This was a good, but in too many ways superficial, overview of Hasidic life in America, specifically in New York City. Monsey New Jersey is mentioned twice, but not profiled. The fairly significant divisions between some Hasidic groups' beliefs and that of others aren't mentioned at all. The two points that received
not even a passing mention, to my great disappointment, were that not all Hasidic Jews are Zionists (by any means!) and that there is, um, a little bit "more" going on with the Lubavitchers and their late Rebbe vs. other Hasidim. A couple of times, for example, Lubavitchers were interviewed with pictures of their Rebbe all over their walls; such a shot was even used to illustrate the point of the close relationship between a Hasidic Jew and his Rebbe, and still no mention at all of the messianic nature of the Chabad relationship with their Rebbe. I was pleased with the woman they selected to briefly discuss leaving the observant community after having been raised in the Hasidic life. She was not an angry, bitter person and did not rage against her former way of life, calling some parts of it "beautiful." That was very nice to see and made her objections to the life more credible. Ultimately, I was happy to to find a documentary about the Hasidim that my partner would even halfway-consent to watch, because these communities interest me, and anything with greater depth would have put him off, but there were very important points about Hasidism that received not even passing mention, which I couldn't forget in evaluating this piece.
December 28, 2010
