The Frieda Vizel Podcast

Video version here: https://youtu.be/1j7yKcjT4K8 Follow Avrum's wonderful podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@avrumrosensweigshow Follow Frieda on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/friedavizelbrooklyn 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/bY7w9icDKgU Leah Forster is, as they say in the Hasidic community, “one in a million.” She’s funny, she sings, she’s creative, and she’s been on a spiritual journey for years. She’s an out lesbian woman from the Hasidic community who is now in no box, under no one’s label. She has one daughter. Over the last year, her daughter has been battling a terrible tumor. Leah agreed to sit down with me to talk about her experience. In true Leah fashion, the conversation didn’t go where I expected, and we had a long, winding talk about all sorts of things, including illness, suffering, and faith. But many other things as well. My takeaway was that it’s often hard to talk about difficult things while they are happening. I pray for Leah’s daughter’s complete recovery, as well as for my mother’s. My mother has been doing so much better, and I thank you all so much for the prayers. Please pray for Leah’s daughter’s continued recovery. Please check out more of Leah! She has a new book out: https://amzn.to/4pEJYuG Find her on Instagram (she’s back!): https://www.instagram.com/leahforster/ My previous interview with Leah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQgG_Pzxazg&t My first interview with Leah: https://youtu.be/92nDFiyfVU8 I love talking to comedians, and I’ve interviewed quite a few others, including Danielle Jacobs, Riki Rose, Modi Rosenfeld, Antonia Lassar, and of course, Leah! Please check them out here: https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLhW2QoO54ycxK9b4GLY9oGn38tXRPT0vQ/videos Thanks so much to all of you for brightening and lightening dark days. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

video link: https://youtube.com/live/OjxrGU4Ajbc Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video link: https://youtube.com/live/8IEgx00P7OE A livestream about the NYT op doc about the Wedding Night for Orthodox Jewish couples. Watch the opdoc here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/opinion/ultra-orthodox-jewish-wedding-night.html Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Link to video of this interview: https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24 A candid discussion about Orthodox Judaism and its views on abortion, infertility and loss of unborn life. This discussion is Part 2 of a two-part interview. WATCH PART 1 HERE: https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4 In this episode, we explore reproductive halacha: Jewish legal thought on abortion, infertility, contraception, gender identity, sexual norms, and the wider landscape of ethical questions around them. The aim is a thoughtful, free-flowing conversation that makes room for nuance, real history, and lived experience. Rabbi Katz grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg and later left Hasidism while remaining within the Orthodox world. He has served as Senior Rabbi of the Prospect Heights Shul and is currently Chair of the Talmud Department at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Throughout his career, he has engaged with what he calls “cutting-edge issues” inside halachic discourse — including gender, sexual abuse, and other areas of communal tension. Many viewers also know his mother, Gita Katz, the sharp, unforgettable Hasidic woman featured in several of my videos. Rabbi Katz is her eldest, once considered a standout student in the Williamsburg community before charting his own path. Today he brings a rare mix of insider knowledge, rigorous training, and a willingness to tackle difficult conversations publicly. He also maintains an active presence on Facebook, where he moderates discussions that often get very heated. Rabbi Katz’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ysoscher.katz If this conversation resonates, you may also enjoy these related interviews: Related Videos: Part 1 with Rabbi Katz https://youtu.be/jjk5K5Rp6e4 - My earlier interview with Rabbi Katz on the Satmar Rebbe: https://youtu.be/8oVcC5z24c4 The book I mentioned is 'I am Forbidden' by Anouk Markovits: https://amzn.to/49lfr09 A Hasidic woman’s views on women’s issues — my interview with Pearl (and yes… Pearl is Gita’s close friend!) https://youtu.be/IaqonzHozVM A note of thanks: Many thanks to all of you who are able to support this channel. If you do end-of-year giving, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the cost of producing these videos. Many episodes cost far more to edit than YouTube pays in ad revenue, and the channel only continues because of the generosity of its viewers. Donate here: https://shorturl.at/WqXnL 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/jjk5K5Rp6e4 A conversation on Orthodox Judaism and reproductive laws Today I’m sitting down once again with Rabbi Ysoscher Katz, a guest many of you have asked to hear more from. Our earlier conversation about the Satmar Rebbe sparked such strong reactions that people stopped me on the street to talk about it. It became a real conversation starter — and this new interview opens the door to another set of complex, meaningful topics. This discussion is Part 1 of a two-part interview. Part 2 is now released for channel members and will soon be released for all. https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24 In this episode, we explore reproductive halacha: Jewish legal thought on abortion, infertility, contraception, gender identity, sexual norms, and the wider landscape of ethical questions around them. The aim is a thoughtful, free-flowing conversation that makes room for nuance, real history, and lived experience. Rabbi Katz grew up in Hasidic Williamsburg and later left Hasidism while remaining within the Orthodox world. He has served as Senior Rabbi of the Prospect Heights Shul and is currently Chair of the Talmud Department at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Throughout his career, he has engaged with what he calls “cutting-edge issues” inside halachic discourse — including gender, sexual abuse, and other areas of communal tension. Many viewers also know his mother, Gita Katz, the sharp, unforgettable Hasidic woman featured in several of my videos. Rabbi Katz is her eldest, once considered a standout student in the Williamsburg community before charting his own path. Today he brings a rare mix of insider knowledge, rigorous training, and a willingness to tackle difficult conversations publicly. He also maintains an active presence on Facebook, where he moderates discussions that often get very heated. Rabbi Katz’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ysoscher.katz If this conversation resonates, you may also enjoy these related interviews: Related Videos: Part 2 with Rabbi Katz (early release for channel members; coming soon to all viewers): https://youtu.be/qMKonpTHj24 My earlier interview with Rabbi Katz on the Satmar Rebbe: https://youtu.be/8oVcC5z24c4 My interview with Rabbi Katz’s mother, Gita Katz (about her life): https://youtu.be/2saQ0LEwZXQ A Hasidic woman’s views on women’s issues — my interview with Pearl (and yes… Pearl is Gita’s close friend!) https://youtu.be/IaqonzHozVM A note of thanks: Many thanks to all of you who are able to support this channel. If you do end-of-year giving, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help cover the cost of producing these videos. Many episodes cost far more to edit than YouTube pays in ad revenue, and the channel only continues because of the generosity of its viewers. Donate here: https://shorturl.at/WqXnL 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/1y8ejrX4Jos In this episode, I talk with Miriam Udel, who teaches Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University. Miriam has done something quite wonderful—she’s brought to life a wide range of Yiddish children’s stories, translating them into English and making them accessible again. These stories, written before and after the Holocaust, capture the worlds Jews once imagined for their children—worlds that were playful, moral, rebellious, sometimes heartbreakingly earnest. We talk about how children’s literature works as a cultural time capsule: how it reflects the values and anxieties of its moment, and how it teaches kids who they are supposed to be. It’s a conversation about language, identity, and the quieter ways a culture passes itself on. Miriam Udel is the Judith London Evans Director of the Tam Institute of Jewish Studies and Associate Professor of German Studies at Emory University. She holds an AB and PhD from Harvard, and was ordained at Yeshivat Maharat in 2019 as part of its first Executive Ordination cohort. 📚 Books by Miriam Udel: Modern Jewish Worldmaking Through Yiddish Children’s Literature https://amzn.to/4ovS0W3 Honey on the Page: A Treasury of Yiddish Children’s Literature https://amzn.to/476aGpF Never Better!: The Modern Jewish Picaresque (Michigan Studies in Comparative Jewish Cultures) https://amzn.to/47549LY 🎥 Other videos mentioned: Why Only Girls? — Hasidic Boys and Envy https://youtu.be/MnFddZtaWdQ A Hilf Faren Kind — The Hasidic Children’s Book Series https://youtu.be/2DTIsRStE3s Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Today's episode is a repost of my most personal video as I take a bit of time to recover from the months of my mother's illness. Link to video version of this post: https://youtu.be/GvLO9Vhid44?si=MdFJVuZnUvXPcudP I was 25 when my husband divorced me. I was so attached to him, yet so firm in my belief that it was also time to let him go. After he left our marital home, he asked me to quickly proceed with the get. A get is a religious divorce; a ceremony with many rituals. After I got home from the Get, I was very heartbroken. I sat down and wrote about my experience, talking to my husband directly, who had not spoken really to me during the entire ceremony. I needed to speak, to be heard, to have a perspective, to feel human. I was a single mother, young and alone, quite voiceless. I just sat at the computer and sobbed and wrote, and sobbed and wrote. I felt better afterward. I never for a moment regretted the divorce or reconsidered my leaving the Hasidic community. I think it was the path that was right for me. But I also don’t think my journey is over. I don’t know where this winding road will lead yet. I’ve raised my son on my own since the Get; happily, and with immense financial struggles. I moved on from the marriage, from the Get, from the intense youthful love. I healed, loved fiercely again, let go again, lived, and most of all, tried to stay true to myself while prioritizing my role as a mother. Now I’m ready for a new page. I look back at the long arc of life, and I’m grateful for the times I allowed myself to live with the hurt in order to live with what was my truth. Thanks for listening to my reading of The Get. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video version: https://youtu.be/1Vzxhb9kFOk Riki Rose grew up in the Hasidic community of Williamsburg, and in this video, she comes back for a visit. It’s a return that’s equal parts stressful, triggering, exciting, heartwarming, funny, joyous—and yes, delicious. We eat, we laugh, we talk honestly about what it means to come back after leaving, and we even ask the awkward questions (like: are we okay walking these streets in pants?). It’s a wide-ranging, soulful, and playful conversation with the brilliant singer Riki Rose. Follow Riki Rose: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@riki_rose Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riki_rose/ Website: https://rikirose.com/ Watch more of Frieda and Riki: Full playlist of the Frieda & Riki collection: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhW2QoO54ycwpngXudOzA5as9MfS4Ss6A Riki shares her life story: https://youtu.be/jiE9cTn6Yi0?si=6kcd3WUinlc7WrVz A performance by Riki and her sister Mimi: https://youtube.com/shorts/-pZYDWdbvRI Follow me: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@friedavizel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/ Website: https://friedavizel.com/ 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/IfWm5mlQRwg When Jewish worshippers were attacked in the UK during Yom Kippur, it struck a nerve far beyond the synagogue walls. In this wide-ranging conversation, Izzy Posen and I explore the roots and realities of antisemitism in Britain today. Is immigration really to blame? How does Zionism complicate public attitudes toward Jews? And how has British antisemitism evolved—from old Christian tropes to new political ones? We also get deeply personal. Izzy, now two months away from his wedding, reflects on his own transformation—from a Hasidic yeshiva student to a secular thinker and translator. He shares a haunting poem he wrote after being reunited with his estranged family at his mother’s funeral, where he met his youngest sibling for the first time: It could’ve been at a picnic in the park. It was at the funeral. It could’ve been at a festive family dinner. It was in the house of mourning. It could’ve been at a family celebration. It was in the cemetery. It could’ve been with her at our head. It was at her coffin. It could’ve been sooner. It was too late. We talk politics, identity, affirmative action, the different faces of antisemitism experienced by religious and secular Jews, and how one man continues to seek meaning through language and love. Watch my previous interviews with Izzy: On his Hasidic upbringing and education: https://youtu.be/SeZL920Eae8 Our live conversation: https://youtu.be/JpFVZj83wCw Follow Izzy’s work: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@izzyposen2092 Blog: https://journeyerblog.wordpress.com/2023/09/05/the-family-reunion/ Twitter: https://x.com/PosenIzzy Izzy also does beautiful Yiddish translation—he’s available for hire. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video link to this segment: https://youtu.be/87TYqw7aKbI Step into a world where sleight of hand meets Hasidic life. In this episode, I sit down with Dovy, a young magician from the Bobov community who has built a career performing in gender-segregated, kosher spaces. Our conversation opens a window into how Hasidic youth, without traditional pathways like college or conventional careers, find creative ways to carve out livelihoods within their own community. With Dovy, the story goes even deeper : is magic considered kosher entertainment—or dangerously close to the “dark arts”? What happens when a Hasidic man performs for women, and how does he navigate those boundaries? Between thought-provoking questions and a few dazzling tricks, this interview brings both laughter and insight into the ways tradition and innovation collide in Hasidic life. ✨ Find Dovy online: YouTube: youtube.com/@dovythemagician Instagram: instagram.com/dovythemagician Miniatures: Dovy’s Miniatures 🎧 Audio-only podcast version of this interview: api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/67300158/download.mp3 🌐 Connect with me: YouTube: youtube.com/@friedavizel Instagram: instagram.com/friedavizel Website: friedavizel.com 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/IdA3uHWGEtg In today’s video, I’m honored to share with you the remarkable story of Nelly Grussgott. This footage was originally filmed on August 12, 2020—long before I had a YouTube channel. It was part of a project by filmmaker Pearl Gluck, conducted for a documentary she was making with scholar Naomi Seidman about the Bais Yaakov girls' school movement. Naomi invited me to assist with the interview, and I was there in the room when it was recorded. From the moment I met Nelly, I was completely taken by her. Her life story is one of immense pain and breathtaking resilience—a testimony to survival, transformation, and spirit. Just days after the interview, Nelly made Aliya—she moved to Israel—at the age of 90. We stayed in touch, and I even interviewed her again via Zoom for this channel. But this original interview, which has always felt so precious to me, was never publicly shared until now. With the blessing of Pearl and Naomi, I’ve edited it down and am releasing it here to preserve her memory and her voice for posterity. As of today, Nelly Grussgott is 95 years old—bless her soul, may she live to 120. Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1930, Nelly witnessed Kristallnacht as a young child. Her early childhood was comfortable—charmed, even—growing up as an only child in a pampered, middle-class Orthodox Jewish home. Her parents were not German-born: her mother, from Czechoslovakia, moved to Berlin at 24 and became successful in the rags/textile business. Her father was Hungarian, and both were deeply religious. Due to the hostility towards Orthodox Jews in Berlin, they adapted to a modern Orthodox lifestyle. In 1937, Nelly’s father went to the United States to secure affidavits to bring his family to safety. He succeeded—but history intervened cruelly. While her father was still away, Nelly and her mother were forced out of their home and into an overcrowded apartment with five other Jewish families. One night, Nazi soldiers raided the apartment and took the men at gunpoint. Days later, ashes were returned to their wives in the mail. In a desperate move, Nelly’s father returned to Europe in 1938—traveling to Belgium to reunite the family. It proved to be a devastating mistake. Nelly and her mother, Czechoslovakian citizens, were able to emigrate to the U.S. at the very last moment, getting papers as I understand it in late 1939 but actually coming "in the last hour" in Frebruary 1940. But because her father was Hungarian, and the Hungarian quota was closed, he remained trapped in Europe. His letters continued for several years, growing more despondent until, in 1942, they stopped entirely. In 1995, the Red Cross confirmed the fate the family had long feared: Nelly’s father was deported to Majdanek, then to Sobibor in March 1943, where he was murdered, along with many relatives. Nelly’s mother eventually remarried in America, joining with a Satmar Hasid who had also survived great loss. She thrived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn—especially enjoying her later years on Lee Avenue, surrounded by familiar faces and warm greetings. Nelly herself chose a different path, remaining Orthodox but not Hasidic, and went on to raise a mainstream Orthodox family. I’m deeply grateful to finally bring this interview to light. May Nelly’s story reach far and wide—and may we never forget. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Link to video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/QWLnKjrpcuA Join me for a fascinating conversation with documentary filmmaker Paula Eiselt, the Emmy-nominated, Peabody- and DuPont-Columbia award-winning director behind 93 Queen, Aftershock, and Under God. In this interview, we dive into her groundbreaking film 93 Queen, which tells the story of Hasidic women in Boro Park who founded their own all-female EMS service. In a community where Hatzalah, the all-male emergency response team, is seen as the crown jewel, this move sparked intense debate and resistance. Paula’s film goes far beyond the surface narrative of women breaking barriers—it offers an intimate, nuanced portrait of Hasidic women’s lives, struggles, and determination. We also talk about Paula’s creative journey, her upcoming film We Met at Grossinger’s (premiering in late 2025), and what it means to tell stories that sit at the intersection of tradition, change, and human complexity. 📌 Explore further: Watch 93 Queen: https://amzn.to/45G6PgU Paula’s website: https://www.paulaeiselt.com/ Paula on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pizelt/ 📌 Stay connected with me: YouTube: @FriedaVizel Instagram: instagram.com/friedavizel Twitter: twitter.com/FriedaVizel Website: friedavizel.com 📌 Other videos you might be interested in: The Aguna Crisis: https://youtu.be/_H1hjrS2MLo She's blind in the Orthodox community: https://youtu.be/28lP8j8swA0 Why I left Hasidic Education Activism: https://youtu.be/IRTvj1_4_14 A non-Jewish teacher's testimony of teaching Hasidic boys: https://youtu.be/lR7UL9b_xNU 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/WSYIhDbY0VY In this conversation, I speak with Rabbi Mayer Schiller, a Hasidic Jew based in Monsey, New York, known for his deep knowledge of the Hasidic community and his rare combination of freethinking, humanist, and unflinchingly critical views. We touched on big themes like Zionism, sectarian divides, and other hot-button topics. Outro Music selected by Rabbi Schiller Agudah Achas (feat. Yoel Blum) https://youtu.be/u6TuUxzx8ek?si=GKkJDKlpgD1t5cWo It's the verse ״ויעשו כולם אגודה אחת לעשות רצונך בלבב שלם from the High Holiday prayers. It's translated as "And they all formed one union to do your will with a whole heart." Very apt to my conversation with Rabbi Mayer Schiller! Join this channel to get early access to videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD2OaOinKRQMK4dclGOw4QA/join Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/OhEuezMqyaE In this video, I sit down with Mattel, a young YouTuber from the Hasidic community whose passion for languages is truly inspiring. Mattel creates content in many lesser-known tongues, especially Jewish languages, with a unique focus on Hasidic Yiddish. She travels the world on her own, learns constantly, and generously shares that journey with her audience. On her channel, she has opened up with deep honesty—including a moving video in Yiddish about her brother’s suicide that touched me profoundly. Her work and her journey are only just beginning, and it’s an honor to highlight a new voice carrying Jewish languages into the future. 👉 Check out Mattel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@multisingual1241 — 📌 Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@friedavizel Twitter: https://twitter.com/FriedaVizel Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/friedavizel Website: https://friedavizel.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Link to video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/Uj5wHch-kx4 MOVIES WE DISCUSS IN THIS VIDEO: Yentl – https://amzn.to/3HmMZPQ Fiddler on the Roof – https://amzn.to/4lhQbKo Walk of Shame – https://amzn.to/3UPS0n4 Hester Street – https://amzn.to/3JdvMJ7 Crossing Delancey – https://amzn.to/4mzRvcA Sophie’s Choice – https://amzn.to/3JdvRfT Avalon – https://amzn.to/3HmNpFU A Serious Man – https://amzn.to/4fto21L Holy Rollers – https://amzn.to/45nuSRF Join me for a lively, insightful conversation with David Akerman from the channel @_yiddishkeit \ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_yiddishkeit/) as we dive deep into Jewish representation in film—from iconic classics to quirky cult favorites. We talk themes, stereotypes, hidden gems, and the ways Jewish life is brought to the screen. Whether you grew up on Fiddler, cried at Sophie’s Choice, laughed at Crossing Delancey, or were fascinated by A Serious Man, this is a conversation for film lovers, cultural explorers, and anyone curious about the Jewish stories cinema tells. RELATED VIDEOS ON MY CHANNEL: Unorthodox – https://youtu.be/v-VWUgQBTvQ 93 Queen – https://youtu.be/QWLnKjrpcuA City of Joel – https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUI Four Seasons Lodge – https://youtu.be/1J6pNHymChE CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@friedavizel Website – https://friedavizel.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video link to this conversation: https://youtu.be/1zQ1rSDUUVE A Balcony in Kazimierz: A Candid Conversation on Jews, Poland, and Post-Holocaust Memory In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, I sit with Naomi Seidman on the balcony of our apartment rental in Kazimierz—the historic Jewish district of Kraków, Poland—for an unscripted conversation about Jewish memory, return, and identity. Together, we reflect on what it means for Jews to come back to Poland after the Holocaust. Are we tourists or pilgrims? Survivors by inheritance or outsiders looking in? How do we process the tension between grief, history, and belonging? What responsibilities—if any—come with being second- or third-generation descendants of Holocaust survivors? Some of the most moving moments of this video were actually recorded off-camera with a hot mic—raw, vulnerable, and unfiltered. We decided to share them because they speak to the kind of honest, searching conversations I believe matter most. 🎥 Edited by Lee Kupak 📸 Videography by Michał Sosna: https://www.instagram.com/michalsosna/ 📚 **Books by Naomi Seidman:** • *The Bais Yaakov Project: A History of the Bais Yaakov Movement for Girls* https://amzn.to/3UpygGG • *Freud’s Jewish Question: Lust, Hate, and the Jewish Politics of Psychoanalysis* https://amzn.to/3TV0GYV • *Faithful Renderings: Jewish–Christian Difference and the Politics of Translation* https://amzn.to/40Bak6J 🎬 Link to my other video with Naomi: On Naomi's life story | https://youtu.be/aAHE9YNnxf8 A Heretic in the House | https://youtu.be/TrEQ_PMnVFQ 🙏 Special thanks to the University of Toronto for helping cover part of the costs of producing this video. 🔗 Stay connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friedavizel Twitter (X): https://www.twitter.com/friedavizel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@friedavizel Website: https://www.friedavizel.com 💛 Huge thanks to my channel members Your support makes these conversations possible. Thank you for believing in independent, heartfelt Jewish content. Music Credits: 1. Calling Home by Alex-Productions | (https://onsound.eu/) Music promoted by (https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/) Creative Commons CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) 2. Music provided by "Vivek Abhishek" (https://www.youtube.com/user/VivEKhsihbA/videos) Music used : "polish dance" originally composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek" - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLByBt4wYTQ) Follow on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/VivekEKhsihbA/) Follow on Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/vivek.abhishek.music/) 3. "AERØHEAD - Fragments" is under a Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0) license: (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoZbM1a4PKQ6haa2Ap4TSdg) Music powered by BreakingCopyright: • 🔥 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_SJmiVLM_g) #JewishHistory #Kazimierz #Poland #HolocaustMemory #PostHolocaust #JewishIdentity #NaomiSeidman #FriedaVizel #JewishHeritage #HonestConversations #JewishCulture #SecondGeneration #Krakow #KazimierzBalconyTalks #JewishDiaspora #HolocaustLegacy Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video link: https://youtu.be/5JUhkH71qUc How Hasidic Women Dress: A Conversation with Pearl from Williamsburg What does modest clothing mean in the Hasidic world—and how is it taught from such a young age? In this video, I sit down with Pearl, a Hasidic woman from Williamsburg who has been dressing in this tradition for over 70 years. We talk about how Hasidic girls begin learning the rules of modesty at age 3, what kinds of clothing are considered appropriate, and how fashion trends are received within the community. We also discuss: – The difference between weekday and Shabbos outfits – How community standards evolve (or don’t) – Why new clothing styles can become controversial – And what it’s like to follow these customs over a lifetime This is a rare glimpse into the everyday experience of Hasidic women’s fashion and the ideas behind it—all from someone who’s lived it for decades. #HasidicWomen #HasidicFashion #WilliamsburgBrooklyn #JewishTraditions #OrthodoxJudaism #ModestFashion #PearlFromWilliamsburg Music credit: 1. Song: Planet Nine Music by: / infraction Provided by: https://bit.ly/YouTubeEMW ⚫ 2. Song: Chill Composer: Sakura Hz Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6x1zYZR6PXhEmDY89G4rzg License: Creative Commons (BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com 3. Music track: floral by massobeats Source: https://freetouse.com/music Free To Use Music for Videos 4. Music track: Magnificent by Pufino Source: https://freetouse.com/music No Copyright Music (Free Download) 5. Music track: rose water by massobeats Source: https://freetouse.com/music Free To Use Music for Videos 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/aAHE9YNnxf8 What was it like to grow up in 1960s Boro Park as the daughter of survivors—and as a girl who wanted to run? In this candid and unfiltered conversation, scholar Naomi Seidman opens up about her Orthodox Jewish upbringing, her discomfort with the gender roles she was expected to fulfill, and her deep desire to escape. We talk about her path to becoming a PhD, how her parents responded, and the haunting legacy of her father’s own doctorate from the University of Warsaw—earned just as war was about to erupt. A deeply personal, often funny, and unforgettable reflection on memory, identity, and rebellion. 📍 Follow me on: Instagram: @friedavizel TikTok: @friedavizel YouTube: @friedavizelbrooklyn Website: friedavizel.com #JewishBrooklyn #NaomiSeidman #BoroPark #OrthodoxJudaism #JewishWomen #JewishVoices #SecondGenerationStories #Yiddishkeit #JewishStudies #FriedaVizel #UnfilteredConversations #BrooklynHistory #JewishHeritage #OralHistory #HasidicBrooklyn Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/UZTQRkr-rIs Long before social media became what it is today, the internet met Rebbetzin Rivka Leah Zelwig—a charmingly extreme ultra-Orthodox rebbetzin who covered her mouth when she laughed and dispensed earnest advice with impeccable comedic timing. But who was behind this early viral sensation? In this deeply personal interview, I sit down with Danielle Jacobs, the brilliant performer behind the character, for a conversation that moved me to tears more than once. Danielle opens up about her traumatic and unstable childhood in a home steeped in religious extremism, her lifelong connection to faith and spirituality, her natural gifts for dance and performance, and the painful limitations placed on talented women in the Orthodox world. This is a raw, beautiful conversation with a woman whose story is as powerful as her presence. 👉 Follow Danielle: YouTube: @sodanielleicious Instagram: @sodanielleicious And don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast for more heartfelt interviews and stories. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Link to video version of this interview: https://youtu.be/IRTvj1_4_14 In this interview, Naftuli Moster reflects on his years as the face of a controversial campaign to reform secular education in Hasidic boys’ yeshivas. As the founder of YAFFED (Young Advocates for Fair Education), Moster positioned himself as a critic of the yeshiva system in which he was raised, arguing that Hasidic schools fail to meet basic educational standards required by state law. Over the years, he became a polarizing figure — praised by some for challenging religious insularity, and criticized by others as antagonistic to the community he came from. To many within the Hasidic world, he came to represent an external pressure campaign that misunderstood or misrepresented their values and way of life. In 2022, Moster resigned from YAFFED, and in this candid conversation, he speaks openly about why he chose to step away. Was it burnout, a shift in priorities, or something deeper about the limits of advocacy? We explore his personal journey, how he views his impact now, and what he’s turned to since leaving the public spotlight. 📌 Topics include: Life growing up in Borough Park as one of 17 children His decision to publicly challenge the yeshiva system The backlash and media attention Why he ultimately left activism What he’s doing today 🔔 Subscribe for more thoughtful interviews on culture, community, and change. #NaftuliMoster #HasidicEducation #YAFFED #YeshivaDebate #JewishCommunity #CulturalTensions #OrthodoxJudaism #Education 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/XYPuTNOry3U When I was Hasidic, dieting and brisk walking were part of life—but the gym? Muscle-building? Weight training? That was unheard of. Today, a new movement is emerging from within the Hasidic world: a growing culture of strength training, gym routines, and fitness—all adapted to fit the unique rhythms and values of Hasidic life. In this interview, I talk with Shmilly Feldman (@chasidish_lifter), a young and energetic Hasidic man at the forefront of this trend. We explore how Hasidic workout culture is evolving—with its own twists: gender separation, modesty, and the challenge of balancing fitness with a calendar full of celebratory (and food-heavy) holidays. Shmilly shares his personal story of growing up in the Satmar school system with no gym class and how he became a self-taught weight trainer. He reflects on the limitations of the Hasidic boys' secular education, the drive to self-educate, and what that means for his generation. It’s a candid and thoughtful look at the cultural quirks of lifting in a shtreimel world. 🎥 Watch now and meet the Chasidish Lifter 👉 @chasidish_lifter #Hasidic #JewishCulture #Fitness #WeightTraining #Satmar #JewishLife #HasidicMen #SelfEducation #StrengthTraining #ChasidishLifter Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video version of this posting: https://youtu.be/uHu_17N9GdE I grew up in a very special place: the Hasidic village of Kiryas Joel. It was beautiful and painful all at once. I don't always talk about my own experience in this channel, because I was always careful not to make this channel about me per se but about a larger anthropological project. But today I'm taking a bit of a detour to a personal narrative by reading to you an essay I wrote about what it's like to grow up in Kiryas Joel. I hope you may find in this a careful expression of my many complicated and warm emotions towards my childhood world. You can read the original essay on my blog here: https://friedavizel.com/2022/02/23/what-it-is-like-to-grow-up-in-kiryas-joel/ ~For more content on Kiryas Joel, check out my watch party of a drive through Kiryas Joel: https://youtu.be/baiYc_9ZDt8?si=BWDRwZy1B_OesyUs ~And my interview with the filmmaker Jesse Sweet about a documentary on Kiryas Joel: https://youtu.be/Ovl9HbcTuUI?si=J7lnv6zHv3V4WhS2 ~A very personal trip from NYC up to the green mountainous region, including a stop on Satmar Drive where I grew up. https://youtu.be/-JzYNs1HfLY?si=4zfcYW5H_8D7W4B9 ~I also have an even more personal essay (would you believe it?) adapted to video here: https://youtu.be/LpW30oZh9rY?si=tQGdirASdT43RVnZ 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/NXpO0THnx3g A woman who believes that Jews are prohibited by the Torah to fight, to have an army and nation, shares her theology. --- Since I did my first video with Pearl nearly three years ago, my friendship with her has deepened and become richer. Still, we have always had deep ideological differences. I am no longer Hasidic and I reject some of the beliefs of my upbringing. Pearl is a deeply believing Hasidic woman who not only lives a joyous life in the heart of her world, but in a way, she is also a vanguard of the views of the post-Holocaust generation. Her passion for anti-Zionism is, I believe, partly animated by her sense that this view is being lost among the younger generation in her community. I think this motivated her to make this interview about how faith relates to the Holocaust. During the interview, I was fairly certain I would not air it—partly because I felt an urge to protect Pearl, and partly because I felt an urge to protect Zionism. After some consideration, I came to believe that neither of these impulses was the right one. I’m grateful to live in a free society where we can disagree and not shy away from difficult discussions, even if someone might try to weaponize them. And so, with that in mind, I decided to share the interview. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .

Video format of this interview: https://youtu.be/lzVUnyxpcEE The most beautiful media content created about the Hasidic community is, arguably, the Israeli hit TV show Shtisel. It was co-created by Yehonatan Indursky, who grew up Haredi in Jerusalem, left the community, and is now in some sort of place of return. He calls it "living on the border," the most interesting place to be. You might have read about him in a profile in The New York Times. I was so glad he agreed to talk to me for this interview—he was charming, forthcoming, fun, and deep. I felt his outlook and place in the world matched much of my own, and it was so nice to talk to a kindred spirit of sorts. It was also amazing to hear about his work, his views, his love for poetry, and his outlook on life. A man truly beyond borders. ➡️ Check out Shtisel the TV show on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CTLJB7HN/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r ➡️ Check out Kugel the TV show on Izzy: https://www.streamisrael.tv/kugel ➡️ Yehonatan's website: https://www.yehonatanindursky.com/ ➡️ Yehonatan in the NYT in the spring 2025: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/27/magazine/yehonatan-indursky-shtisel-kugel-orthodox.html ➡️ Yehonatan's wife Instagram I follow and enjoy called Hassidish: https://www.instagram.com/hassidish/ You can find a transcript of this video here: https://friedavizel.com/2025/05/02/transcript-of-the-interview-with-the-creator-of-shtisel-yehonatan-indursky/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-frieda-vizel-podcast--5824414/support .