The Frieda Vizel Podcast

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!

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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.