historic event. After decades of the community being split into two rival factions, the two brothers who led the rival factions met again. But not just anywhere, but at the White House. After so much time of hurt and estrangement, the rabbis wished each other a sweet year before heading into the White House to meet with the president, Trump, and advocate on behalf of their Jewish community.  This is a great time to look back at how this split happened and record some oral history. Yumi Lowy grew up Satmar and paid a lot of attention to the battles. These are his memories. As is the case with oral histories, other people will have other stories. I so look forward to more perspectives in the comments. Follow Yumi Lowy on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/yumilowy/ For more on the early battles in Kiryas Joel, watch my interview with lawyer Michael Sussman: https://youtu.be/jcz0xmkm10s My interview with Hasidic reporter Joseph Kornbluh: https://youtu.be/4MPf67ftXME My reflections before the Trump visit: https://youtu.be/_UjXlnOVdug Reb Aaron Teitelbaum and AI: https://youtu.be/vUhamjWR_vA Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this podcast: https://youtu.be/_UjXlnOVdug In September 2026, news broke that Hasidic Rabbis will meet with president Trump. This was revealed when the Satmar Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum stepped up to his congregation on Shabbos and pre-emptively told his community that although he accepted an invite to sit with the president, he doesn't want the teenage boys to get too into it and excited about it. In this video, I unpack, from my own personal experience, what I think motivated the speech, what I think motivates the visit, and a little context on the Hasidic community's relationship to America. To watch the full video of my maroon binders, click here: https://youtu.be/ZRhOovJLcBY Some other thoughts on politics - here about NYC mayor Mamdani: https://youtu.be/FMgh3_O13Hg My interview with Hasidic reporter Jacob Kornbluh who covers the Mamdani beat https://youtu.be/4MPf67ftXME A conversation with a Satmar woman (Pearl!) about the dynasty: https://youtu.be/tPiKqDCtyIo 0:00 Personal reflection 2:58 Rabbi's address to students 8:23 Analyzing the visit 11:28 Political controversy 12:21 Historical context 14:17 Personal intersections Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/Yy4Tzw-UAUc Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/vEkKjydfG3g The Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel is an unusual community in the state of New York. It's all Hasidic, very insular. It is shaped around the Satmar Hasidic code of behavior which includes speaking Yiddish, strict gender roles, and insularity from secular society. The community is so gendered that growing up male versus growing up female are completely different experiences. I, as this channel host, have shared much about the female experience. However, there is little I know about the male experience. Through my network of people from Kiryas Joel, I recently got to know Shia Friedman - who is a rare example of someone from Kiryas Joel who is willing to talk on my channel on the record. We sat down to chat, primarily to understand his life as a male who grew up Hasidic. Obviously, Shia's story reflects only Shia's experience, but it can give us some insights just as my experience gives us some insight as well. We talk about the school day of Hasidic boys, the relationship to teachers, the expectations of learning an extreme amount, the lack of English and secular education, attitudes towards women, marriage rituals, and stepping out of the box. I think there's a lot that's covered in this brief episode, and I so look forward to your thoughts.  Shia's instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/shia__friedman/ My instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/ Check out some of my other videos on Kiryas Joel: What it was like for me to grow up in Kiryas Joel https://youtu.be/uHu_17N9GdE My response to the Tyler Oliviera video on Kiryas Joel https://youtu.be/ZlWRN4jo-CA Interview with lawyer Michael Sussman on the early years of kiryas joel https://youtu.be/jcz0xmkm10s Interview with Fradel Neuman who comes from Kiryas Joel https://youtu.be/HoTzWaF7dU8 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/vUhamjWR_vA In this video, I provide a translation and analysis of a powerful Yiddish speech by the Grand Rabbi of the Satmar Hasidic sect, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum. He addresses what he describes as the "new Satan" threatening today's generation: Artificial Intelligence. I offer a unique context as someone who grew up in the community. I share personal stories, including a poignant encounter at my son's opsherin, to illustrate the complex relationship between Hasidic leadership, tradition, and the relentless march of technology. In this video, we explore: -The Rabbi's Warning: How AI is viewed as a "mutation" of past technological temptations like computers and smartphones. -The "Kosher Phone" Dilemma: Why even filtered devices are now seen as gateways to unsupervised access to the world. -Cultural Preservation: The community's ingenious and sometimes desperate tactics for balancing modern necessity with spiritual isolation. -A Personal Journey: I reflect on how the internet changed my own life and why I find the Rabbi’s cautionary stance more logical than many might expect. Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction: My background and the significance of the speech  01:18 Personal story: Meeting Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum  08:24 The Hasidic community’s "dance" with technology  11:52 The Recording Begins: The "Flaming Speech" against the new Satan  17:09 Why AI is seen as a mutating evil inclination  21:05 The history of Hasidic solutions: Filters and bans  25:22 The "woe to us" dilemma: Why the Rabbi chose to speak out  30:25 How AI chatbots are accessed via kosher phone numbers  33:50 My reflections: Is the Rabbi’s warning extreme or insightful? Join the conversation: How do you think we should manage the influence of AI on children and vulnerable communities? Does the Hasidic approach offer any lessons for the secular world, or is it too extreme? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this episode: https://youtu.be/mW6PTwWUVAU Melissa Weisz grew up in Hasidic, Yiddish-speaking Boro Park and left the fold well before the OTD phenomenon became famous. I believe she left the fold before me, and I'm of the old timers now! I have been waiting for the opportunity to share her story with my viewers. Here, we finally get Melissa's story live. Please come if you would like to see this live and ask questions. It will also be available for view later. Follow Melissa on her socials! https://www.instagram.com/melissaweisz/ https://melissamalkyweisz.com/ Here is the full, unedited livestream: https://youtube.com/live/j16Dlc5iRGo Here's a trailer to this interview: https://youtube.com/shorts/oiWlef1AHVk?feature=share Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link: https://youtu.be/xBBW-b4yNfw Gita got married, like many Hasidic Williamsburg girls did. In an arranged match, when she was not yet twenty. Her marriage lasted until death did them part. Decades together, seven children, forty grandchildren, and about as many great-grandchildren. What does it mean for a woman of such a traditional, pious world to lose her husband, the backbone of her life and family? Gita is a story of resilience, everlasting love, and the language to express it all through food. From her shabbos morning coffee on the porch, from where she watches young families, to her choice to have peanut butter bread for shabbos lunch, to her refusal to let her kids cook for her, she remains fiercely independent, deeply traditional, and eternally devoted to her family through food. In a world where tradition is lived through food, Gita shares her family tradition of eating Rakot Crumpli: packed potatoes. A Hungarian food of sliced potatoes and eggs, with heaps of "dairy goodies" - cottage cheese, sour cream, and lots of butter.  Join Gita and me for a day in her home of cooking Rakot Crumpli and learning about her life and world as a widow in the Hasidic community. About her struggles with chronic illness and how she lives life fully despite her mobility issues and need to get around with a Rollator. Her resilience and love for life is inspiring, her fashionista side is envy-inducing. Most of all, she laughs and makes you laugh. She's alone but not lonely. This is my second time with Gita. My first visit was an interview about her life story which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/2saQ0LEwZXQ ~~ Filmed by me. How did I do? Do you prefer professional videography or more intimate home made filming? ~~ Edited by the wonderful Lee Kupac https://readymag.website/u3245558506/6471652/ I've interviewed the cooking influencer Lovina Zook: https://youtu.be/GHF0lQS2CHs Check out another story of an inspiring widow from Williamsburg, Tova Schiff: https://youtu.be/O2eglqRL5n4 Check out Mr Klein's shop where you can buy Rakot Crumpli https://youtube.com/shorts/KHnzQ5l674s?feature=share Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.

Video link to this interview: https://youtu.be/LV99eySK-24 Fifteen years after their marriage was arranged, a couple reflects on their lives together. They met once for forty minutes and then got married a year later, without any contact during the engagement. Are they happily married? In hindsight, what do they take away from their way of having met?  🔗 Follow Brachi and Avi on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brachif/ 🔗 Brachi's Shabbos table decor business is here: https://hod-hadar.com/ 🔗 Hod Hadar Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hod_hadar_/ Did you enjoy this interview? Watch some of my others: 🌟 Eli's story: https://youtu.be/SggvtB586Gk 🌟 Pessy's story: https://youtu.be/7CBHWJwmAJI 🌟 Gita's story: https://youtu.be/xBBW-b4yNfw 🌟 Melissa Weisz's story: https://youtube.com/live/j16Dlc5iRGo Edited by Lee Kupac / https://www.instagram.com/alice.kpc As always, my interviews are available as podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for supporting my work!! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support.